Attorney Grievance Comm'n v. El-Shall

Summary

The Supreme Court of Maryland indefinitely suspended attorney Sara Mohamed Samy El-Shall after concluding that she violated MARPC Rules 1.3, 1.4(a) and (b), 1.16(d), 8.1(b), and 8.4(a) and (d) by effectively abandoning three workers' compensation clients and repeatedly failing to respond to Bar Counsel's investigative requests, including a subpoena for a statement under oath. The Court sustained five aggravating factors, overruled Bar Counsel's exception seeking a sixth (likelihood of repetition), found only the absence of prior discipline in mitigation, and declined to credit or remand for the respondent's belated psychiatric mitigation evidence. Rejecting disbarment as too severe on this record, the Court imposed an indefinite suspension effective immediately, conditioned reinstatement on a health care professional's competency report and, for solo practice, a one-year practice monitor, and taxed all costs against the respondent.