On Thursday, November 17, 2022, the Alabama Supreme Court ordered the disbarment of Mobile attorney Sonya Alexandrial Ogletree-Bailey for misconduct.
The charges cited Ms. Ogletree-Bailey’s violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct1.13 (Diligence), 1.4 (Communication), 1.15(a) (Safekeeping Property), 1.16(d) (Declining or Terminating Representation), 8.1(b) (Bar Admission and Disciplinary Matters), and 8.4(d) and (g) (Misconduct).
The Alabama Rules of Professional Conduct can be found online.
The filing states:
“In July of 2015, Ogletree-Bailey was hired by a client to represent her in a divorce. According to the contract signed by the client, she was to be charged an hourly rate of $250.00 per hour. The client provided a note that appears to be written by Ogletree-Bailey in which Ogletree-Bailey quotes a fee of $750.00 and a $208.00 filing fee. The note stated that the client must pay $300.00 – $400.00 of the attorney’s fee prior to filing. The client maintained she paid Ogletree-Bailey a total of $958.00 to file the petition for divorce. Ogletree-Bailey failed to place the funds in trust, failed to file the divorce petition, failed to return the client’s calls, and failed to refund any portion of the attorney’s fees or filing fee. Additionally, Ogletree-Bailey failed to respond to multiple requests from the Office of General Counsel of the Alabama State Bar for a written response to the client’s complaint.”
Ms. Ogletree-Bailey was also disbarred by the Court on November 16, 2017.
Accordingly, the Court disbarred Ms. Ogletree-Bailey effective November 17, 2022, pursuant to the Report and Order of the Disciplinary Board of the Alabama State Bar finding the latter guilty of the above-cited Rules of Professional Conduct.
Ms. Sonya Alexandrial Ogletree-Bailey earned her law degree from Cleveland State University – Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. She had been licensed in Alabama. Her info can be found on Avvo.
A copy of the Order of Disbarment can be found here.
