The Director of the Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility has filed a petition for revocation of probation and for further disciplinary action, and a supplementary petition for revocation of probation and for further disciplinary action, alleging that respondent Todd A. Crabtree has committed professional misconduct warranting public discipline. The allegations of the petition include dishonest, misleading and/or fraudulent conduct in his personal bankruptcy proceeding; willful failure to pay a law-related debt; notarization of his own signature; responding to a scam resulting in the theft of client funds held in his trust account; and failure to obtain written informed consent from clients to a concurrent conflict of interest.
The parties have entered into a stipulation for discipline and have filed a transcript memorializing that stipulation with the court. In it, respondent reaffirms the admissions in his answers to the petitions, makes additional admissions of fact, and admits his conduct has violated Minn. R. Prof. Conduct 1.7(a)(2), 1.7(b)(4), 1.15(a), 1.15(c)(4), 1.15(h) as interpreted by Appendix 1(11), 8.4(c), and 8.4(d). Respondent waives his procedural rights under Rule 14, Rules on Lawyers Professional Responsibility (RLPR). The parties jointly recommend that the appropriate discipline is an indefinite suspension, with no right to petition for reinstatement for at least 9 months.
The court has independently reviewed the file and approves the jointly recommended disposition.
Based upon all the files, records, and proceedings herein,
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT:
1. Respondent Todd A. Crabtree is suspended from the practice of law, effective 14 days from the date of the filing of this order, with no right to petition for reinstatement for 9 months from the effective date of the suspension.
2. Respondent may petition for reinstatement under Rule 18(a)-(d), RLPR. Reinstatement is conditioned on successful completion of the written examination required for admission to the practice of law by the State Board of Law Examiners on the subject of professional responsibility, see Rule 18(e)(2), RLPR, and satisfaction of continuing legal education requirements, see Rule 18(e)(4), RLPR.
3. Respondent shall comply with Rule 26, RLPR (requiring notice of suspension to clients, opposing counsel, and tribunals) and shall pay $900 in costs under Rule 24, RLPR.
/s/ ______________________________
David L. Lillehaug
Associate Justice