In re Ward

This matter is before the Court on respondent Richard O. Ward’s Petition for Voluntary Discipline, submitted pursuant to Bar Rule 4-227 (c) (1) after the filing of a Formal Complaint in which the State Bar alleged that Ward violated Standards 4 (lawyer shall not engage in professional conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or wilful misrepresentation) and 44 (lawyer shall not without just cause to the detriment of his client in effect wilfully abandon or disregard a legal matter entrusted to him) of Bar Rule 4-102 (d). In the petition Ward admits violating Standard 44 and seeks the…