Michael Lloyd Hutchinson. 21PDJ090. June 17, 2022.
The Presiding Disciplinary Judge approved the parties’ stipulation to discipline and publicly censured Michael Lloyd Hutchinson (attorney registration number 20853). The public censure took effect on June 17, 2022.
Hutchinson served as lead defense counsel in a legal malpractice action. The parties in that case had become embroiled in discovery disputes, and a hearing on those issues had been scheduled to take place via Webex in the early afternoon of February 9, 2021. That morning, one of Hutchinson’s law partners tried to no avail to reach Hutchinson by telephone. Because the partner could not contact Hutchinson, the partner checked on Hutchinson at his residence. Hutchinson assured his partner in person that he was aware of the hearing scheduled for that afternoon and that he would attend.
That afternoon, Hutchinson failed to appear for the hearing. The court issued an order to show cause why sanctions should not be imposed on the defendants and/or their counsel, including an award of attorney’s fees to the plaintiffs for preparing for and appearing at the hearing. The court also ordered the parties to reset the hearing.
Through this conduct, Hutchinson violated Colo. RPC 1.3 (a lawyer must act with reasonable diligence and promptness in representing a client) and Colo. RPC 8.4(d) (it is professional misconduct for a lawyer to engage in conduct that is prejudicial to the administration of justice).
The case file is public per C.R.C.P. 242.41(a).