Recent administrative troubles and serious underlying civil claims have marked the career of Georgia attorney Sean Raymond Campbell-Champion. In a quick turn of events in early 2024, Campbell-Champion’s law license was temporarily suspended by the Supreme Court of Georgia for failing to cooperate with the State Bar, only to be reinstated days later after he finally complied.
While his quick reinstatement resolved the administrative issue, the action shone a spotlight on separate, persistent allegations of client fraud and breach of fiduciary duty that triggered the initial disciplinary investigation.
Administrative Suspension and Quick Reinstatement
The initial suspension in January 2024 was not directly for client fraud but for a failure of professional duty to the State Bar:
- The Suspension: On January 17, 2024, the Supreme Court of Georgia ordered the suspension of Campbell-Champion’s law license because he failed to provide an adequate response to a formal Notice of Investigation (NOI) from the disciplinary office. The NOI was investigating underlying misconduct for which the maximum potential sanction was disbarment.
- The Reinstatement: The suspension was lifted just five days later, on January 22, 2024. Campbell-Champion complied with the Bar’s demand by submitting an adequate response to the NOI.
This sequence of events highlights the Bar’s swift enforcement mechanism: failure to cooperate with a disciplinary investigation is an automatic ground for suspension. While the administrative suspension was lifted, the underlying investigation into the original client complaints continued.
The Underlying Civil Claims: Deceit and Expired Deadlines
The disciplinary scrutiny was initially prompted by serious civil complaints, including a 2020 lawsuit against Campbell-Champion and his firm, Champion Law Group, filed in DeKalb County, Georgia:
- Fraudulent Misrepresentation: The lawsuit alleged that Campbell-Champion intentionally misled his clients about the status of their lawsuit, which involved a major corporate defendant.
- Concealed Dismissals: He allegedly failed to notify the clients that their case had been dismissed against a key defendant and that a “John Doe” defendant had been dropped.
- Expired Statute of Limitations: Most seriously, the complaint claimed Campbell-Champion sent a letter suggesting the clients could easily refile their lawsuit after a voluntary dismissal, even though the statute of limitations had allegedly expired, rendering the clients’ claim moot.
- Breach of Fiduciary Duty: The suit accused him of violating his fundamental fiduciary duty by failing to act with the utmost good faith, loyalty, and diligence.
Conclusion: The Shadow of Disciplinary Action
The temporary suspension and quick reinstatement of Sean Raymond Campbell-Champion illustrates that while an attorney can resolve issues of administrative non-cooperation rapidly, the substance of the ethical misconduct—especially concerning fraud, deceit, and the potential loss of a client’s claim due to an expired deadline—is an entirely separate and much graver matter.
His license is currently listed as being under OGC Suspensions (Office of General Counsel Suspensions), indicating that his professional status remains compromised. The full outcome of the Bar’s investigation into the client fraud allegations will ultimately determine the long-term fate of his law license. The case serves as a critical warning that disciplinary authorities will pursue not just those who abandon clients, but also those who intentionally mislead them to cover up professional errors.