THESE NOTICES OF THE IMPOSITION OF DISCIPLINARY SANCTIONS AND ACTIONS are published pursuant to Rule 3.5(c) of the Washington Supreme Court Rules for Enforcement of Lawyer Conduct. Active links to directory listings, RPC definitions, and documents related to the disciplinary matter can be found at the links below or by looking up the respondent in the Discipline Notice Directory at https://mywsba.org/PersonifyEbusiness/DisciplineNoticeDirectory.
As some WSBA members share the same or similar names, please read all disciplinary notices carefully for names, cities, and bar numbers.
Find prior Discipline & Other Regulatory Notices here.
Suspended
Michael Olufemi Ewetuga (WSBA No. 37596, admitted 2006) of Tacoma, WA, was suspended for six months, effective 1/17/2024, by order of the Washington Supreme Court. Nate Blanchard acted as disciplinary counsel. Michael Olufemi Ewetuga represented themselves. Randolph O. Petgrave III was the hearing officer. Seth A. Fine was the settlement hearing officer.
The lawyer’s conduct violated the following Rules of Professional Conduct: 1.4 (Communication), 1.5 (Fees), 1.8 (Conflict of Interest: Current Clients: Specific Rules).
The Hearing Officer recommended, and the Supreme Court ordered, that Ewetuga be suspended from the practice of law in Washington state for six months, to undergo 24 months of probation, and pay restitution to the grievant. Respondent’s payment of restitution to the grievant is a required precondition to respondent’s return from suspension.
Ewetuga was found to have violated the Rules of Professional Conduct by 1) engaging in a sexual relationship with a client during representation and 2) failing to state and/or explain the change in the rate or basis of respondent’s fee.
Decision documents: Hearing Officer’s Recommendation; Disciplinary Board Order Declining Sua Sponte Review and Adopting Hearing Officer’s Recommendation; and Washington Supreme Court Order.
Terry Hood Simon (WSBA No. 15409, admitted 1985) of Monroe, WA, was suspended for one year, effective 12/18/2023, by order of the Washington Supreme Court. Kathy Jo Blake and Marsha Matsumoto acted as disciplinary counsel. Terry Hood Simon represented themselves.
The lawyer’s conduct violated the following Rules of Professional Conduct: 1.3 (Diligence), 1.4 (Communication), 1.15A (Safeguarding Property), 1.15B (Required Trust Account Records), 8.4(l) (ELC Violation).
Simon stipulated to suspension for: 1) failing to diligently represent a client, 2) failing to communicate with a client regarding the status of the case and failing to respond to the client’s reasonable requests for information, 3) failing to promptly pay or deliver funds to the client that they were entitled to receive, 4) failing to maintain complete and current client ledgers, 5) failing to reconcile a trust account check register to a combined total of client ledgers, 6) commingling lawyer funds with client funds in his trust account, 7) failing to promptly respond to requests for information during the grievance investigation.
Decision documents: Disciplinary Board Order Approving Stipulation; Stipulation to Suspension; and Washington Supreme Court Order.
Reprimanded
Leila Louisa Hale (WSBA No. 47247 admitted 2014) of Henderson, NV, was reprimanded, effective 12/05/2023, by order of the Washington Supreme Court imposing reciprocal discipline in accordance with an order of the Supreme Court of the State of Nevada. For more information, see https://nvbar.org/wp-content/uploads/2023.08.11-Public-Reprimand.pdf. Henry Cruz acted as disciplinary counsel. Leila Louisa Hale Represented themselves.
Decision document: The Washington Supreme Court Order.
Notice of Hearing on Petition for Reinstatement of William Henry Waechter
A petition for reinstatement after disbarment has been filed by William Henry Waechter (WSBA No. 20602), who was admitted in 1991 and disbarred in 2018. A hearing on Waechter’s petition will be conducted before the Character and Fitness Board on Friday, April 19, 2024. Anyone wishing to do so may file with the Character and Fitness Board a written statement for or against reinstatement, setting forth factual matters showing that the petition does or does not meet the requirements of Washington Supreme Court Admission and Practice Rule (APR) 25.5(a). Except by the Character and Fitness Board’s leave, no person other than the petitioner or petitioner’s counsel shall be heard orally by the Board.
Communications to the Character and Fitness Board should be sent to Counsel to the Character and Fitness Board, Washington State Bar Association, at OGC@wsba.org. This notice is published pursuant to APR 25.4(a).