Iowa Supreme Court Attorney Disciplinary Board v. Carmen Eichmann

Summary

The court found that Eichmann violated nine professional-conduct and trust-account rules by failing to respond to repeated requests for billing and accounting information, failing to maintain required records and provide written withdrawal notices, retaining disputed funds, and failing to withdraw after being discharged. Although the court disagreed with the grievance commission on two accounting violations and rejected the recommended thirty-day suspension, it imposed a public reprimand because the misconduct involved serious, repeated trust-account failures but did not cause the type of client harm warranting suspension. The court also concluded that Eichmann had a colorable claim to the disputed funds, but she was still required to provide an accounting and preserve the funds until the dispute was resolved.