Celestine Tatung

DCCA Opinion (June 18, 2025)

Summary: In re Celestine Tatung. Bar No. 976830. June 18, 2025. The D.C. Court of Appeals approved Tatung’s amended petition for negotiated discipline and imposed a one-year suspension, six months stayed, followed by one year of probation conditioned upon completion of CLE courses and payment of refunds to former clients. Tatung voluntarily acknowledged that, in connection with three client matters, he failed to (1) provide competent representation to the client; (2) represent the client with zeal and diligence within the bounds of the law; (3) keep the client informed, promptly comply with reasonable requests for information, and explain matters to the extent reasonably necessary to permit the client to make informed decisions regarding the representation; (4) communicate to the client in writing the basis or rate of the fee and the scope of the representation before or within a reasonable time after commencing the representation; (5) maintain complete financial records, hold advances of unearned fees and unincurred costs that were in his possession in connection with a representation separate from his own funds, and obtain informed consent from his client to a different arrangement; and (6) maintain an account with an approved depository for entrusted funds. As a result, Tatung admitted that he violated D.C. Rules 1.1(a) and (b), 1.3(a), 1.4(a) and (b), 1.5(b), and 1.15(a), (b), and (e), as well as parallel violations under 8 C.F.R. § 1003.102, which concerns sanctionable conduct by practitioners before the Board of Immigration Appeals.

Board Report and Orders (April 4, 2025)

Summary: Not yet available.

Hearing Committee Report (January 22, 2025)

Summary: In re Celestine Tatung. Bar No. 976830. January 22, 2025. The Board on Professional Responsibility’s Hearing Committee Number Three recommended that the D.C. Court of Appeals accept Tatung’s petition for negotiated discipline and suspend him for one year, with six months stayed in favor of one year of probation with conditions for mishandling three separate immigration matters. In the first matter, Tatung violated Rule 1.1(a) and (b) and/or 8 C.F.R. § 1003.102(o), Rule 1.3(a) and/ or 8 C.F.R. § 1003.102(q), Rule 1.4(a) and (b) and/or 8 C.F.R. § 1003.102(r), Rule 1.5(b), and Rule 1.15(a), (b), and (e). In a second matter, Tatung violated Rule 1.1(a) and/or 8 C.F.R. § 1003.102(o), Rule 1.3(a) and/or 8 C.F.R. § 1003.102(q), Rule 1.4(a) and (b) and/or 8 C.F.R. § 1003.102(r), and Rule 1.15(a) and (b). And in the third matter, Tatung violated Rule 1.1(a) and (b) and/or 8 C.F.R. § 1003.102(o), Rule 1.4(a) and (b) and/or 8 C.F.R. § 1003.102(r), Rule 1.5(b), and Rule 1.15(a), (b), and (e).

Petition for Negotiated Discipline (March 29, 2024)