Signage

A public reprimand by the South Carolina Supreme Court

On July 12-13, 2022, during a trial before a family court judge (Judge), Respondent’s former client testified that her signature was not the signature purportedly sworn by notary seal on the financial declaration filed with the court. After the trial, Judge reviewed several cases currently pending before the court wherein Respondent was counsel of record. Of the cases reviewed, Judge observed at least four documents attested by either Respondent or her non-lawyer employee as notary publics that appeared to be fraudulent. Thereafter, Judge met with Respondent and presented the documents of concern. Respondent was candid and remorseful about her actions once approached by Judge.

Respondent promptly self-reported the misconduct, admitting that on more than one occasion, she signed legal documents on behalf of her client(s) and notarized the signature purportedly attesting that her client(s) signed the document. Respondent also admitted that she allowed her employee, a non-lawyer under her direct supervision, to notarize Respondent’s signature on behalf of her client(s). Opposing counsel submitted a complaint about the same misconduct. In addition, opposing counsel reported three documents in another case in which Respondent allowed her assistant to notarize signatures that were not of the client.

(Mike Frisch)