Attorney Grievance Commission of Maryland v. Olekanma Arnnette Ekekwe, Misc. Docket AG No. 53, September Term, 2020. Opinion by Gould, J. ATTORNEY DISCIPLINE – SANCTIONS – DISBARMENT Court of Appeals disbarred lawyer who failed to adequately communicate with a client, represented a client while she was suspended from practicing law, and also made misrepresentations to the court about her status. Such conduct violated Maryland Attorneys’ Rules of Professional Conduct 19-301.4 (Communication), 19-303.3 (Candor Toward the Tribunal), 19-305.5 (Unauthorized Practice of Law), 19-308.1 (Bar Admission and Disciplinary Matters), 19-308.4 (Misconduct), and 19-742 (Order of Disbarment or Suspension). Circuit Court for Baltimore County Case No.: C-03-CV-20-004352 Argument waived/submitted on papers IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF MARYLAND Misc. Docket AG No. 53 September Term, 2020 ______________________________________ ATTORNEY GRIEVANCE COMMISSION OF MARYLAND v. OLEKANMA ARNNETTE EKEKWE ______________________________________ *Getty, C.J. *McDonald Watts Hotten Booth Biran Gould, JJ. ______________________________________ Opinion by Gould, J. ______________________________________ Filed: June 1, 2022 *Getty, C.J. and McDonald, J., now Senior Judges, participated in the hearing and Pursuant to Maryland Uniform Electronic Legal Materials Act (§§ 10-1601 et seq. of the State Government Article) this document is authentic. conference of this case while active members of 2022-06-01 15:20-04:00 this Court. After being recalled pursuant to Md. Const., Art. IV, § 3A, they also participated in the decision and adoption of this opinion. Suzanne C. Johnson, Clerk On December 1, 2020, the Attorney Grievance Commission (“AGC”), acting through Bar Counsel, filed a Petition for Disciplinary or Remedial Action against Olekanma Arnnette Ekekwe, alleging violations of various provisions of the Maryland Attorneys’ Rules of Professional Conduct (“MARPC”).1 Pursuant to Maryland Rule 19- 722(a), this Court designated the Honorable C. Carey Deeley, Jr. (“hearing judge”) to conduct an evidentiary hearing and provide findings of fact and conclusions of law. The hearing was held on June 21, 2021. Bar Counsel appeared and presented its case with 14 exhibits and a videotaped deposition of Ms. Ekekwe’s former client, Vini Sloan. Ms. Ekekwe failed to appear. The hearing judge issued Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law (“findings”) on July 28, 2021. The hearing judge found that Bar Counsel proved by clear and convincing evidence that Ms. Ekekwe violated Rules 19- 301.4 (Communication),2 19-303.3 (Candor Toward the Tribunal), 19-305.5 (Unauthorized Practice of Law), 19-308.1 (Bar Admission and Disciplinary Matters), 19- As described by Judge McDonald in Attorney Grievance Comm’n v. Ficker, 477 1 Md. 537, 545 n.3 (2022). In 1987, this Court adopted the Maryland Lawyers’ Rules of Professional Conduct (“MLRPC”). Maryland Rule 1230, Appendix (1987). . . . Effective July 1, 2016, the MLRPC were renamed the MARPC and recodified without substantive change in Title 19, Chapter 300 of the Maryland Rules. The rules have retained their previous numbering in a modified format, e.g., former MLRPC Rule 1.1 is now MARPC Rule 19-301.1. 2 In its Petition for Disciplinary or Remedial Action, Bar Counsel additionally charged Ms. Ekekwe with violating Rules 19.301.1 and 19.301.3; prior to the hearing, those charges were withdrawn. 308.4 (Misconduct), and 19-742 …
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