Prior Experience Does Not Prevent Recordkeeping Issues

May 28, 2009

The Ohio Supreme Court web page reports that an Akron attorney:

…has beensuspended by the Supreme Court of Ohio for two years, with the secondyear of that term stayed on conditions, for failing to segregate fundshe held in trust for clients in a separate bank account or to keepcomplete records tracking disbursements of those funds. The Court alsofound that [he] failed to notify his clients that his malpracticeinsurance had lapsed, and failed to comply with state attorneyregistration requirements during the 2007 registration period.

TheCourt adopted findings by the Board of Commissioners on Grievances& Discipline that despite prior training and employment in thebanking and accounting fields, [the attorney] admitted maintaining only asingle bank account for his law practice into which he deposited bothhis personal funds and funds entrusted to him by clients, and alsoadmitted that he maintained no records accounting for his receipt ordisposition of client funds in his possession other than monthly bankstatements and a check register.

The court’s decision is linked here. The attorney was engaged in practice as a second career after working with a regulatory agency, an accounting firm and a bank. He has a longstanding problem with alcohol that has not been successfully addressed. Despite his participation in the bar’s treatment program, he has continued to drink. (Mike Frisch)

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Bar Discipline & Process