Supreme Court of Georgia · bar discipline

In the Matter of Matthew A. Dickason

Filed April 6, 2020 · Docket S19Y1450 · 841 S.E.2d 728

The Supreme Court of Georgia accepted an Atlanta-area lawyer's request to give up his law license after he admitted failing to account for client trust funds tied to real estate closings.

In plain language

Matthew A. Dickason, a Georgia lawyer admitted to practice in 2003, asked the Supreme Court of Georgia for permission to voluntarily surrender his law license. He did so after the State Bar received numerous complaints that he had failed to properly account for client funds he was supposed to hold safely in a trust account during real estate closings. Dickason admitted the failures violated the rule requiring lawyers to safeguard and account for client property, a violation that can carry disbarment as the maximum punishment. The State Bar noted 20 grievances were pending against him and asked the court to accept his petition. The court agreed, treating the surrender as equivalent to disbarment and ordering his name removed from the list of lawyers allowed to practice in Georgia.

What the court decided

Because Dickason admitted violating Rule 1.15(I)(c), which requires lawyers to properly account for client trust funds, and because that violation can warrant disbarment, the court accepted his voluntary surrender of his law license as the equivalent of disbarment.

Why it matters

Clients and parties to real estate closings who relied on Dickason to safely hold funds in trust were harmed, and this decision removes him from practicing law in Georgia entirely, protecting future clients from similar mishandling of trust account money.

Outcome

Voluntary surrender of license accepted

How the court got there

Dickason filed a petition to voluntarily surrender his law license under State Bar rules, admitting he failed to account for client trust funds from real estate closings, a violation of Rule 1.15(I)(c) of the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct, which requires lawyers to safeguard and properly track money they hold for clients.
He acknowledged that the maximum punishment for this violation is disbarment and that voluntarily surrendering his license is treated the same as being disbarred.
The State Bar responded that 20 grievances were currently pending against him and asked the court to accept the petition.
After reviewing the petition and the Bar's response, the court agreed to accept the surrender and ordered his name struck from the roll of lawyers licensed to practice in Georgia.

Topics