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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowAn Indianapolis attorney has been publicly reprimanded by the Supreme Court for failing to adequately respond to and advise a client.
Kimberly S. Lytle was reprimanded per a Thursday order approving statement of circumstances and conditional agreement for discipline.
According to the order, Lytle represented “Husband” in a dissolution matter whose negotiated resolution determined he would be awarded portions of four retirement accounts held by “Wife.” But Lytle failed to prepare QDROs for two of the accounts within 90 days, as ordered under the terms of the decree. She also did not adequately respond to Husband’s numerous requests for information about the status of getting assets transferred to him, nor did she sufficiently advise Husband of his options for proceeding, the order says.
“Husband eventually fired Respondent and hired successor counsel to resolve the QDRO issue,” the order says.
Per the agreement with the Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission, the parties stipulate that Lytle violated three Indiana Rules of Professional Conduct, including:
- Rule. 1.3: Failing to act with reasonable diligence and promptness;
- Rule 1.4(a)(4): Failure to comply promptly with a client’s reasonable requests for information; and
- Rule 1.4(b): Failing to explain a matter to the extent reasonably necessary to permit a client to make informed decisions.
Costs of the proceeding, In the Matter of: Kimberly S. Lytle, 19S-DI-250, are assessed against her. All justices concurred.
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