In re Shepard

491 P.3d 1264 (Mem)

In the MATTER OF Christopher John SHEPARD, Respondent.

Bar Docket No. 23277

Supreme Court of Kansas.

August 6, 2021.

ORDER OF DISBARMENT

In a letter signed July 19, 2021, respondent Christopher John Shepard, an attorney admitted to the practice of law in the state of Kansas, voluntarily surrendered his license to practice law in Kansas, pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 230 (2021 Kan. S. Ct. R. 284).

At the time of his voluntary surrender, Shepard's law license had been administratively suspended since December 10, 2020, for failure to pay attorney registration fees and continuing legal education fees, and for failure to complete continuing legal education requirements. Shepard had also been accused of abandoning his law practice and had pending against him eight complaints from former clients. Based on these complaints, the Disciplinary Administrator's office had filed a formal complaint charging him with violations of Kansas Rules of Professional Conduct 1.1 (2021 Kan. S. Ct. R. 321) (competence), 1.2 (2021 Kan. S. Ct. R. 323) (scope of representation), 1.3 (2021 Kan. S. Ct. R. 325) (diligence), 1.4 (2021 Kan. S. Ct. R. 326) (communication), 1.5 (2021 Kan. S. Ct. R. 327) (fees), 1.15 (2021 Kan. S. Ct. R. 366) (safekeeping property), 1.16 (2021 Kan. S. Ct. R. 372) (terminating representation), 3.2 (2021 Kan. S. Ct. R. 384) (expediting litigation), 3.4 (2021 Kan. S. Ct. R. 389) (fairness to opposing party and counsel), 5.5 (2021 Kan. S. Ct. R. 406) (unauthorized practice of law), 8.1 (2021 Kan. S. Ct. R. 424) (cooperation), 8.4 (2021 Kan. S. Ct. R. 427) (professional misconduct), Supreme Court Rule 210 (2021 Kan. S. Ct. R. 259) (cooperation), and Supreme Court Rule 231 (2021 Kan. S. Ct. R. 286) (notice to clients, counsel, and courts following suspension).

This court finds that the surrender of Shepard's license should be accepted and that the respondent should be disbarred.

IT IS THEREFORE...