Quick-divorce lawyer sidelined for 90 days

Amid allegations of short cuts in a high-volume speedy divorce practice, an Annandale lawyer has agreed to a 90-day suspension.

Michael Ephraim’s law office specialized in uncontested divorce cases. He advertised a three-week Virginia divorce for $495 on his firm’s website, accessed April 23. For a one-week divorce, the fee was $695.

A client complained to the bar in 2017 about problems with her divorce, according to an agreed disposition. Ephraim told the Virginia State Bar he ran a “high-volume” practice handling only divorce matters. His website reportedly boasted of “several thousand” clients helped with quick divorces over a dozen years.

Ephraim conceded he had no engagement agreements with his clients and never met the clients before filing their divorce actions, according to the stipulation. He acknowledged bookkeeping problems, saying he did not keep individual client ledger cards and made batch deposits of advance fees.

In the stipulation, Ephraim said he understood he needed to make fundamental changes in his law practice. He said he hired a CPA firm, curbed his advertising claims and began using formal client engagement letters.

The prices on the website were the same as of Dec. 15, but with a different lawyer’s name listed. The promised timeframes were longer: $495 would cover a five-week divorce, with an extra $200 for a two-week divorce.

Ephraim agreed to a 90-day suspension, effective Nov. 20, with a year of probation and other terms including monitoring of his bookkeeping. Noncompliance during probation would bring a one-year suspension, according to the agreement.

Ephraim was represented by Paul D. Georgiadis of Richmond. The VSB was represented by Assistant Bar Counsel Paulo E. Franco.