Illinois Supreme Court Disbars 2, Suspends 17 in Latest Disciplinary Filing
The Illinois Supreme Court issued attorney disciplinary orders during its September 2025 Term of Court. Sanctions were imposed because the lawyers engaged in professional misconduct by violating state ethics law.
Disbarred
Steven Jacob Barkin, Sherman Oaks, CA
Mr. Barkin was licensed in Illinois in 1977 and in California in 1980. In January 2025, the Supreme Court of California disbarred him. He misappropriated $393,000 from clients in three separate matters and continued to owe one client $324,000. The Supreme Court of Illinois imposed reciprocal discipline and disbarred Mr. Barkin.
Charles F. Morrissey, Chicago, IL
Mr. Morrissey, who was licensed in 1997, was disbarred on consent. He misappropriated a total of $388,000 in two matters, a personal injury case and a sale of real property. He also made misrepresentations to his clients and a court about the availability of the funds he had converted.
Eric J. Ryan, St. Charles, IL
Mr. Ryan, who was licensed in 2001, was disbarred on consent. He misappropriated $30,000 belonging to an estate in a wrongful death case and provided one of the estate’s beneficiaries with an altered bank statement when he was asked about his handling of funds. He also made false statements to ARDC counsel and tendered a copy of a forged cashier’s check during the ARDC’s investigation of his conduct.
Suspended
James Lee Andion, Los Angeles, CA
Mr. Andion was licensed in Illinois in 1977 and in California in 1980. In September 2024, the Supreme Court of California suspended him for five years, with the suspension stayed by probation subject to conditions, including that he be suspended for a minimum of the first three years and until he proves his rehabilitation. He aided two of his office managers, who were not lawyers, in the unauthorized practice of law, did not diligently represent at least five clients in immigration matters, withdrew from representing at least six clients without taking reasonable steps to avoid prejudice to them, failed to promptly refund $36,300 in unearned fees, and commingled approximately $23,000 of his own money with client funds. The Supreme Court of Illinois imposed reciprocal discipline and suspended him for three years and until he is reinstated in California. The suspension is effective on October 10, 2025.
Robert William Dekelaita, Morton Grove, IL
Mr. DeKelaita, who was licensed in 1997, was suspended for three years, retroactive to September 26, 2016. He was convicted in federal court of conspiracy to commit asylum fraud by submitting applications on behalf of clients that contained false or exaggerated claims of persecution in nine separate immigration asylum cases between 2000 and 2009.
Thomas Guy Devore, Litchfield, IL
Mr. DeVore, who was licensed in 2011, was suspended for 60 days. He engaged in a sexual relationship with a client and entered into a business transaction with the same client without providing her with the terms of the transaction in writing and advising her that she was entitled to consult independent counsel. He also filed frivolous litigation against the client after their relationship ended, sent disparaging emails to her, and contacted her knowing she was represented by counsel. The suspension is effective on October 10, 2025.
William Michael Doyle, Jr., Chicago, IL
Mr. Doyle, who was licensed in 1976, was suspended for three years and until further order of the Court. Over a period of more than 20 years, while working at two separate international law firms, he sent his clients bills that contained false information about the services both firms performed for those clients, including requests that the clients pay for charges that would typically have been written off under the firms’ billing policies and charges for legal work that was performed for other clients. 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.
Debrai Ghirmai Haile, Chicago, IL
Mr. Haile, who was licensed in 1997, was suspended for one year, with the suspension stayed after 90 days in favor of a two-year period of conditional probation. During a 14-month period, while working as a partner at a law firm, Mr. Haile created false billing entries in two client matters. He recorded 142 hours in the first client matter and 387.50 hours in the second client matter for time that he claimed to have spent working on projects for the clients, even though he had not done all the work described in his billing entries. The suspension is effective on October 10, 2025.
Drew Michael Harwick, Schaumburg, IL
Mr. Harwick, who was licensed in 1980, was suspended for 60 days and until further order of the Court. Mr. Harwick revealed information relating to the representation of a client on a website after the client gave him a bad review on the site. He also failed to participate in his disciplinary hearing. 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.
James Gregory Las Cola, Chicago, IL
Mr. Las Cola, who was licensed in 1998, was suspended for one year and until further order of the Court. He failed to diligently represent clients in an estate planning matter and an eviction case, he failed to refund more than $9,000 in unearned fees to those clients and another client, and he knowingly made a false statement and did not respond to lawful demands for information during the ARDC’s investigation of his 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.
Sara McClusky, Harrisburg, IL
Ms. McClusky, who was licensed in 2021, was suspended for six months and until further order of the Court. She did not file a brief on behalf of two individuals after being appointed to handle their appeal of the termination of their parental rights, then did not appear when ordered to explain her failure to comply with the appellate court’s orders. As a result, the appellate court held her in direct criminal contempt and fined her $100. She also did not cooperate during the ARDC’s investigation into her misconduct or participate in her disciplinary hearing. 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.
Charles Gideon McGuire, Carbondale, IL
Mr. McGuire, who was licensed in 2012, was suspended for one year and until further order of the Court. He was convicted of domestic battery against his wife and two counts of violating an order of protection she had obtained against him. He also had a conversation with a judge, without notice to the prosecution, about his bond after an arrest. While on probation for those earlier offenses, he was convicted of again violating the order of protection and violating the conditions of his pretrial release on another charge concerning his wife. 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.
Lauren B. McQueen, Paris, IL
Ms. McQueen, who was licensed in 2019, was suspended for one year and until further order of the Court, with the suspension stayed after 60 days by a two-year period of conditional probation. She used $8,912.71 in funds belonging to the Champaign County Bar Association without authorization while serving as treasurer and then president of that organization. She also made false statements to CCBA officials when questioned about the funds. The suspension is effective on October 10, 2025.
Norma Frances Miner, Marion, IL
Ms. Miner, who was licensed in 1982, was suspended for six months and until further order of the Court. She dishonestly misappropriated a $2,450 retainer fee paid to her in a family law matter and did not file an answer to the disciplinary complaint. 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.
Thomas Robert Napierala, Bayside, WI
Mr. Napierala was licensed in Wisconsin and Illinois in 1990. In December 2024, the Supreme Court of Wisconsin publicly reprimanded him for failing to diligently represent clients in a foreclosure action and an employment discrimination case, making misrepresentations to the court in the employment discrimination matter, and not properly communicating with a third party about his receipt and disbursement of funds in which the third party had an interest. The Supreme Court of Illinois imposed reciprocal discipline and suspended him for 30 days. The suspension is effective on October 10, 2025.
Paul Eric Petruska, Frontenac, MO
Mr. Petruska was licensed in Missouri in 1995 and in Illinois in 1996. In March 2025, the Supreme Court of Missouri suspended him indefinitely with no leave to apply for reinstatement for three years. He represented the defendants in a personal injury case and settled the matter without authority. He then made misrepresentations to the court, the plaintiffs, and his clients in an attempt to cover up his misconduct. The Supreme Court of Illinois imposed reciprocal discipline and suspended him for three years and until he is reinstated to the practice of law in Missouri. The suspension is effective on October 10, 2025.
Hyun Woong Shin, Chicago, IL
Mr. Shin, who was licensed in 1995, was suspended for 60 days. After unsuccessfully attempting to electronically file a complaint on behalf of a family seeking to evict people from a rental property, he took no further action in the matter. Over the next six months, Mr. Shin falsely told the family that he had filed the complaint, provided them with a false case number, and repeatedly gave them false status updates. The suspension is effective on October 10, 2025.
James E. Taylor, Chicago, IL
Mr. Taylor, who was licensed in 1992, was suspended for two years and until further order of the Court, stayed after one year by an eighteen-month period of conditional probation. He failed to diligently represent clients in two criminal cases, a probate case, a mortgage foreclosure, and a civil litigation matter. In each matter, he accepted an advance fee but did not file pleadings, appear in court, or respond to his clients’ requests for information. The suspension is effective on October 10, 2025.
Fredric Robert Gumbinner, Washington D.C.
Mr. Gumbinner, who was licensed in 1985, was suspended on an interim basis and until further order of the Court. Mr. Gumbinner is the subject of a complaint before the ARDC’s Hearing Board arising from his federal conviction in Virginia for paying a $20,000 bribe to a county sheriff in order to obtain an auxiliary sheriff’s badge.
Adrian Murati, Rockford, IL
Mr. Murati, who was licensed in 2015, was suspended on an interim basis and until further order of the Court. Mr. Murati was found by the ARDC’s Hearing Board, after a hearing at which he did not appear, to have abandoned his law practice, made misrepresentations to clients, and dishonestly misappropriated over $12,000 owed to a lienholder in two matters.
Censured
Daniel Olen Barham, Arrington, TN
Mr. Barham was licensed in Illinois in 2015 and in Tennessee in 2015. In March 2025, Tennessee disciplinary authorities publicly censured him for violating a court order entered in a breach of contract case by failing to notify the court, a court-appointed custodian, and opposing counsel of the receipt of an asset subject to the court’s order and not requesting court authorization to deposit certain funds into his law firm’s trust account. The Illinois Supreme Court imposed reciprocal discipline and censured him.