In the Matter of Clifford E. Hardwick, IV

── In the Matter of Clifford E. Hardwick, IV ── Court: Supreme Court of Georgia Date: May 19, 2026 Category: General NOTICE: This opinion is subject to modification resulting from motions for reconsideration under Supreme Court Rule 27, the Court’s reconsideration, and editorial revisions by the Reporter of Decisions. The version of the opinion published in the Advance Sheets for the Georgia Reports, designated as the “Final Copy,” will replace any prior version on the Court’s website and docket. A bound volume of the Georgia Reports will contain the final and official text of the opinion. In the Supreme Court of Georgia No. S25Y1155 In the Matter of Clifford E. Hardwick, IV Decided: May 19, 2026 PER CURIAM. This disciplinary matter is before the Court on the report and recommendation of the State Disciplinary Review Board (“Review Board”), which reviewed the report and recommenda- tion of Special Master Charles David Jones at the request of Clifford E. Hardwick, IV (State Bar No. 325662), pursuant to Bar Rules 4-214, 4-215, and 4-216. The formal complaint upon which these disciplinary proceedings were based alleged that Hardwick, who has been a member of the State Bar since 1976, violated Rules 1.15(I)(a), 1.15(II)(a), 8.1(a), and 8.4(a)(4) of the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct (“GRPC” or “Rules”) found in Bar Rule 4-102(d). The maximum penalty for a violation of each of these Rules is disbarment. Following an evidentiary hearing and a hearing on aggravating and mitigating circumstances—at which the State Bar presented evidence that Hardwick has been disciplined on five prior occasions—the Special Master deter- mined that Hardwick violated the Rules with which he was charged and recommended that he be disbarred. The Review Board adopted the Special Master’s findings of fact, conclusions of law, and recommendation of disbarment. After our careful re- view of the record, we agree that disbarment is the appropriate sanction in this case, particularly given that this is Hardwick’s fifth disciplinary offense.  1. Procedural History In November 2019, the State Bar filed a formal complaint charging Hardwick with violations of Rules 1.15(I)(a) (a lawyer shall hold funds or other property of clients or third persons that are in a lawyer’s possession in connection with a representation separate from the lawyer’s own funds); 1.15(II)(a) (requiring every lawyer who practices law in Georgia and who receives money on behalf of a client or in any other fiduciary capacity to maintain a trust account and that all funds held by a lawyer for a client or in any other fiduciary capacity shall be deposited in and administered from a trust account); 8.1(a) (a lawyer in con- nection with a disciplinary matter shall not knowingly make a false statement of material fact); and 8.4(a)(4) (it is a violation of the GRPC for a lawyer to engage in professional conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation). The State Bar al- leged that, in 2016, Hardwick and Joseph Carswell—whom Hard- wick previously represented in a criminal matter—used Hard- wick’s name and reputation as a former City Attorney for the City of Atlanta to lure 14 victims to send funds totaling $655,000 to Hardwick’s personal and business bank accounts for what the vic- tims were led to believe were legitimate investment opportuni- ties. On February 14, 2020, 1 Hardwick responded to the formal complaint, stating that, at the time, he was unaware of Joseph Carswell’s investment scheme and that Carswell informed him that the funds deposited into Hardwick’s