James Hammerschmidt

Informal Admonition (February 22, 2022)

Summary: In re James R. Hammerschmidt. Bar No. 448128. February 22, 2022. Disciplinary Counsel issued Hammerschmidt an informal admonition. While retained to represent a client in mediation with the International Monetary Fund, Hammerschmidt failed to represent the client zealously and diligently within the bounds of the law; failed to respond to the client’s reasonable requests for information about the representation and notify the client that he was unable to competently represent him as a result of the professional and personal struggles he faced due to the COVID-19 pandemic; and, to the extent that Hammerschmidt’s personal issues materially impaired the representation, failed to terminate the representation. (Rules 1.3(a) and 1.4(a).)