The Illinois Supreme Court announced the filing of lawyer disciplinary orders on November 23, 2022. Sanctions were imposed because the lawyers engaged in professional misconduct by violating state ethics law.

Suspended

Ronald R. Duebbert, Bellville

Mr. Duebbert, a former circuit court judge in St. Clair County who was licensed in 1990, was suspended for one year and until further order of the Court. In 2016 and 2107, he made false statements to the police and to the Judicial Inquiry Board about his contacts with a friend of his who was the subject of a criminal investigation. He has been suspended on an interim basis since July 13, 2020. A suspension until further order of the Court is an indefinite suspension which requires the suspended lawyer to petition for reinstatement after the fixed period of suspension ends. Reinstatement is not automatic and must be allowed by the Supreme Court of Illinois following a hearing before the ARDC Hearing Board.   

Christopher R. Emerald, Crystal Lake

Mr. Emerald, who was licensed in 1999, was suspended for one year and until he makes restitution to a client. He delayed in filing a probate case and misled his client about the case’s status. When he eventually opened the probate case, he forged the client’s signature on documents and filed them with the court. He also forged the client’s ex-spouse’s signature on a document, although he id not file it with the court. The suspension is effective on December 14, 2022.

John P. Kolb, Chicago

Mr. Kolb, who was licensed in 1994, was suspended for 30 days. Ten months after learning of his personal injury client’s death, Mr. Kolb prepared and sent a letter to an insurance company demanding settlement for injuries and for “future pain and physical limitations.” The insurance company made a counteroffer, and Mr. Kolb purported to enter into a settlement agreement despite never having taken steps to substitute the deceased client’s estate as the claimant. He did so even though he knew that the insurance company was unaware that his client had died. The suspension is effective on December 14, 2022.

Rebecca S. Murray, Oak Park 

Ms. Murray, who was licensed in 2013, was suspended for six months and until further order of the Court and until she completes the ARDC Professionalism Seminar. She took a $2,500 retainer to represent a client in a civil matter but did not pursue the matter, communicate with the client, or refund her unearned fee. She also failed to cooperate with the ARDC’s investigation of her conduct. A suspension until further order of the Court is an indefinite suspension which requires the suspended lawyer to petition for reinstatement after the fixed period of suspension ends. Reinstatement is not automatic and must be allowed by the Supreme Court of Illinois following a hearing before the ARDC Hearing Board.   

Barbara A. Susman, Chicago 

Ms. Susman, who was licensed in 1983, was suspended for five months, with the suspension stayed in full by one year of probation with conditions. She failed to diligently pursue two clients’ immigration matters, did not adequately communicate with the clients, and failed to respond to the ARDC’s requests for information.

Alison M. Yohanna, Chicago 

Ms. Yohanna, who was licensed in 2009, was suspended for six months. While working as an investigator for the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (“COPA”) in Chicago, she repeatedly, and without authorization, accessed a private database of police records in violation of the terms of her employment. When an investigation ensued, she falsely reported that another COPA investigator, whom she wrongly suspected of having reported her misconduct, was planning on carrying out a mass shooting at the COPA office. The suspension is effective on December 14, 2022.

Ashmit S. Patel, Chicago 

Mr. Patel, who was licensed in 2012, was suspended on an interim basis and until further order of the Court after he pled guilty in a California federal court to conspiracy to commit securities fraud and manipulative trading. In his plea agreement, Mr. Patel acknowledged that he and other defendants, including the CEO of a home healthcare company, engaged in what is known as a “pump and dump” scheme by conspiring to make it appear that there was an active market for shares in the company, when in fact those shares were thinly traded.

Richard M. Ruggiero, Oak Park 

Mr. Ruggiero, who was licensed in 1992, was suspended on an interim basis and until further order of the Court after the ARDC’s Inquiry Board authorized the filing of a formal disciplinary complaint charging him with dishonestly misappropriating more than $260,000 to which he had access as trustee of his late aunt’s trust.

Disbarred

Blake E. Stone, Fort Myer, Virginia   

Mr. Stone, who was licensed in 1996, was disbarred on consent for neglecting six client matters, failing to refund approximately $16,000 in unearned fees, and making misrepresentations to clients, a court and the ARDC regarding those matters and his health.