THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF COLORADO v. EKAETTE PATTY-ANNE EDDINGS, New York 4111217

── THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF COLORADO v. EKAETTE PATTY-ANNE EDDINGS, New York 4111217 ── Court: Supreme Court of Colorado Date: May 02, 2026 Category: General 1 THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF COLORADO Complainant v. EKAETTE PATTY-ANNE EDDINGS, New York #4111217 Respondent No. 25PDJ28 Office of the Presiding Disciplinary Judge of the Supreme Court of Colorado May 2, 2026           OPINION IMPOSING SANCTIONS UNDER C.R.C.P. 242.31(a)           BRYON M. LARGE PRESIDING DISCIPLINARY JUDGE          SUMMARY          On April 14, 2026, following a hearing on the sanctions, a hearing board disbarred Ekaette Patty-Anne Eddings (New York attorney registration number 4111217) from the practice of law in Colorado. The disbarment is scheduled to take effect on May 19, 2026.          In 2023, Eddings accepted a client's immigration case. The client paid Eddings in advance for the work, but Eddings deposited most of the advance payment into her personal account even though she knew she had not earned the money. During the representation, Eddings failed to keep her client informed about the status of his matter and only infrequently responded to his reasonable requests for updates about his case. When, one year into the representation, the client learned Eddings had not submitted the documents he had paid her to prepare and file with immigration authorities, he demanded she refund his fee. Eddings refunded only a portion of the fee and converted the rest for her personal use.          Based on the client's complaint, disciplinary authorities petitioned to suspend Eddings from the practice of law on an interim basis. Soon after, Eddings offered to continue the representation if the client withdrew his complaint. During her disciplinary proceeding, Eddings did not comply with discovery rules and orders, which resulted in the imposition of sanctions against her, including entry of default on five of the People's claims.          Through her conduct in the client matter, Eddings violated Colo. RPC 1.4(a)(3) (a lawyer must keep a client reasonably informed about the status of the matter); Colo. RPC 1.4(a)(4) (a lawyer must promptly comply with reasonable requests for information); Colo. RPC 1.15A(a) (a lawyer must hold client property separate from the lawyer's own property); Colo. RPC 1.16(d) (a lawyer must protect a client's interests upon termination of the representation, including by returning any unearned fees to the client); and Colo. RPC 8.4(c) (it is professional misconduct for a lawyer to engage in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation). 2          I. PROCEDURAL HISTORY          This matter began as an interim suspension proceeding. On April 17, 2025, Jacob M. Vos of the Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel ("the People") filed an amended petition for interim suspension. The same day, Presiding Disciplinary Judge Bryon M. Large ("the PDJ") issued an order to Ekaette Patty-Anne Eddings ("Respondent"), directing her to show cause why she should not be suspended from the practice of law on an interim basis. Respondent did not respond to the show cause order, and on May 7, 2025, the Colorado Supreme Court entered an order suspending her from the practice of law in Colorado on an interim basis.          On May 15, 2025, Vos filed a complaint on the People's behalf with the PDJ, alleging that Respondent violated ten Colorado Rules of Professional Conduct. Respondent answered on July 2, 2025. The PDJ then held a scheduling conference and set this matter for a two-day disciplinary hearing to take place in January 2026.          In October 202