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NEW FILINGS,
HEARING SCHEDULES AND CLERK'S OFFICE Recent Disciplinary Decisions from Supreme Court | Recently Filed Complaints and Reports | Announcements | Schedule of Hearings | Clerk’s Office Services ANNOUNCEMENT OF DISCIPLINARY DECISIONS Monday, March 21, 2005 10:00 A.M. LAWYER DISCIPLINARY ORDERS The Supreme Court of Illinois on Friday March 18, 2005, announced the filing of disciplinary orders involving a number of licensed lawyers. Sanctions were imposed because the lawyers engaged in professional misconduct by violating state ethics law. The name of each disciplined lawyer, the address at which the lawyer last practiced, and a brief summary of the misconduct that led to the sanction, is attached. The announcement of the orders may be reviewed at the Supreme Court of Illinois website: www.state.il.us/court. The Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (ARDC), an Illinois Supreme Court agency, investigates alleged wrongdoing by Illinois attorneys, holds hearings on specific charges, and recommends discipline where warranted. The Supreme Court is, however, the only authority that can discipline lawyers for misconduct. The Supreme Court generally announces lawyer sanction orders during each formal term of Court. The Court convenes in term every January, March, May, September and November. There are over 80,000 attorneys in Illinois. A yearly fee of $229 is imposed on Illinois lawyers and helps to fund the ARDC. There are no tax dollars used to support the disciplinary system. The ARDC is composed of seven members, three of whom are non-lawyers. Attorney Benedict Schwarz II is the Commission Chairman. The ARDC Administrator is Mary Robinson. For additional information concerning these disciplinary orders contact: James J. Grogan, Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission, Chicago. 312-565-2600 or 1-800-826-8625 In re DWIGHT
LENORE BECK, Attorney Number 6189475 File information: M.R. M.R. 18610, 02 CH 43 (Order entered on March 16, 2005) Mr. Beck, who was licensed in 1985, was suspended for two years. On March 19, 2003, he was suspended for two years, with the suspension stayed in its entirety pending completion of a two-year period of probation with conditions. The sanction was imposed after he was convicted in state court of fleeing and eluding police and possessing a controlled substance. Because he failed to comply with the terms of his probation, the Court revoked his probation. In re THOMAS R.
CIRIGNANI, Attorney Number 3121616 File Information: M.R. 19983, 03 CH 56 Mr. Cirignani, who was licensed in 1978, was suspended for one year and until further order of the Court. He was convicted of unlawful possession of Ecstasy, a controlled substance, and sentenced to a forty-eight month term of probation. He was previously suspended for obtaining controlled substances with forged prescriptions. In re HERBERT E.
CLEVELAND, Attorney Number 460699 File Information: M.R. 19948, 03 CH 98 Mr. Cleveland, who was licensed in 1960, was disbarred on consent. While representing five clients in personal injury actions, he endorsed settlement checks on behalf of lienholders without authority and failed to remit the funds due to the lienholders. In re LEWIS
STANTON DOTSON, Attorney Number 663867 File information: M.R. 19938, 02 SH 37 Mr. Dotson, who was licensed in 1964, was suspended for one year. He prepared and recorded a chain of fraudulent deeds to a parcel of land once owned by Abraham Lincoln, ultimately purporting to grant title to his own son. He then filed a petition to quiet title in the parcel and gave notice by publication to the shareholders of the former corporation that had legitimate title to the land. He then filed an affidavit in which he stated, falsely, that, although he had diligently attempted to locate them, none of the shareholders could be found. The suspension is effective on April 8, 2005. In re GLEN EDWARD
DRESHER, Attorney Number 6218873 File Information: M.R. 19971, 04 CH 77 Mr. Dresher, who was licensed in 1970, was disbarred on consent. He was found guilty of two Class X felonies: attempt first-degree murder and aggravated domestic battery. He intentionally drove over his ex-wife no fewer than five times while she was in the driveway of her Glencoe home. He was sentenced to ten years in the custody of the Illinois Department of Corrections. In re STEVEN
WERNER EFFMAN, Attorney Number 717592 File Information: M.R. 19932, 04 RC 1519 Mr. Effman was licensed in Illinois in 1976 and in Florida in 1977. He was suspended by the Supreme Court of Florida for ninety-one days after he admitted to having sexual relationships with three female domestic relation clients. The Illinois Supreme Court imposed reciprocal discipline and suspended him for ninety-one days. The suspension is effective on April 8, 2005. In re JOHN LAROSE
HARSHMAN, Attorney Number 1141767 File information: M.R. 19891, 03 CH 116 Mr. Harshman, who was licensed in 1975, was suspended for one year. He neglected four client matters, mismanaged funds that he received from a client, failed to communicate with his clients, and did not initially cooperate with the ARDC. The suspension is effective on April 8, 2005. In re RICHARD
RITTER HILLIARD, Attorney Number 6187087 File Information: M.R. 19967, 04 CH 58 Mr. Hilliard, who was licensed in 1984, was suspended for five months with conditions. He wrongfully took $15,000 that should have been remitted to his law firm, and he misled his firm about his receipt of those funds. The suspension is effective on April 8, 2005. In re JAMES JOHN
JENNINGS, Attorney Number 1333100 File information: M.R. 19981, 03 CH 42 Mr. Jennings, who was licensed in 1959, was suspended for three months, with the suspension stayed by a six-month term of probation with conditions. He commingled client funds, advanced money to a workers’ compensation client in violation of state ethics law, and entered into an improper business relationship with a client. In re JOHN CRANE
KING, Attorney Number 6194230 File information: M.R. 19931, 04 RC 1520 Mr. King was licensed in Illinois in 1986 and in Kansas in 1988. The Supreme Court of Kansas disbarred him for not refunding unearned fees to clients and failing to cooperate with the disciplinary investigation. The Illinois Supreme Court imposed reciprocal discipline and disbarred him. In re MARSHALL
KOLODENKO, Attorney Number 1503707 File Information: M.R. 19930, 03 CH 29 Mr. Kolodenko, who was licensed in 1969, was suspended for three years and until further order of the Court. He advised his clients to purchase multiple parcels of property with title in the name of the client’s spouse and Mr. Kolodenko, without advising the client of the conflict of interests presented by these transactions. Whenever a property was sold, he demanded fifty percent of the proceeds, despite having made no substantial contributions to the purchase or maintenance of the properties. In re SYLVESTER
C. LIN, Attorney Number 6244644 File information: M.R. 19933, 04 CH 43 Mr. Lin, who was licensed in 1998, was suspended for three years and until further order of the Court and until he makes certain restitution to his clients. He misappropriated $5,587.61 in escrow money and settlement funds, engaged in conflicts of interest while representing several clients in real estate transactions, and engaged in the unauthorized practice of law after he was removed from the Master Roll for failing to register. He failed to participate in his disciplinary hearing. In re KEVIN
MILTON MYLES, Attorney Number 2008726 File Information: M.R. 20004, 05 RC 1501 Mr. Myles was licensed in Illinois in 1974 and in Oregon in 1988. The Oregon Supreme Court suspended him for sixty days for making false statements in an affidavit he placed into evidence in an administrative proceeding. The Illinois Supreme Court imposed reciprocal discipline and suspended him for sixty days. The suspension is effective on April 8, 2005. In re EUGENE J.
PETRUNGARO, Attorney Number 6198811 File Number: M.R. 19969, 03 CH 53 Mr. Petrungaro, who was licensed in 1988, was disbarred on consent. He settled client matters without their authorization, forged clients’ signatures on settlement releases and drafts, misrepresented the status of those same matters to the clients, and commingled and converted at least $94,881.66 of funds held on behalf of clients or intended for third parties. In addition, he failed to reduce an oral contingency fee to writing, settled a claim brought by a former client against him without making the proper disclosures, engaged in criminal conduct by issuing N.S.F. checks totaling $43,000 to various Las Vegas casinos, neglected and misrepresented the status of two additional civil matters to the clients and to the ARDC, and failed to cooperate with the disciplinary investigation. In re ROBERT M.
SALZMAN, Attorney Number 2447185 File information: M.R. 19950, 03 CH 28 Mr. Salzman, who was licensed in 1969, was suspended for nine months. He represented three clients in Indiana when he was not licensed to practice law in that state and used the name and registration number of an Indiana attorney as local counsel without permission. The suspension is effective on April 8, 2005. In re SANDRA
DIANE SCOTT, Attorney Number 6209992 File information: M.R. 19966, 04 CH 22 Ms. Scott, who was licensed in 1992, was suspended for sixty days. She mishandled client settlement funds that were owed to the client's treating physician. The suspension is effective on April 8, 2005. In re SEAN HOLDEN
SLEEPER, Attorney Number 6194861 File Information: M.R. No. 19951, 04 CH 44 Mr. Sleeper, who was licensed in 1987, was disbarred. While representing four clients in personal injury actions, he accepted unauthorized settlements, endorsed settlement checks on behalf of clients and lienholders without authority, and failed to remit funds due to the clients and lienholders. Also, in violation of a court order approving a settlement on behalf of a minor client, he never disbursed the funds to the client. In re JAN JOSEF
SUFIE, Attorney Number 2765268 File information: M.R. 19949, 01 CH 86 Mr. Sufie, who was licensed in 1978, was suspended for eighteen months and until further order of the Court for taking $21,298.77 from a client’s personal injury settlement. In re SLAVA AARON
TENENBAUM, Attorney Number 6256760 File information: M.R. 19947, 02 CH 49 Mr. Tenenbaum, who was licensed in 1998, was censured. Based on his preparation of false immigration documents for five Russian citizens, he was convicted of engaging in conduct involving illegal employment of aliens, a federal misdemeanor. He was sentenced to three years probation, a $10,000 fine and 600 hours of community service. In re GREGORY
FRANCIS SMITH, Attorney Number 3128228 File information: M.R. 19952, 01 CH 64 and 01 CH 65 Mr. Smith, who was licensed in 1980, and Mr. Thorsness, who was licensed in 1973, were suspended for thirty days. They engaged in a conflict of interest when they represented brothers, who were owners of a closely held corporation, in the brothers’ dispute over the control of the corporation. They also failed to disclose the nature of the legal work they performed in the dispute on behalf of one brother in legal bills sent to the closely held corporation. The suspensions are effective on April 8, 2005. In re EARL LOUIS
WASHINGTON,
Attorney Number 2946149 File information: M.R. 19844, 99 CH 58 Mr. Washington, who was licensed in 1958, was suspended for nine months and until he makes certain restitution. He incompetently represented two different criminal defendants in death penalty cases and neglected a criminal appeal. The suspension is effective on April 8, 2005. In re JANNICE K.
WHELAN, Attorney Number 1391445 File information: M.R. 19968, 04 CH 24 Ms. Whelan, who was licensed in 1977, was disbarred. She converted United States Treasury checks issued in the name of her deceased mother, made false statements in connection with the disciplinary investigation, neglected various client legal matters, failed to refund unearned fees, and threatened to present a disciplinary action to obtain an advantage in a civil matter. The Following Disciplinary Orders Were Entered By The Court Before The March 2005 Term But Were Not Included In Any Previous Information Release. In re CHARLES
OWEN LIPKA, Attorney Number 6203231 File Information: M.R. 20078, 03 CH 35 (Order entered on February 18, 2005) Mr. Lipka, who was licensed in 1990, was suspended on an interim basis and until further order of Court. He neglected three client matters, made misrepresentations to the clients regarding the status of their cases and failed to refund an unearned retainer. He also entered into an improper business transaction with one of the clients and failed to deliver funds being held for another client. In re COLIN BRIAN
RELPHORDE, Attorney Number 6193154 File information: M.R. 19829, 02 CH 30 (Order entered on January 31, 2005) Mr. Relphorde, who was licensed in 1986, was suspended on an interim basis and until further order of the Court. He continued to practice law during a previous suspension. |