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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 Wednesday, May 17, 2006 10:00 A.M. LAWYER DISCIPLINARY ORDERS INFORMATION RELEASE The Supreme Court of Illinois on Tuesday May 16, 2006 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 attached list contains 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. 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 81,000 attorneys in Illinois. A yearly fee of $239 is imposed on most 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 In re KEVIN
MICHAEL BRILL, Attorney Number 6182552 File information: M.R. 20757, 03 CH 85 Mr. Brill, who was licensed in 1982, was suspended for thirty months and until further order of the Court. He neglected a client’s litigation matter, continued to practice law during a prior suspension, and failed to cooperate with the ARDC. He has been suspended on an interim basis since March 30, 2005. In re ROBERT
ALBERT CARNEY, Attorney Number 6197965 File Number: M.R. 20890, 05 CH 16 Mr. Carney, who was licensed in 1969, was suspended from the practice of law for one year and until further order of the Court. He engaged in the unauthorized practice of law when he represented two Oregon residents in Oregon civil courts. He also made false and reckless statements before a federal tribunal regarding the integrity of members of the judiciary. In re NANCY
CARPER, Attorney Number 397490 File information: M.R. 20795, 04 CH 88 Ms. Carper, who was licensed in 1976, was suspended for three years and until further order of the Court and until certain restitution is made. She neglected and failed to provide competent representation in seven immigration matters, did not return unearned fees in four of those matters, and failed to respond to lawful demands for information from the ARDC about several of those matters. In re TROY
DELBERT CLAYTON, Attorney Number 6236865 File information: M.R. 20889, 05 CH 101 Mr. Clayton, who was licensed in 1996, was suspended for one year and until he completes the program offered by the Illinois Institute for Professional Responsibility, enrolls in a law office management program, and pays certain restitution. He neglected five civil matters and misled his clients about the status of their claims. The suspension is effective on June 6, 2006. In re JAMES KEVIN
DAVIS, Attorney Number 6206791 File information: M.R. 20824, 06 DC 1002 Mr. Davis, who was licensed in 1991, was disbarred on consent. He misappropriated approximately $85,000 in court-ordered restitution from a criminal defense client, failed to provide an accounting in an estate matter, neglected a client’s case, and engaged in the unauthorized practice of law when he continued to practice despite his failing to register. In re ROCCO JAMES
DeMEO, Attorney Number 611441 File information: M.R. 20822, 05 CH 56 Mr. DeMeo, who was licensed in 1976, was suspended for six months and until further order of the Court. He engaged in the unauthorized practice of law when, after he was removed from the roll of attorneys for failing to register, he represented several clients in a variety of legal matters. He also neglected one of those cases, did not return a $3,000 fee he received to handle the matter, and failed to cooperate with the investigation into his conduct. In re ROCHON
LESLIE DIBBLE, Attorney Number 6209313 File Information: M.R. 20797, 04 CH 59 Ms. Dibble, who was licensed in 1992, was suspended for three years and until further order of the Court and was ordered to make certain restitution. An ARDC hearing panel concluded that she neglected five different client matters, made false statements to a judge and to clients, engaged in the unauthorized practice of law, failed to return unearned fees, and did not participate in the disciplinary process. She has been suspended on an interim basis since March 29, 2006. In re BRIAN JOHN
DONOGHUE, Attorney Number 6193117 File Information: M.R. 20839, 04 CH 144 Mr. Donoghue, who was licensed in 1986, was suspended for six months and until further order of the Court. He neglected a personal injury matter so that it became time-barred and then falsely stated to the ARDC that his client’s claim was pending when it had been dismissed for want of prosecution. He did not appear at his disciplinary hearing. In re JAMES LEWIS
FRAZIN, Attorney Number 3127121 File information: M.R. 20864, 03 CH 112 Mr. Frazin, who was licensed in 1980, was suspended for eighteen months and until he makes certain restitution. He breached his fiduciary duties as the trustee of a minor’s trust account by misappropriating at least $27,000 in funds belonging to the trust account. In addition, he wrongfully took approximately $9,000 of funds belonging to two clients. He made complete restitution to the two clients and partial restitution to the beneficiary of the trust. The suspension is effective on June 6, 2006. In re LaOUIDA
GLOVER, Attorney Number 6212252 File information: M.R. 20856, 05 CH 58 Ms. Glover, who was licensed in 1993, was suspended for six months, with the entire suspension stayed pending completion of an eighteen-month period of probation with conditions. She mismanaged $711 that she received for filing fees and costs in connection with two unrelated civil matters, and she engaged in the unauthorized practice of law when she continued to practice despite failing to register. In re DANNY RAY
HILL, Attorney Number 1214209 File Information: M.R. 20833, 06 RC 1501 Mr. Hill was admitted to the practice of law both in Illinois and in Indiana in 1973. The Indiana Supreme Court suspended him until further order for failing to cooperate with the lawyer disciplinary process in that state. Indiana bar authorities had repeatedly filed orders to show cause against him for failing to respond to their requests for information about client complaints. Illinois imposed reciprocal discipline and suspended Mr. Hill until he is reinstated in Indiana. In re JAMES
JOSEPH LASKI, Jr., Attorney Number 6205499 File information: M.R. 20855, 06 DC 1003 Mr. Laski, who was licensed in 1990, was disbarred on consent. While serving as the City Clerk of Chicago, he solicited and accepted bribes in exchange for City of Chicago business. He also obstructed justice when he directed and advised others to mislead a federal grand jury by falsely testifying about the nature of the payments. In re TERRY
O’DONNELL, Attorney Number 6209659 File information: M.R. 20892, 06 DC 1004 Mr. O’Donnell, who was licensed in 1992, was disbarred on consent. He misappropriated over one and one-half million dollars in funds belonging to various clients, entered into improper loan transactions with a client where he received loans totaling approximately one million dollars, and neglected client matters. In re JOHN H.
PEISS, Attorney Number 6208560 File information: M.R. 20888, 05 CH 10 Mr. Peiss, who was licensed in 1992, was suspended for one year and until further order of the Court. He converted client funds, engaged in the unauthorized practice of law when he represented a client in a Texas medical malpractice claim without being admitted to practice law in that state, and notarized a forged signature on a mortgage. In re DERWIN PAUL
RICHARDSON, Attorney Number 6225926 File Information: M.R. 20863, 03 CH 47 Mr. Richardson, who was licensed in 1994, was disbarred and ordered to make certain restitution. He breached his fiduciary duties as an escrow agent, misappropriated approximately $300,000 in funds from two annuities which he was to hold in escrow, failed to inform a court in a legal proceeding that he was no longer holding the funds from the annuities in escrow, and misrepresented to opposing counsel that he was still holding the funds. He has been suspended on an interim basis since August 11, 2005. In re JEANNE LEE
SATHRE, Attorney Number 2461323 File information: M.R. 20832, 05 SH 95 Ms. Sathre, who was licensed in 1976, was censured. While employed as the Edgar County Public Defender, she neglected two appeals involving the termination of parental rights. In re KEITH
RICHARD WALNER, Attorney Number 6206303 File Information: M.R. 20853, 06 RC 1502 Mr. Walner was licensed in California in 1990 and in Illinois in 1991. The California Supreme Court ordered him censured and placed on probation for three years after he was convicted in California of alcohol-related reckless driving. He later violated his probation when he was convicted of drunk driving. Illinois imposed reciprocal discipline, censured him, and placed him on a three-year period of probation with conditions. THE FOLLOWING DISCIPLINARY ORDER In re WILLIAM
RAMON JACKSON, Attorney Number 6206347 File information: M.R. 20903, 04 CH 47 (Order Entered on April 24, 2006) Mr. Jackson, who was licensed in 1991, was suspended on an interim basis and until further order of the Court. He misappropriated approximately $20,000 in client funds, neglected four civil matters, failed to communicate with clients, failed to refund unearned fees, made misrepresentations to a judge in a bankruptcy matter and collected excessive fee For additional information concerning
these James J. Grogan, Attorney Registration and
Disciplinary Commission, Chicago. |