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Jamie Mauritz James (2016)
Page 1of3 reconciliationof herIOLTA accountatleasteverysixtydays.Consequently,duringthat period runningbalanceforeachclientmatter.Ms. Jamesdidnotconsistentlyperformathree-way consistentlymaintainaccurateindividualclientledgerswitha listofeverytransactionand listofeverytransaction,and arunningbalanceaftereverytransaction.Ms. Jamesdidnot anaccuratecheckregisterforherIOLTA accountwithaclientidentifieraftereverytransaction,a From November of2012 throughJuneof2014,Ms. Jamesdid notconsistentlymaintain
obligations. employeeswereconductingthemselvesinamannercompatiblewithherprofessional reasonableeffortstoensurethatshehadinplacemeasuresgivingreasonableassurancethather bookkeepers,paralegals,secretariesand othersinheremploy.Ms. Jamesdidnotmake transferredresponsibilityformaintainingherIOLTA accountand itsrecordstovarious BeginninginNovember of2012 and continuingthroughJuneof2014,Ms. James
prior discipline. Ms. James was admitted to the bar of the Commonwealthin1993. She has no historyof I. FACTS
Committee for theissuanceofa publiccensure. issuanceof apubliccensure.The Courtremandedthematterto theProfessionalConduct MassachusettsBoardofBar Overseersof theSupremeJudicial Court ("the Board")warrantsthe SupremeCourtruledthattheabove-captionedreciprocaldisciplinematterfromthe InaccordancewithSupremeCourtRule37(12),on May 26,2016,the NewHampshire
PUBLIC CENSURE
In theMatterofJamie MauritzJames,Esquire- LD-2016-0009
ScottH. Harris Barbara J.Guay, Legal Assistant Richard H. Darling* * non attorneymember Susan R. Chollet* Martha Van Oot PeterG. Beeson Richard D. Sager ElaineHolden,* Vice Chair 603-224-5828 ♦ Fax 228-9511 Georges J. Roy* HeatherE. Krans, Vice Chair Concord, New Hampshire 03301 Mona T. Movafaghi David M. Rothstein,Chair 4 Chenell Drive,Suite 102 Margaret R. Kerouac
a committeeoftheattorneydisciplinesystem ProfessionalConduct Committee New Hampshire Supreme Court Page 2 of3
Committee hereby issues apubliccensure. Supreme Judicial Court. TheCourt concludedthat apubliccensureiswarranted,and the is the equivalentofthe public reprimand imposed by the CommonwealthofMassachusetts recommended to the Court that for purposesofreciprocal discipline, asanctionofpublic censure The ProfessionalConduct Committee deliberatedthematteron May 17,2016, and
III. SANCTION
Conduct 1.15(b). personal funds into her IOLTAaccount, Ms. James violated Massachusetts RuleofProfessional Conduct 1.15(b)and (f)(1)(C). By leaving earned fees in her IOLTAaccountand bydepositing negative balance for individual clients, Ms. James violated Massachusetts RuleofProfessional By unintentionallymisallocatingclient funds in her IOLTAaccountand creatinga
Rule ofProfessionalConduct 1.15(f)(1)(E). perform athree-wayreconciliationofher IOLTAaccount, Ms. James violatedMassachusetts therespondentviolatedMassachusettsRule ofProfessionalConduct 1.15(f)(1)(C).By failingto with a listofeverytransactionfor each client and with a runningbalanceafter everytransaction, ProfessionalConduct 1.15(f)(1)(B).By failing to consistently keep anindividualclientledger identifierand runningbalanceaftereverytransaction,Ms. James violatedMassachusettsRule of By failing to keep acheck registerwith a listofeverytransactionand with a client
Rule ofProfessionalConduct 5.3(a) and (b). conduct wascompatiblewith her professional obligations, Ms. JamesviolatedMassachusetts effortsto ensure that she had in effect measures giving reasonable assurance that heremployees' By failing toadequatelysupervise her employees and by failing to makereasonable
II. ANALYSIS
April7,2016,Ms. James was publicly reprimanded. 2016, the Board voted to accept the stipulationofthe parties and theirjointrecommendation. On requesting that the matter beresolvedby the impositionofa publicreprimand.On March 7, This matter went before the Board on a stipulationofthe parties waiving hearing and
intocompliancewith herprofessionalobligations. negligentmaintenanceofher IOLTAaccount. Ms. James has sincebroughther IOLTA account No clientwas everdeprivedoffunds and noclientlost funds aresultofMs. James's
depositedpersonalfunds into the IOLTAaccount. her IOLTAaccount, and toerroneouslydeposit flat fees into that account. On oneoccasionshe Ms. James'sfailuretoproperlymaintainher IOLTA accountalso led her to leaveearned fees in oftime,certaintrustaccountfunds were inadvertently used to payunrelatedclientobligations. Page 3 of3
File Brian R. Moushegian, Assistant General Counsel Jamie MauritzJames, Esquire Distribution:
avid M. Rothstein,Chair
June 16, 2016
DisciplineOffice'scollectionefforts. 37(19)(c).Ms. Jamesshallbe responsibleforany costsincurredasaresultoftheAttorney legally-availablepost-judgmentenforcementremediesandprocedures. See Sup.Ct.R. any countyinthestate,whereitshallbe docketedasafinaljudgmentand shallbesubjecttoall The Committeemay fileacopyofthefinalassessmentofcostswiththesuperiorcourtin
inthestate.Sup.Ct.R.37(19)(b). disagreement,orenforcetheassessmentofcostsby petitiontothesuperiorcourtinany county explainingthereasonsfordisagreement.Sup.Ct.R. 37(19)(b).The Committeemay resolvethe (30)daysofreceiptoftheCommittee'sstatementofexpenses,listingeachdisputedexpenseand The assessmentofcostsshallbecome finalunlessMs. Jamesrespondsinwriting,withinthirty include,butarenotlimitedto,copyingand costsassociatedwiththepublicationofthecensure. investigationand enforcementofthisdisciplinarymatter. See Sup.Ct.R. 37(19)(b).Costscan Ms. JamesshallberesponsiblefortheexpensesincurredbytheCommitteeinthe IV. COSTS