Professional Responsibility: A suspension of 6 months from the practice of law is reasonable for the violation of 7 Rules of Professional Conduct stemming from the misappropriation of client funds and failure to provide competent representation.

The Oregon State Bar (Bar) charged the Accused for violating 9 Rules of Professional Conduct (RPC) after he (1) failed to reimburse a client for funds collected without a fee agreement for a matter that was dropped by the State and did not require any work by the Accused; and (2) when he missed a number of important deadlines in a separate civil matter and filed a frivolous appeal. The Bar found the Accused in violation of 8 RCPs and suspended him from the practice of law for 6 months. The Accused appealed to the Supreme Court, which agreed with the Bar on all counts except one, finding that the Accused violated 7 RPCs, but the nature of his violations still warranted a suspension from the practice of law for 6 months.