In response to separate grievances filed by former clients against respondent Jeffrey Ross Bowie, a member of the State Bar of Georgia since 1991, a Special Master appointed by this Court in S01Y0508 and the Investigative Panel of the Disciplinary Board of the State Bar of Georgia in S01Y0374 have recommended that respondent be disbarred from the practice of law in Georgia. We agree with their recommendations and hereby disbar respondent.
In November 1998, a corporate representative hired respondent to represent the corporation in a breach of contract claim. After repeated inquiries from the client, respondent sent to the corporate representative a copy of the complaint he purportedly filed on behalf of the corporation and a copy of the answer purportedly filed by the defendant. In fact, the defendant had not been served and had not filed an answer. When, in April 1999, the corporate representative directed respondent to withdraw from the case and return the file to the client, respondent produced an incomplete file; did not respond to the continued requests for the complete file; did not return the funds entrusted to him by the client; and used those funds for his own benefit. In October 1999, he did not respond to the Notice of Investigation served by publication after efforts to serve him at the address he had provided the State Bar’s membership department proved fruitless. In February 2000, this Court suspended respondent’s license to practice law in Georgia, pursuant to Bar Rule 4-204.3d. Thereafter, the special master appointed by this Court found that respondent’s conduct violated Standard 4 engaging in professional conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or wilful misrepresentation; Standard 22b withdrawing from employment without taking reasonable steps to avoid foreseeable prejudice to the client; Standard 44 wilfully abandoning or disregarding a legal matter to the client’s detriment; Standard 45b knowingly making a false statement of fact; Standard 65A commingling client and personal funds; Standard 65 D withdrawing trust account funds for personal use; and Standard 68 failing to respond to disciplinary authorities.
