Disbarment Proposed For Multiple Ethics Violations

Disbarment should be imposed on an attorney who violated several ethics rules, according to a recent report and recommendation of the Illinois Review Board

The [disciplinary] cases were consolidated for purposes of  oral argument. In 2010PR00153, the Hearing Board found that Respondent engaged  in misconduct involving several clients, including 1) improperly taking money  from a charitable fund set up to benefit his clients and lying about his use of  the money, 2) engaging in a conflict of interest by representing multiple  clients in a criminal case, 3) failing to refund an unearned fee and creating  false billing records and lying about his services in an effort to justify the  fee, 4) engaging in a conflict of interest by representing a wife in a divorce  case while representing the husband in criminal charges and civil litigation, 5)  misappropriating funds belonging to a client. The Hearing Board recommended  disbarment.

In 2012PR00123, the Hearing Board found that  Respondent in a foreclosure matter, rented the property of his clients without  their knowledge, improperly kept the rental income, and lied to his clients and  others. The Hearing Board also found that Respondent failed to return an  unearned retainer in a second matter and in a third matter, failed to deposit a  retainer into his client fund account and then used the retainer for his  personal purposes and failed to return the unearned portion of the fee. The  Hearing Board recommended that Respondent be suspended for three years and until  further order of the Court.

The attorney filed exceptions to the hearing board reports but failed to appear for oral argument. (Mike Frisch)