Venus Harry was licensed in 1998 and has her own law firm in St. Louis, primarily practicing criminal and family law. In 2019, the chief disciplinary counsel’s office instituted disciplinary proceedings against Harry, alleging she violated multiple rules of professional conduct related to competence, diligence, communication, conflict of interest, terminating representation, and trust accounts. The allegations arose out of Harry’s representation of several clients. In a paternity action, Harry failed to timely file necessary documents and pleadings on her client’s behalf, ultimately limiting her client’s ability to present evidence at trial. She further failed to communicate trial dates and update her client as to the status of the paternity action. The client was not notified of the judgment in the action until a week after it was entered, and Harry failed to file any post-trial motions. In a separate matter, Harry represented a mother in dissolution proceedings against a former client. Harry did not have the mother or her former client sign a written waiver regarding potential conflicts before agreeing to represent the mother. She also made conflicting statements to both about whether she would seek child support. Another client terminated Harry’s representation after Harry failed to communicate with her about the status of the custody dispute over the client’s grandchildren. Harry failed to issue the client a refund despite the client’s repeated requests. Harry also failed to respond to a different client’s inquiries after Harry successfully modified the child support award against the client, resulting in the client’s wages continuing to be garnished in inaccurate amounts. Harry further failed to communicate with another client until the client filed a complaint against her with the office of chief disciplinary counsel. As part of its investigation, the chief disciplinary counsel audited Harry’s trust account, revealing Harry transferred personal funds from the firm’s operating account to the trust account; made cash withdrawals from her trust account; deposited client and third-party funds into the firm’s operating account; maintained personal funds in the client trust account; and failed to keep proper transactional records. Following a hearing, the disciplinary hearing panel found Harry violated multiple rules of professional conduct and recommended she be suspended indefinitely with no leave to apply for reinstatement for two years. The chief disciplinary counsel accepted the panel’s recommendation; Harry rejected it, arguing she should receive, at most, a stayed suspension. 

This case presents two questions for this Court – whether Harry violated rules of professional conduct and, if so, what discipline, if any, is appropriate.