Departure Sanctions
From the May Florida Bar disciplinary summaries
Michael Andrew Adams, P.O. Box 560489, Orlando, suspended for 45 days and required to complete Ethics School, effective 30 days following an April 20 court order. (Admitted to practice: 2011) Adams did not follow proper procedures for lawyers leaving law firms. Adams failed to negotiate with his employing firm an acceptable joint letter to be sent to the affected clients. Instead, Adams and his law partner unilaterally mailed a letter to the affected clients advising them of their departure from the firm and of the clients’ rights to choose to remain a client of the law firm, to choose representation by the departing lawyer’s firm, or to choose representation by another law firm. (Case No: SC22-1410)
Jonathon Charles Avery Blevins, P.O. Box 560489, Orlando, suspended for 60 days and required to complete Ethics School, effective 30 days following an April 20 court order. (Admitted to practice: 2008) Blevins did not follow proper procedures for lawyers leaving law firms. Blevins failed to negotiate with his employing firm an acceptable joint letter to be sent to the affected clients. Instead, Blevins and his law partner unilaterally mailed a letter to the affected clients advising them of their departure from the firm and of the clients’ rights to choose to remain a client of the law firm, to choose representation by the departing lawyer’s firm, or to choose representation by another law firm. (Case No: SC22-1415)
Jonathan Grant Morton, 1395 Brickell Ave., Suite 900, Miami, suspended for 18 months, effective 30 days following a March 2 court order. (Admitted to practice: 2008) This is a reciprocal disciplinary action, resulting from an order of discipline from the United States Patent and Trademark Office, imposing an 18-month suspension for Morton’s failure to limit the volume of his trademark practice to an amount for whom he could provide competent representation. Morton’s grossly inflated clientele resulted in his failure to properly review each application prior to filing same, as well as his failure to conduct required pre-filing inquiries, despite his certification that he had done so. (Case No: SC22-1574)
(Mike Frisch)