In the Matter of Muhammad Abdul-Warit Abdur-Rahim

Muhammad Abdul-Warit Abdur-Rahim is a Georgia lawyer who admitted violating a rule of professional conduct dealing with communicating with represented parties. Back in April 2020, the Supreme Court of Georgia accepted his request for voluntary discipline and ordered him to receive a formal reprimand from the State Disciplinary Review Board, a lighter form of punishment than suspension or disbarment. Abdur-Rahim was told when and where to show up for that reprimand, but he did not appear. Because he skipped the reprimand, the State Bar asked the court to suspend him from practicing law. The court agreed and suspended him effective immediately, with the suspension to last until he actually appears for and receives the reprimand and the State Bar confirms that to the court.

Because Abdur-Rahim failed to appear for the reprimand the court had already ordered, the court suspended him from practicing law effective immediately, with the suspension to remain in place until he appears for the reprimand and the State Bar confirms it was administered.

The ruling means Abdur-Rahim cannot practice law in Georgia until he completes a simple administrative step: showing up for his reprimand. It also signals to other Georgia lawyers that ignoring scheduled discipline proceedings carries its own separate consequence.

Suspended until reprimand administered

1. The court had earlier accepted Abdur-Rahim's petition for voluntary discipline, in which he admitted violating Rule 3.5 (d) of the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct, a rule governing improper communication with jurors or parties, and ordered a formal reprimand as the punishment.
2. Abdur-Rahim was notified of the specific date and time to appear for that reprimand but did not show up.
3. Under Bar Rule 4-109, which allows the court to suspend a lawyer who fails to complete an ordered disciplinary step, the court suspended Abdur-Rahim from practicing law starting on the date of this opinion.
4. The court set the suspension to last only until Abdur-Rahim actually appears for and receives the reprimand and the State Bar confirms to the court that this happened, at which point the State Bar must ask the court to lift the suspension.

• attorney discipline
• State Bar of Georgia
• law license suspension
• failure to appear for reprimand