Tulsa Attorney Gray M. Strickland resigned from the Oklahoma Bar Association in March after grievances were filed against him alleging fiduciary misconduct. The state Supreme Court had previously censured Strickland in 2011 after he pleaded guilty to a federal misdemeanor charge of failing to file a federal tax return in 2003.
The court in 2011 found Strickland to be “highly competent” in the practice of law and noted that a suspension at that time would impair his effort to pay about $65,000 in restitution related to the federal tax case. In the order this month approving Strickland’s resignation, the court noted allegations that he’d received $85,000 in behalf of a corporate client in 2009 but failed to report the funds to the client.
The April order further documents allegations that Strickland paid himself attorney fees from another client’s settlement funds without notifying the client, and that he endorsed the client’s name on a settlement check without the client’s authorization.
The court waived costs associated with the pending disciplinary proceedings against Strickland, and stipulated that he must repay any money he’d misappropriated and $1,009 in costs associated with the 2009 ethics charges before he can be reinstated as an Oklahoma attorney. He may not apply for reinstatement until five years after the date of his resignation.
Read the full text of the court’s order here: http://www.oscn.net/applications/oscn/DeliverDocument.asp?CiteID=468708
