| An eight-year attorney who was first suspended just a year after he was
admitted to the bar has been disbarred. Since becoming a California attorney in 1990, TERREL
V. CONNOR [#146085], 45, of Baden, Austria, has been disciplined 11 times and has
not been able to practice since 1992. The disbarment took effect July 8, 1998. Connor's
offenses include twice failing to pay bar dues (during his first three years of practice),
failing to pass the professional responsibility exam, three times being involuntarily
ordered inactive (for failure to answer a misconduct charge, violating probation and not
following a disbarment recommendation), and suspensions from practice in 1993, 1994 and
1996.
Among the charges in the disbarment proceeding was his failure to keep his address
current with the bar. Connor used his sister's Brooklyn address when he was living in
Austria, but his mail, including that informing him of disciplinary proceedings against
him, was not forwarded regularly.
Formal disciplinary charges began with a 1993 case which included failure to
competently perform legal services, communi-cate with a client, return client files and
refund advanced fees, as well as improperly withdrawing from employment. He also did not
keep his address current, nor did he cooperate with the bar's inves-tigation.
The first discipline, imposed by the Supreme Court in 1993, required Connor to make
restitution of $900 plus interest to a former client and to file quarterly probation
reports.
When he did not do so, his probation was revoked in a 1994 default proceeding and he
was placed on actual suspension for 11 months and was ordered to comply with rule 955.
Because he was living out of the country, Connor did not receive the order that he
comply with rule 955 for several months. In addition, he had no clients to notify of his
suspension, so he believed he was not obliged to comply.
Connor filed the affidavit when he learned he was mistaken.
Although it included notice of his Austria address, he did not notify officially notify
the bar of a change of address. Mail from the bar continued to be sent to Brooklyn.
In 1996, Connor stipulated that he failed to timely comply with rule 955. As a result,
he was placed on actual suspension for 18 months, with another order to file quarterly
probation reports. He failed to do so.
"Each of the four disciplinary proceedings against [Connor] have included findings
of culpability based upon either a failure to notify the State Bar of a current address
and/or failure to comply with court-ordered probation or rule 955 requirements,"
wrote the court.
Connor's "unwillingness or inability to comply with these requirements has caused
an exces-sive expenditure of time and effort on the part of the State Bar." |
