On Thursday, August 29, 2024, the Presiding Disciplinary Judge of the Supreme Court of Colorado approved a stipulation disbarring attorney Stephanie Ellena Grewe from law practice. Grewe had been suspended from practicing in Colorado since early 2023 due to misconduct in several immigration client cases.
The case is entitled “People v. Stephanie Ellena Grewe,” with case no. 24PDJ044.
The charges cited Colorado Rules of Professional Conduct 1.3, 1.4(a)(3), and 8.4(c), which state:
A lawyer must act with reasonable diligence and promptness in representing a client.
A lawyer must keep a client reasonably informed about the status of a matter.
It is professional misconduct for a lawyer to engage in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation.
The Rules of Professional Conduct can be found here.
According to the stipulation, Grewe neglected client matters, failed to communicate with clients, and misrepresented information. In one case dating back to 2018, Grewe agreed to pursue an I-130 petition for alien relatives but did not file any documents for nearly four years aside from the initial petition. When asked for an update, Grewe falsified a receipt notice from USCIS.
Grewe was already serving a six-month suspension from January 2023, with 30 days to be served actively and the remainder deferred pending two years of probation. However, she filed several documents with immigration authorities while suspended without disclosing her suspension status. In May 2023, Grewe also appeared in court on behalf of a client despite being prohibited from practicing law.
In another matter from 2015, Grewe failed to progress the client’s case meaningfully over eight years. She did not inform this client of her suspension or that she could no longer represent them legally. When asked to return the client’s file by new representation, she did not comply with that request. She also ignored requests for information from disciplinary authorities.
Due to these extensive violations of Colorado RPC including neglect, dishonesty, practicing while suspended, and failing to cooperate, the Presiding Disciplinary Judge approved Grewe’s disbarment effective immediately. This will prohibit her from working as a licensed attorney in Colorado.
According to avvo.com, Ms. Grewe was an immigration attorney in Lakewood, Colorado. She attended the Ave Maria School of Law. She acquired her law license in Colorado in 2014.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
