On Thursday, October 27, 2022, the State of New York, Supreme Court, Appellate Division of the Third Judicial Department ruled on the motion of the Attorney Grievance Committee for the imposition of discipline upon Respondent Rockville attorney Ephraim Chukwuemeka Ugwuonye relating to charges for attorney discipline against Respondent in the District of Columbia.
The case, titled In the Matter of Ephraim Chukwuemeka Ugwuonye, was brought by the Attorney Grievance Committee. Case #PM-174-22.
According to the Memorandum and Order on Motion:
“The Attorney Grievance Committee for the Third Judicial Department (hereinafter AGC) now advises that, by May 2019order, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals has disbarred respondent for, among other things, recklessly misappropriating client funds in three separate matters, commingling personal funds with entrusted funds and writing numerous checks to himself drawn upon his IOLTA (Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Account).”
The Court, in granting the motion of the AGC, stated among others:
“Given the seriousness of respondent’s unchallenged professional misconduct in the District of Columbia and his demonstrated disregard for his fate as an attorney inNew York . . , we find that to “protect the public, maintain the honor and integrity of the profession and deter others from committing similar misconduct, respondent should be disbarred in this state”
The Memorandum and Order on Motion reads:
“ORDERED that the motion of the Attorney Grievance Committee for the Third Judicial Department is granted, and it is further
ORDERED that respondent is disbarred and his name is stricken from the roll of attorneys and counselors-at-law of the State of New York, effective immediately; and it is further
ORDERED that respondent is commanded to desist and refrain from the practice of law in any form in the State of New York, either as principal or as agent, clerk or employee of another and respondent is hereby forbidden to appear as an attorney or counselor-at-law before any court, judge, justice, board, commission or other public authority, or to give to another an opinion as to the law or its application, or any advice in relation thereto, or to hold himself out in any way as an attorney and counselor-at-law in this State; and it is further;
ORDERED that respondent shall comply with the provisions of the Rules for Attorney Disciplinary Matters regulating the conduct of disbarred attorneys and shall duly certify to the same in his affidavit of compliance .”
Mr. Ugwuonye was also disbarred in Nigeria, for the same offense.
Prior to his disbarment, Mr. Ugwuonye practices at ECULAW Group as its principal counsel, servicing Rockville, Maryland. He earned his law degree from the University of Benin Law Faculty, Nigeria. Ugwuonye had been licensed in New York, license no. 2681823, as well as Maryland, and the District of Columbia. His info can be found on LinkedIn.
