In re Petition for Disciplinary Action Against Fitzpatrick, A14–2158.
| Decision Date | 12 February 2015 |
| Docket Number | No. A14–2158.,A14–2158. |
| Citation | 859 N.W.2d 526 (Mem) |
| Parties | In re Petition for DISCIPLINARY ACTION AGAINST Shannon M. FITZPATRICK, a Minnesota Attorney, Registration No. 345349. |
| Court | Minnesota Supreme Court |
The Director of the Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility filed a petition for disciplinary action alleging that respondent Shannon M. Fitzpatrick committed professional misconduct, namely, that while on disciplinary probation, respondent cut and pasted a client's signature from another document to a stipulation for an order, with that client's knowledge, notarized the signature, and filed the document with the district court, in violation of Minn. R. Prof. Conduct 8.4(c) and (d).
Respondent waived her procedural rights under Rule 14, Rules on Lawyers Professional Responsibility (RLPR), and unconditionally admitted the allegations of the petition. In a stipulation for discipline, the parties jointly recommended that the appropriate discipline is a 30–day suspension and 2 years of probation. After filing the stipulation for discipline, respondent asked the court to make her suspension retroactive to January 1, 2015, or in the alternative, to impose a 30–day stayed suspension.
The court has independently reviewed the file and will impose the disposition recommended in the stipulation for discipline.
Based upon all the files, records, and proceedings herein,
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:
1. Respondent Shannon M. Fitzpatrick is suspended from the practice of law for a minimum of 30 days, effective the date of the filing of this order;
2. Respondent shall comply with Rule 26, RLPR (requiring notice of suspension to clients, opposing counsel, and tribunals);
3. Respondent shall pay $900 in costs pursuant to Rule 24, RLPR ;
4. Respondent shall be eligible for reinstatement to the practice of law following the expiration of the suspension period provided that, not less than 15 days before the end of the suspension period, respondent files with the Clerk of Appellate Courts and serves upon the Director an affidavit establishing that she is current in continuing legal education requirements, has complied with Rules 24 and 26, RLPR, and has complied with any other conditions for reinstatement imposed by the court;
5. Within 1 year of the date of the filing of this order, respondent shall file with the Clerk of Appellate Courts and serve upon the Director proof of successful completion of the professional responsibility portion of the state bar examination. Failure to...
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In re Petition for Disciplinary Action Against Hansen, A14–2061.
...probation, forged a client's signature on a document with the client's knowledge and filed that document with the court. 859 N.W.2d 526, 526 (Minn.2015) (order). Fitzpatrick, however, did not involve a failure to cooperate with a disciplinary investigation, and the misconduct there involved......