DO NOT REMOVE Fl co 1 IN THE SUPREME c8 ,~ 6 · f PPEALS OF THE STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA r,:~::::;-;;aM-AY~ ~- - """:(g~~-- 5 2020 0 LAWYER DISCIPLINARY BOARD, EDYTHE NASH GAISER CLERK SUPREME COURT OF APPEALs OF WEST VIRGINIA Petitioner, v. No. 18-0101 McGINNIS E. HATFIELD, JR., Respondent. BRIEF OF THE LAWYER DISCIPLINARY BOARD Rachael L. Fletcher Cipoletti [Bar No. 8806] Chief Lawyer Disciplinary Counsel [email protected] Renee N. Frymyer [Bar No. 9253] Lawyer Disciplinary Counsel [email protected] Office of Lawyer Disciplinary Counsel City Center East, Suite 1200C 4700 MacCorkle Avenue, S.E. Charleston, West Virginia 25304 (304) 558-7999 (304) 558-4015 - facsimile TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF AUTHORITIES .... .. ..... ... ..... ..... .... ... .... ... .... .. ...... .. 111 I. STATEMENT OF THE CASE ..... ........ .. ...... ... .... .. ..... ....... 1 A. NATURE OF PROCEEDINGS AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE HEARING PANEL SUBCOMMITTEE ... .. ..... .... ... .... ....... 1 B. FINDINGS OF FACT ... .. .............. .. ..... ..... ... .... .. ...... 2 C. CONCLUSIONS OF LAW . .. ..... .... ...... ... .... ... ..... ..... .. .. ... 8 IL SUMMARY OF ARGUMENT . .. ...... ... ...... ... ..... .. .... ... ..... .... 9 III. STATEMENT REGARDING ORAL ARGUMENT AND DECISION ......... .... 10 IV. ARGUMENT ............ .... ... .. ... ...... .. ..... .. ..... .. ....... 10 A. STANDARD OF PROOF . ...... ........ ...... .. ..................... 10 B. ANALYSIS UNDER RULE 3.16 OF THE RULES OF LAWYER DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURE .................... ..... 11 1. Respondent violated duties to the public, to the legal system and to the legal profession . ................................ .. ... 12 2. Respondent acted intentionally and knowingly ................ ... 13 3. Respondent's misconduct caused great actual and potential injury .... 13 4. There are no mitigating factors present . .. ..... .. ........... .... 14 5. There are aggravating factors present . 15 C. SANCTION ....... .. ..... .. ....... .. ..... ... .... .. .... .. ......... 15 V. CONCLUSION . ............ ... ...... ... ..... ... .... ... .... ... .... .. 21 A0084279.WPD -11- TABLE OF AUTHORITIES Cases: Attorney Grievance Comm 'n ofMd. V. Culver 849 A.2d 423 (Md. 2004) ....... .. .. ..... .... ...... .. .... ... ..... .. ...... 19 Attorney Grievance Comm 'n v. Childress 692 A.2d 465 (Md. 1997) .. ..... .. .. ......... ..... .. .... .... .... 19, 20 Committee on Legal Ethics v. Blair 174 W.Va. 494,327 S.E.2d 671 (1984) ........... .... ..... .. .... ... .... .... 11 Committee on Legal Ethics v. Karl 192 W.Va. 23,449 S.E.2d 277 (1994) ............... ... ..... ..... .. .... ... 11 Committee on Legal Ethics v. McCorkle 192 W.Va. 286,452 S.E.2d 377 (1994) ....... .... .. .. ... .... ... .... .. ... 10, 11 Committee on Legal Ethics v. Morton 186 W.Va. 43,410 S.E.2d 279 (1991) .. .. ...... .... .... .. ...... .. ........... 16 Committee on Legal Ethics v. Tatterson 173 W.Va. 613, 319 S.E.2d 381 (1984) ... ... ..... .. .. .... ... .. ... .. ......... 16 Committee on Legal Ethics v. Walker 178 W.Va. 150, 358 S.E.2d 234 (1987) ..... ... ..... ....... ... .... ... ..... .. 16 Daily Gazette v. Committee on Legal Ethics 174 W.Va. 359, 326 S.E.2d 705 (1984) .. ..... ..... ....... ... ............ 16 Disciplinary Counsel v. Goldblatt 888 N.E.2d 1091 (Ohio 2008) .. .... ... ..... .. ...... ... ..... .. ..... ... ... 19 Fla. Bar v. Weinstein 624 So. 2d 261, 262 (Fla 1993) . ... .... ... ....... .. ..... ... ..... .. .... .... 20 In re Ashy 721 So.2d 859 (La. 1998) . .. .... ... ..... ....... ... .... ..... ... ..... .. 19 In re Brown 166 W.Va. 226, 232-33.273 S.E. 2d 567, 570 (1980) .... ... ............ ... ..... 16 A0084279. WPD -111- In re Naquin 775 So. 2d 1060 (La. 2000) . ... .... ..... ... ..... .. ..... ....... ... ... ... 20 In re Tenenbaum 880 A.2d 1925 (Del. 2005) ... .... ..... ..... ... ..... .. .. .. ....... .. .... 19 In re Tenenbaum 918 A.2d 1109 (Del. 2007) .. ... ..... ... ...... ... .... ... .... .... .... ... ... 20 In re Touchet 753 So.2d 820 (La. 2000) ............. .... ..... .. .... .. ..... ... .... ... 18 In re Weaver 281 P.3d 502 (Kan. 2012) ...... ... ..... ... ............. .. ...... .. ... ... 20 Lawyer Disciplinary Board v. Chittum 225 W.Va. 836, 89 S.E.2d 811 (2010) .......... ....... .. ............. ... 18 Lawyer Disciplinary Board v. Cunningham 195 W.Va. 27,464 S.E.2d 181 (1995) .. ... ....... .. .. .. ..... .. .. .. .. .... 11 Lawyer Disciplinary Board v. Hardison 205 W.Va. 344, 518 S.E.2d 101 (1999) .......... .... .... .... ...... .. ... ... .. 16 Lawyer Disciplinary Board v. McGraw 194 W.Va. 788,461 S.E.2d 850 (1995) ..... .. .... .... .... ... ...... .. .... ... 10 Lawyer Disciplinary Board v. Scott 213 W.Va. 209, 579 S.E. 2d 550 (2003) ..... ... .. .. ... ..... ... ..... .. ..... 14 Lawyer Disciplinary Board v. Stanton 223 W.Va. 639, 760 S.E.2d 453 (2014) ........ ... ..... ... ..... ... .. ... .... 18 Lawyer Disciplinary Board v. White 240 W.Va. 363, 811 S.E.2d 893 (2018) .... ..... .. ..... ... ..... ... ..... .. ... 18 Matter of Wood 489 N.E.2d 1189 (Ind. 1986) .......... .... ..... ... .... .. .. .. .... .... .. 19 Musick v. Musick 192 W.Va. 527,453 S.E.2d 361 (1994) .... .... ..... .. ....... .. .... .... .... .. 17 A0084279. Wl'D Office ofDisciplinary Counsel v. Jordan 204 W.Va. 495, 513 S.E.2d. 722 (1998) .. .. .. .... ... ..... .. ..... ... .. 11, 12, 13 People v. Easley 956 P. 2d 1257, 1259 (Colo. 1998) .. .. ... ... .. .. ... ..... .. ..... ... ...... 13 People v. Chappell 927 P.2d 829 (Colo. 1996) .. ...... ...... ... ..... ... ..... .. .... ... ..... 19 Roark v. Lawyer Disciplinary Board 207 W.Va. 181,495 S.E.2d 552 (1997) . ....... .... .... ... ... ..... .. .... 11 See State v. Edward Charles L., 183 W.Va. 641 , 645 n. 1,398 S.E.2d 123, 127 n.1 (1990) ... ... ........... ... .. 1 State ex rel. Oklahoma Bar Associate v. Gassaway 196 P.3d 495 (Okla. 2008) .... ..... .. ... .. ... ... .. ... ..... .. .... .. 19 West Virginia Statutes and Rules: R. of Appellate Proc. Rule 19 .... .. ............ ... .... .. ..... .. .... .. 10 R. of Appellate Proc. Rule 40(e)(l) . ... ..... ... .... ... ...... ... ..... .... 1 R. Law Disc. Proc. Rule 3.7 ..... .... ..... ... ..... .. ...... ... ..... ..... 10 R. Law Disc. Proc. Rule 3.15 ..... .... .... ... .... .... .... .. ......... 2, 21 R. Law Disc. Proc. Rule 3 .16 . .... ... ..... .. .... , . 11, 12 R. Professional Conduct Rule 1.10 .. ..... ........ .. ..... ... ..... .... .... .. 15 R. Professional Conduct Rule l.2(a) .. ..... .... ..... .. ............. .... .... .. 15 R. Professional Conduct Rule 1.8 . .. ...... ... ........... .. ....... .. ...... 17 R. Professional Conduct Rule 1.8(i) ......... ... .... ... .... .... ..... .... .... 8 R. Professional Conduct Rule 1.9 ... .... ..... ... ..... .... .... ..... ... .... 15 R. Professional Conduct Rule 7.1 .... .... ........ .... .. ..... .... ..... ...... 20 R. Professional Conduct Rule 7.3(b)(2) .. ... ..... ... ..... .. .... ... .. .. .. 2, 8, 15 A0084279.WPD -v- R. Professional Conduct Rule 8.4(a) .. ... ... .. ...... ..... .. ..... ... 2, 9, 15, 18 R. Professional Conduct Rule 8.4(b) ... .... ... .... .... .... .... ... ...... 2, 9,15 R. Professional Conduct Rule 8.4(d) . .... ... .. .... ... .... .... .... ... .... 9, 15 R. Professional Conduct Rule 8.4(g) ... ........ .... .... .... .... ..... .. .... .. 8 W.Va. Code§ 61-8-5(b) .... .... .. ...... .... ..... .. ........ .. ... .... ... .... 9 W.Va. Const. Art. VIII, §3 . ... ... ...... .... ..... .. .. .. ... ... ... ....... .. 14 Other: ABA Model Standards for Imposing Lawyer Sanctions .... ..... .. ..... ... .... .. .. 10 Annotated ABA Model Standards for Imposing Lawyer Sanctions, Definition (2015) ..... 13 ABA Model Standards for Imposing Lawyer Sanctions, § 9.21(1992) ... ..... .. ... .. 15 ABA Model Standards for Imposing Lawyer Sanctions,§ 9.22(a) ....... ... ..... ... ..... 15 ABA Model Standards for Imposing Lawyer Sanctions,§ 9.31 (1992) ... .... ............ 14 ABA Model Standards for Imposing Lawyer Sanctions, Standard 7 .1 ..... .... .... .. 20 A0084279. WPD -Vl- I. STATEMENT OF THE CASE A. NATURE OF PROCEEDINGS AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE HEARING PANEL SUBCOMMITTEE This is a lawyer disciplinary proceeding against Respondent McGinnis E. Hatfield, Jr. (hereinafter "Respondent"), arising as the result of a Statement of Charges issued against him and filed with the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia on or about February 9, 2018. The Clerk ofthe Supreme Court ofAppeals served the Statement of Charges upon Respondent by certified mail on or about February 13, 2018. Thereafter, on or about March 7, 2018, Lawyer Disciplinary Counsel timely filed her mandatory discovery upon Respondent. Respondent filed his Answer to the Statement of Charges on or about March 23, 2018, and "Respondent's Discovery Disclosures," on or about April 9, 2018. No pre-trial motions were filed by either party. Thereafter, this matter proceeded to hearing in Charleston, West Virginia, at the Office of Lawyer Disciplinary Counsel (hereinafter "ODC") on June 14, 2018. The presiding Hearing Panel Subcommittee (hereinafter "HPS") comprised of Steven K. Nord, Esquire, Chairperson; Anne Werum Lambright, Esquire; and Dr. K. Edward Grose, Layperson. Renee N. Frymyer, Lawyer Disciplinary Counsel, appeared on behalf of the ODC. John W. Feuchtenberger, Esquire, appeared on behalf of Respondent, who also appeared. The HPS heard testimony from B.W. 1 and Respondent. In addition, ODC Exhibits 1-24 were admitted into evidence. On or about