Paul Haar

DCCA Opinion (September 28, 2023)

Summary: In re Paul Haar. Bar No. 368605. September 28, 2023. The D.C. Court of Appeals accepted Haar’s petition for negotiated discipline and suspended him for 180 days, with 90 days stayed, with reinstatement conditioned on Haar refunding an additional $21,000 to one client (Haar already had refunded $1,000 to that client and a full $5,000 to another) for violations of Rules 1.1(a), 1.1(b), 1.2(a), 1.3(c), 1.4(b), 1.5(a), 1.5(f), 1.16(d), 8.1(b), and 8.4(d). Haar voluntarily acknowledged that, in connection with representing one client, he charged an illegal (and thus per se unreasonable) fee and seriously interfered with the administration of justice when he repeatedly failed to respond to Disciplinary Counsel’s inquiries regarding the illegal fee. Furthermore, in connection with representing a second client, he failed to provide competent representation, serve the client with commensurate skill and care, adequately consult with the client, act with reasonable promptness, explain a matter to the client, and timely return an unearned and unreasonable (overbilled) fee.

Hearing Committee Report (August 2, 2023)

Summary: In re Paul Haar. Bar No. 368605. August 2, 2023. The Board on Professional Responsibility’s Ad Hoc Hearing Committee recommended that the D.C. Court of Appeals accept Haar’s petition for negotiated discipline and suspend him for 180 days, with 90 days stayed, with reinstatement conditioned on Haar refunding an additional $21,000 to one client (Haar already had refunded $1,000 to that client and a full $5,000 to another) for violations of Rules 1.1(a), 1.1(b), 1.2(a), 1.3(c), 1.4(b), 1.5(a), 1.5(f), 1.16(d), 8.1(b), and 8.4(d).

Petition for Negotiated Discipline (February 3, 2023)