Opinion
089176
05-17-2024
In the MATTER OF Robert WACHTEL, An Attorney at Law (Attorney No. 011421982)
359 ORDER
This matter having been duly presented pursuant to Rule 1:20-10(b), following a granting of a motion for discipline by consent in DRB 23-266 of Robert Wachtel of West Orange, who was admitted to the bar of this State in 1982;
And the Office of Attorney Ethics and respondent having signed a stipulation of discipline by consent in which the parties agreed that respondent violated RPC 1.15(d) (failing to comply with the recordkeeping requirements of Rule 1:21-6) and RPC 8.1(b) (failing to cooperate with disciplinary authorities), and that respondent’s conduct warrants a censure or such lesser discipline as the Disciplinary Review Board deems appropriate;
And the Office of Attorney Ethics and respondent having further agreed that as conditions, respondent should be required to (1) take a recordkeeping class offered by the Office of Attorney Ethics and (2) submit quarterly reconciliations to the Office of Attorney Ethics unless and until respondent files a certification of retirement with the Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection;
And the Disciplinary Review Board having determined that respondent violated RPC 1.15(d) and RPC 8.1(b), and that a reprimand was the appropriate discipline for respondent’s unethical conduct;
And the Disciplinary Review Board having further recommended that respondent (1) complete a recordkeeping course preapproved by the Office of Attorney Ethics within sixty days; (2) immediately begin submitting monthly, three-way attorney trust account reconciliations to the Office of Attorney Ethics, on a 360quarterly basis, for the next two years; and (3) within sixty days, satisfy all of the Office of Attorney Ethics’ outstanding financial document production requests or face potential temporary suspension;
And the Disciplinary Review Board having granted the motion for discipline by consent in District Docket No. XIV-2022-0303E and having submitted the record of the proceedings to the Clerk of the Supreme Court for the entry of an order of discipline in accordance with Rule 1:20-16(e);
And good cause appearing;
It is ORDERED that Robert Wachtel is hereby reprimanded; and it is further
ORDERED that respondent shall complete a recordkeeping course pre-approved by the Office of Attorney Ethics within sixty days and immediately begin submitting to the Office of Attorney Ethics, on a quarterly basis, monthly three-way attorney trust account reconciliations, for a period of two years; and it is further
ORDERED that the entire record of this matter be made a permanent part of respondent’s file as an attorney at law of this State; and it is further
ORDERED that respondent reimburse the Disciplinary Oversight Committee for appropriate administrative costs and actual expenses incurred in the prosecution of this matter, as provided in Rule 1:20-17.