Date
Discipline Imposed
Description
4/4/2016
Suspended
An attorney was suspended from the practice of law in the State of Alabama for a period of five (5) years by Order of the Supreme Court of Alabama, effective…
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Date: 4/4/2016
Discipline Imposed: Suspended
Description:
An attorney was suspended from the practice of law in the State of Alabama for a period of five (5) years by Order of the Supreme Court of Alabama, effective April 4, 2016. On February 11, 2016, the Disciplinary Commission of the Alabama State Bar issued an Order revoking the attorney's probation and imposing a five (5) year suspension from the practice of law in the State of Alabama. The attorney had previously pled guilty to multiple violations of Rules 1.3, 1.4(a), 1.7(a), 8.1(a), and 8.4(g), Ala. R. Prof. C. The attorney was issued a five (5) year suspension that was held in abeyance pending his successful completion of the terms and conditions of his probation. After the attorney violated his probation, the Disciplinary Commission ordered that he serve the five (5) year suspension.
3/25/2016
Private Reprimand
On March 25, 2016, the attorney was issued a private reprimand for violations of Rules 1.4(b), and 5.3, Ala. R. Prof. C. The paralegal of the attorney improperly solicited a…
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Date: 3/25/2016
Discipline Imposed: Private Reprimand
Description:
On March 25, 2016, the attorney was issued a private reprimand for violations of Rules 1.4(b), and 5.3, Ala. R. Prof. C. The paralegal of the attorney improperly solicited a prospective personal injury client. The client met with the paralegal and signed an employment contract agreement with the firm. The attorney was not present at the meeting between the paralegal and the client and did not have any knowledge of the contract by the paralegal or the meeting between the paralegal and the client. The attorney accepted responsibility for the improper conduct of the paralegal.
3/25/2016
Private Reprimand
On March 25, 2016, the attorney, also licensed in the State of Alabama, was issued a private reprimand for violating Rule 5.5(a)(1), Ala. R. Prof. C. The attorney filed or…
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Date: 3/25/2016
Discipline Imposed: Private Reprimand
Description:
On March 25, 2016, the attorney, also licensed in the State of Alabama, was issued a private reprimand for violating Rule 5.5(a)(1), Ala. R. Prof. C. The attorney filed or allowed to be filed using her name and bar number a Petition to Modify and a Consolidated First Interrogatories, Request for Production of Documents, and Request for Admissions in a matter in the Circuit. However, at the time the pleadings were filed, the attorney was not licensed to practice law in the State of Alabama.
3/11/2016
Suspended
The attorney was summarily suspended from the practice of law in the State of Alabama pursuant to Rules 8(e) and 20(a), Ala. R. Disc. P., by order of the Disciplinary…
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Date: 3/11/2016
Discipline Imposed: Suspended
Description:
The attorney was summarily suspended from the practice of law in the State of Alabama pursuant to Rules 8(e) and 20(a), Ala. R. Disc. P., by order of the Disciplinary Commission of the Alabama State Bar, effective February 5, 2016, until March 11, 2016, when he was reinstated to practice law. The Disciplinary Commission’s suspension order was based on a petition filed by the Office of General Counsel evidencing the attorney failed or refused to provide subpoenaed documents and related material from his Trust Account to the Office of General Counsel during the course of a disciplinary investigation. However, the Disciplinary Commission reinstated his license upon his production of subpoenaed documents.
3/11/2016
Public Reprimand Without Publication
The Disciplinary Commission ordered that the attorney receive a public reprimand without general publication for violating Rules 1.3 and 1.4(a) Ala. R. Prof. C. The attorney was retained to file…
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Date: 3/11/2016
Discipline Imposed: Public Reprimand Without Publication
Description:
The Disciplinary Commission ordered that the attorney receive a public reprimand without general publication for violating Rules 1.3 and 1.4(a) Ala. R. Prof. C. The attorney was retained to file a Rule 32 petition on behalf of an incarcerated client in July of 2009. He did not promptly file the petition or inform the client of any tactical or other reason why the filing would be delayed. As of July 2014, the petition still had not been filed nor did he provide any explanation for the delay.
3/11/2016
Public Reprimand Without Publication
On October 30, 2015, the Disciplinary Commission ordered that the attorney receive a public reprimand without general publication for violating Rules 1.3, 1.4(a) and (b), and 8.4(d), Ala. R. Prof.…
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Date: 3/11/2016
Discipline Imposed: Public Reprimand Without Publication
Description:
On October 30, 2015, the Disciplinary Commission ordered that the attorney receive a public reprimand without general publication for violating Rules 1.3, 1.4(a) and (b), and 8.4(d), Ala. R. Prof. C. The attorney represented a client in a divorce case and filed a complaint for divorce and certain discovery motions on March 30, 2015. The client and her husband then requested the appropriate paperwork for an uncontested divorce. The attorney prepared the paperwork and the parties signed on April 25, 2015. On May 18, 2015, the client’s husband discovered the paperwork had yet to be filed and filed the paperwork pro se. On May 26, 2015, the court issued an order setting the matter for dismissal on August 7, 2015, if certain documents were not filed. Throughout June of 2015, the client repeatedly requested the attorney to file the necessary paperwork to complete the divorce and on July 13, 2015, the client emailed the attorney and informed him that if he did not file the missing paperwork immediately, she would be filing a bar complaint. On July 20, 2015, the attorney filed the missing paperwork. On July 30, 2015, the parties were granted their divorce by the court.
3/11/2016
Public Reprimand Without Publication
The attorney received a public reprimand without general publication on March 11, 2016, for violating Rules 1.1, 1.3 and 1.4, Alabama Rules of Professional Conduct. The attorney was hired to…
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Date: 3/11/2016
Discipline Imposed: Public Reprimand Without Publication
Description:
The attorney received a public reprimand without general publication on March 11, 2016, for violating Rules 1.1, 1.3 and 1.4, Alabama Rules of Professional Conduct. The attorney was hired to defend a client who had been sued for defaulting on a promissory note. The attorney did not advise the client, whose liability had been conceded, of the hearing on damages. The attorney attended the hearing via telephone and did not offer any evidence on his client’s behalf. The attorney did not inform the client of the judgment entered against him, to which the client was alerted by an uninvolved third party. The attorney did not notify the client that the court ordered him to appear at show cause hearing for failure to respond to post-judgment discovery requests, and the client was held in contempt. The attorney did not notify the client of the contempt finding, and the client was arrested when the contempt was not purged within the time allotted by the court. During the course of the representation the attorney did not respond to the client’s reasonable requests for information or communicate with him to the extent reasonably necessary to allow him to make informed decisions regarding the representation.
3/11/2016
Public Reprimand With Publication
On November 4, 2015, the Disciplinary Commission ordered that the attorney receive a public reprimand with general publication for violating Rules 1.1, 1.3, and 8.4(d) and (g), Ala. R. Prof.…
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Date: 3/11/2016
Discipline Imposed: Public Reprimand With Publication
Description:
On November 4, 2015, the Disciplinary Commission ordered that the attorney receive a public reprimand with general publication for violating Rules 1.1, 1.3, and 8.4(d) and (g), Ala. R. Prof. C. In 2012, the attorney handled a divorce for a client in which the ex-wife of the attorney's client was responsible for the payment of four credit cards. In 2013, the ex-wife filed a petition for Chapter 13 bankruptcy. The attorney filed a Motion to Object to Discharge of Marital Debt/Obligations as to the four credit cards. The attorney withdrew the objection after learning that the Chapter 13 bankruptcy petition included the debts. Later, the attorney filed a Petition to Modify in which he asked the court to sanction the ex-wife for failing to pay off. The court denied the Petition to Modify because the credit cards were part of the Chapter 13 bankruptcy petition. The attorney then filed a Motion to Alter and/or Amend in which he misrepresented to the court that the credit cards were not included within the Chapter 13 bankruptcy. By filing the Petition to Modify and the Motion to Alter and/or Amend without leave of the court, the attorney violated the automatic stay created by the filing of the Chapter 13 bankruptcy petition.
3/11/2016
Public Reprimand With Publication
On September 23, 2015, the Disciplinary Commission determined the attorney should receive a public reprimand with general publication, contact and complete the Practice Management Assistance Program, complete 10 hours of…
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Date: 3/11/2016
Discipline Imposed: Public Reprimand With Publication
Description:
On September 23, 2015, the Disciplinary Commission determined the attorney should receive a public reprimand with general publication, contact and complete the Practice Management Assistance Program, complete 10 hours of CLE in the area of appellate criminal practice within six months of receipt of the reprimand, and pay a $750 administrative fee for violating Rules 1.4, 8.1(a), and 8.4(a) and (g), Ala R. Prof. C. On or about October 12, 2012, the attorney filed a Rule 32, Ala. R. Crim. P., petition for a client whose direct appeal was pending. After the attorney was hired to draft and file this petition, he failed to communicate with the client throughout the pendency of the matter until after the trial court denied the petition, and therefore, he violated Rule 1.4(a) by failing to keep his client reasonably informed about the status of his matter. Additionally, during the investigation the attorney stated he consulted with the client’s direct appeal attorney before filing the Rule 32 petition. However, the client’s direct appeal attorney did not recall speaking with the attorney before he filed the petition. With this conduct, the attorney violated Rule 8.1(a), by knowingly making a false statement of material fact and Rules 8.4(a) and (g), Ala. R. Prof. C., by engaging in conduct adversely reflecting on his fitness to practice law.
3/9/2016
Private Reprimand
The attorney was issued a private reprimand for violations of Rules 1.12, 1.16(d), 1.3 and 1.5(a), Ala. R. Prof. C. The attorney was assigned as referee in a child support…
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Date: 3/9/2016
Discipline Imposed: Private Reprimand
Description:
The attorney was issued a private reprimand for violations of Rules 1.12, 1.16(d), 1.3 and 1.5(a), Ala. R. Prof. C. The attorney was assigned as referee in a child support action between a client and her ex-husband. The attorney and his client were to appear for a bench trial in November of 2013. The attorney did not appear, missed several other court appearances, and never filed a response to anything filed by opposing counsel. The attorney's only motion filed in the case was a motion to withdraw, after the client terminated him. The client requested a refund, to which the attorney agreed to give a partial refund. Thereafter, the attorney ignored repeated requests from the client regarding the refund.
1/26/2016
Private Reprimand
On January 26, 2016, the attorney received a private reprimand for violating Rules 1.3, 1.4(a) and (b), and 8.4(g), Ala. R. Prof. C. The attorney represented a client on a…
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Date: 1/26/2016
Discipline Imposed: Private Reprimand
Description:
On January 26, 2016, the attorney received a private reprimand for violating Rules 1.3, 1.4(a) and (b), and 8.4(g), Ala. R. Prof. C. The attorney represented a client on a contingency fee basis in an injury claim against the State of Alabama. The attorney and the client had a hearing before the state board in 2013, in which the client was ordered to be reimbursed for her out-of-pocket expenses. However, the board refused to pay for the client’s knee surgery. A settlement offer was made by the state, but the attorney advised the client not to sign the settlement offer because of the language used by the state in the settlement. The attorney told her he would have the language revised and approved by the state board. Thereafter, the client was unable to contact the attorney by telephone, email and text message. The attorney attempted to have the state’s lawyer amend the release to make it specific to the claim being released. However, the state’s lawyer refused to do so and filed a motion to dismiss the case, which was granted by the board. The attorney then failed to inform the client of the dismissal.
1/20/2016
Disbarred
The attorney was disbarred from the practice of law in the State of Alabama, pursuant to Rule 23, Ala. R. Dis.P. effective January 20, 2016, by order of the Supreme…
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Date: 1/20/2016
Discipline Imposed: Disbarred
Description:
The attorney was disbarred from the practice of law in the State of Alabama, pursuant to Rule 23, Ala. R. Dis.P. effective January 20, 2016, by order of the Supreme Court of Alabama. The Supreme Court entered its order based upon the decision of the Disciplinary Board of the Alabama State Bar accepting the attorney's consent to disbarment, which was based upon his acknowledgement that there were pending investigations into his ethical conduct as a lawyer concerning alleged violations of Rules 1.3, 1.4(a), 1.5, 1.15(a), 1.15(b), 1.15(e), 1.15(f), 8.4(a), and 8.4(g), Ala. R. Prof. C., which, if proven, would likely result in serious discipline by the Bar, to include disbarment.
1/19/2016
Private Reprimand
On January 19, 2016, the attorney received a private reprimand and was instructed to provide proof of successful completion of the Practice Management Assistance Program and pay a $750 administrative…
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Date: 1/19/2016
Discipline Imposed: Private Reprimand
Description:
On January 19, 2016, the attorney received a private reprimand and was instructed to provide proof of successful completion of the Practice Management Assistance Program and pay a $750 administrative fee pursuant to Rule 33, Ala. R. Disc. P., for violating Rules 8.4(a), (b) and (g), Ala. R. Prof. C. On or about May 8, 2015, the Probate Court entered an order setting a hearing to determine the appropriate sanctions for the respondent attorney’s failure to mediate pursuant to a prior order entered by the Court and for “…constructive criminal contempt….” On or about June 24, 2015, the Probate Court entered a subsequent order concluding, inter alia, the respondent attorney failed to comply with prior mediation orders from the Court. With this conduct, the respondent attorney violated Rules 8.4(a), (b), and (g) by violating a Rule of Professional Conduct, committing a criminal act which adversely reflected on the respondent attorney’s honesty, trustworthiness, or fitness as a lawyer, and engaging in conduct adversely reflecting on her fitness to practice law.
1/19/2016
Private Reprimand
On January 19, 2016, the attorney received a private reprimand and was ordered to refund the complainant’s $1,000 fee for violating Rule 1.1, Ala. R. Prof. C. Additionally, the respondent…
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Date: 1/19/2016
Discipline Imposed: Private Reprimand
Description:
On January 19, 2016, the attorney received a private reprimand and was ordered to refund the complainant’s $1,000 fee for violating Rule 1.1, Ala. R. Prof. C. Additionally, the respondent attorney was taxed costs and was ordered to pay an administrative fee of $750 pursuant to Rule 33(d)(9), Ala. R. Disc. P. In or about March of 2014, the respondent attorney was paid $1,000 to represent the complainant in a probate matter. In handling this matter, the respondent attorney failed to follow the requirement set forth in the Alabama Code that an estate’s personal representative must be a resident of the State of Alabama and erroneously had the complainant, a Michigan resident, appointed as personal representative. Instead of correcting the error, the respondent attorney withdrew from the case without refunding the complainant’s fee or correcting the error. With this conduct, the respondent attorney failed to provide competent representation to the complainant.
1/19/2016
Private Reprimand
On January 19, 2016, the attorney received a private reprimand upon completion of the Practice Management Assistance Program and was ordered to pay an administrative fee of $750 pursuant to…
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Date: 1/19/2016
Discipline Imposed: Private Reprimand
Description:
On January 19, 2016, the attorney received a private reprimand upon completion of the Practice Management Assistance Program and was ordered to pay an administrative fee of $750 pursuant to Rule 33(d)(9), Ala. R. Disc. P., for violating Rules 1.3 1.4(a) and (b) and 8.4(a) and (g), Ala. R. Prof. C. In or about June of 2012, the respondent attorney failed to timely file an appeal to the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals and the matter was dismissed. Additionally, during the pendency of the matter, the respondent attorney failed to maintain proper communication with her client.