Columbus Bar Assn. v. Striff

Topics

Practice areas

Questions Presented

1. Whether the court should enter an interim default suspension after the Board of Professional Conduct certified that respondent failed to answer a formal complaint and respondent filed no response.
2. What restrictions and compliance obligations should accompany the interim default suspension.

Holdings

1. Upon the Board of Professional Conduct's certification of respondent's default and respondent's failure to file a response, the court entered an interim default suspension effective immediately.
2. The suspended respondent must immediately cease practicing law, comply with client and court-notification and property-transfer requirements, satisfy continuing-legal-education and reimbursement obligations, and meet specified conditions before reinstatement.

Factual background

The Board of Professional Conduct certified that Christopher William Striff Jr. failed to answer a formal disciplinary complaint pending before the board. Striff did not file a response to the certification. Based on that default, the Supreme Court of Ohio imposed an interim suspension from the practice of law and directed Striff to comply with specified client-notification, property-transfer, fee-accounting, filing, continuing-education, and reinstatement obligations.

Procedural history

On June 7, 2017, the Board of Professional Conduct filed a certification of default under Gov.Bar R. V(14)(A), alleging that Christopher William Striff Jr. failed to file an answer to a formal complaint. Striff did not respond. The Supreme Court of Ohio entered an interim default suspension under Gov.Bar R. V(14)(B)(1), effective immediately, and specified the conditions governing the suspension and any reinstatement.