On Wednesday, September 21, 2022, the Supreme Court of the State of Minnesota ruled on the stipulation recommending discipline entered into by and between the Director of the Office of the Lawyers Professional Responsibility and Respondent Fargo attorney Timothy P. Hill relating to charges for disciplinary action alleging Hill of misappropriation of client funds, failure to safeguard client funds, and failure to promptly refund unearned advance legal fees upon request and termination of representation.
The case, titled In Re Petition for Disciplinary Action against Timothy P. Hill, was brought by the Office of the Lawyers Professional Responsibility, Case #A22-1311.
The charges cited violation of Rules 1.5(b), 1.15(a), 1.15(c)(4), 1.15(c)(5), 1.15(c)(5), and 8.4(c), of the Minnesota Rules of Professional Conduct.
In the Petition for Disciplinary Action, the Director of the Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility alleges Respondent’s failure to safeguard client funds and misappropriation in three unrelated matters, namely: representation of client J.K.; client R.N & L.N; and client J.D.
In all the three representations, Respondent failed to deposit any of the funds he was holding on his client’s behalf into a trust account and then used those funds for purposes other than that intended by the clients, which are both in violation of Rules 1.5(3) and 8.4(c), MRPC, respectively.
In his representation of R.N. and L.N., Respondent did not promptly refund to R.N. and L.N. the unearned portions of their advance legal fees upon request and termination of his representation on December 19, 2019, which violated Rules 1.5(3), 1,15(c)(4) and 1.16(d), MRPC.
The Director prayed for an order of the Court imposing appropriate discipline, award of costs and disbursements pursuant to the Rules on Lawyers Professional Responsibility, and for such other, further or different relief as may be just and proper.
According to the filing:
“Respondent admits his conduct has violated the Rules of Professional Conduct, waives his rights pursuant to Rule 14, Rules on Lawyers Professional Responsibility, and has entered into a stipulation with the Director wherein they jointly recommend that the appropriate discipline is a 12-month suspension and payment of $900 in costs and disbursements pursuant to Rule 24, Rules on Lawyers Professional Responsibility.”
Accordingly, the Supreme Court of Minnesota, after having independently reviewed the file, approved the jointly recommended disposition and further ordered that respondent Timothy P. Hill pay $900 in costs and disbursements.
As of today, Mr. Hill is listed in Timothy P. Hill Law Office, as a practicing lawyer.
He attended the University of Dakota School of Law and practices in Fargo, North Dakota. Timothy P. Hill has been licensed in Minnesota and North Dakota.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
