Howard A. Lettman
Allegation / charges
Guilty of Professional Misconduct | Disciplinary Committee decision delivered June 24, 2017. || Struck off | Disciplinary Committee decision delivered February 05, 2018. View PDF DECISION OF THE DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE OF THE GENERAL LEGAL COUNCIL COMPLAINT NO: 29/2014 IN THE …
Findings — machine-extracted (anthropic-batch:claude-opus-4-8); verify against the decision
The Disciplinary Committee of the General Legal Council found that Attorney Howard Lettman, who represented the complainant Hazel Hanson (and the vendor) in a 1995 land purchase, failed to obtain and deliver title to the complainant after 21 years, despite her paying the full purchase price of $250,000. The Attorney repeatedly failed to appear at hearings and provided no explanation. The Panel, satisfied beyond reasonable doubt, found him in breach of Canons IV(r), IV(s), and I(b), constituting professional misconduct, inexcusable and deplorable negligence, and conduct bringing the profession into disrepute. No express finding of dishonesty was made. Sanctions were deferred to a separate hearing. Various interim costs were awarded to the complainant during the proceedings.
Duties found breached:
- Overriding duty to the court
- Uphold public trust in the profession
- No conflict between current clients
Aggravating factors:
- Failure to deliver title over a 21-year period
- Repeated failure to attend hearings
- No explanation or communication provided to the elderly complainant (aged ~84)
- Failure to advise client of progress of her affairs
Duties engaged
Other decisions involving this respondent
- 116 of 2015
- 57 of 2008
- 212 of 2017
- 57 of 2008
- 215 of 2017
- 215 of 2017
- 16 of 2016
- 212 of 2017
- 16 of 2016
- 124 of 2015
Matched by respondent name — may include a different person with the same name.
Documents
Source: https://www.generallegalcouncil.org/judgement/howard-a-lettman-complaint-no-29-of-2014/