Maryland Attorney Grievance Commission Sanctions (FY2026)

SANCTIONS AND ACTIONS AFFECTING LICENSURE (FY 2026) BRENT, Duncan Kenner – Temporary Suspension on July 25, 2025, in a reciprocal action from Virginia and the District of Columbia, pending further Order from the Supreme Court of Maryland. EDELSTEIN, David Andrew – Disbarment by Consent on August 18, 2025, effective immediately, for committing a criminal act that reflects adversely on his honesty, trustworthiness, or fitness as an attorney; and engaging in conduct that is prejudicial to the administration of justice. The Respondent pled guilty to two counts of possession of child pornography. HAMLIN, Sonya Nicole – Indefinite Suspension by Consent on August 20, 2025, effective immediately, with reinstatement conditioned on the completion of certain continuing legal education courses, for failing to represent her client competently and diligently; failing to communicate to her client the scope of the representation and the basis or rate of the fee and expenses for which her client would be responsible before or within a reasonable time after commencing the representation; failing to safekeep funds in an attorney trust account; failing to comply with attorney trust account record-keeping and monthly reconciliation requirements; failing to take steps to protect her client’s interest upon termination of the representation; engaging in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation; and using trust money for purposes other than the purpose for which the money is entrusted. The Respondent deposited unearned fees into her personal bank account and used unearned fees to pay her office rent and other expenses. The Respondent failed to keep any type of record of hours worked on her client’s case and had no written agreement to define the agreed scope of representation or when any portion of the fee would be considered earned, both when the Respondent was initially retained and when the Respondent and her client decided to change the scope, goals, and total fee for the representation. KING, Marnitta Lanette – Indefinite Suspension on July 18, 2025, effective August 17, 2025, with the right to petition for reinstatement after six months conditioned on the Respondent’s agreement to a probationary period of not less than one year to include a practice monitor and other appropriate conditions, for failing to represent her clients competently and diligently, failing to adequately communicate with her clients, collecting unreasonable fees, failing to recognize a conflict of interest, failing to safekeep unearned fees in an attorney trust account, failing to withdraw from representing her client when continued representation would result in violation of the Maryland Attorneys’ Rules of Professional Conduct, knowingly failing to respond to Bar Counsel, and engaging in conduct that is prejudicial to the administration of justice. The Respondent failed to keep her clients reasonably informed about the status of their cases; failed to perform meaningful legal services in furtherance of their cases; improperly collected a flat fee; failed to recognize a conflict of interest and contributed to that conflict by filing suit against a client; and failed to comply with Bar Counsel’s investigations. McCOLLUM, James E., Jr. – Disbarment by Consent on July 31, 2025, effective immediately, for committing a criminal act that reflects adversely on his honesty, trustworthiness, or fitness as an attorney; engaging in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation; and engaging in conduct that is prejudicial to the administration of justice. In the U.S. District Court

for District of Maryland, the Respondent pled guilty to one count of willful failure to pay taxes in violation of Title 26, U.S. Code, Section 7202. Over the course of twenty-four years, the Respondent failed to timely pay over two million dollars in employment taxes withheld from the employees of his law firm. The Respondent also failed to timely file his own individual income tax returns for 2020 through 2023 and failed to pay the federal government over $220,515.00 owed for 2020 through 2022. RADDATZ, Mark R. – Commission Reprimand on August 27, 2025, in a reciprocal action from the District of Columbia, for violating the District of Columbia Rules of Professional Conduct in communicating about the subject of representation with a person known to be represented by counsel and engaging in conduct that seriously interferes with the administration of justice. The Respondent received an informal admonition in the District of Columbia for communicating with a represented party without the party’s counsel’s consent and for filing an amended settlement agreement without proper notice. Thereafter, the Respondent failed to report the discipline to Bar Counsel.