The Illinois Supreme Court disbarred six lawyers, suspended three and censured two in its latest disciplinary filing. Sanctions were imposed because the lawyers engaged in professional misconduct by violating state ethics rules.
ARDC
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January 16, 2012 |
Practice News
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November 22, 2011 |
Practice News
The Illinois Supreme Court disbarred 7 lawyers, suspended 22, censured three and reprimanded five in its latest disciplinary filing. Sanctions were imposed because the lawyers engaged in professional misconduct by violating state ethics rules.
1 comment (Most recent November 23, 2011) -
September 26, 2011 |
Practice News
The Illinois Supreme Court has announced the filing of disciplinary orders involving a number of licensed lawyers. The Court has disbarred 12 lawyers, suspended 43, censured 10, remprimanded two and transferred three others to inactive disability status. Sanctions were imposed because the lawyers engaged in professional misconduct by violating state ethics law.
DISBARRED
- Catherine M. Brame, Bloomington
Ms. Brame was licensed in California in 1987 and in Illinois in 1994. She was disbarred in California for misappropriating over $80,000 in client funds. The Illinois Supreme Court imposed reciprocal discipline and disbarred her.
- Richard William Fischer, St. Louis
Mr. Fischer was licensed in Missouri in 1991 and in Illinois in 1992. He was disbarred in Missouri for accepting a $5,000 retainer and then failing to perform any legal services or return the retainer to the client. He also did not pay his bar enrollment fee, failed to comply with continuing legal education requirements, engaged in the unauthorized practice of law while he was suspended, failed to file state tax returns, and did not cooperate with the Missouri lawyer disciplinary authorities. The Illinois Supreme Court imposed reciprocal discipline and disbarred him.
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August 29, 2011 |
Practice News
NOTICE
If your bank does not yet appear on the List of Financial Institutions Eligible to Hold Trust Accounts as of September 1, 2011, do not panic.
There are now more than 300 financial institutions included on the List of Financial Institutions Eligible to Hold Trust Accounts. To date, only one small bank has refused to be included on that list. However, a significant number of banks have not yet submitted an agreement to provide overdraft notification, which is a prerequisite to being included on the list.
The ARDC and the Lawyers Trust Fund of Illinois are working with banks and other financial institutions to make compliance with the new provisions of Rule 1.15 as easy as possible. Some banking institutions have informed the ARDC that they want to comply with the new trust account rules, cannot meet the deadline, but are hoping to accommodate depositors as soon after September 1, 2011 as is possible. We believe that most of the banks that have not yet submitted an agreement intend to do so, but require additional time do so. There is no immediate need to change banks.
If your bank does not yet appear on the List, there is no need to move your account to a different bank until you know, for a fact, that your bank does not intend to agree to Trust Account Overdraft Notification.
Please continue to monitor the ARDC website, as we receive new Trust Account Overdraft Notification Agreements every day.
Please note that, in light of the problems caused in the wake of Hurricane Irene, certain banks headquartered on the East Coast may not be in compliance with the Rule by the effective date.
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July 1, 2011 |
Practice News
The Supreme Court of Illinois has announced amendments to existing lawyer trust account guidelines. The new amendments to Rule 1.15 of the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct help clarify the obligations that all lawyers have to manage and protect client funds. Click here to view a copy of the recent rule changes. A lawyer has always been required to hold the money or property of clients or third persons that come into a lawyer’s possession separate from the lawyer’s own property. This is because a lawyer is a professional fiduciary who must safeguard client funds. Beginning September 1, 2011, new trust account rules provide for three essential changes from current practice. The changes serve to benefit both the public and the profession. First, lawyers will have to continue to segregate client funds, but the rule clarifies that they will have only two banking options as to where they hold client money. Beginning September 1st, client funds can only be deposited into either:
- An IOLTA (Interest on Lawyers Trust Account) account. An IOLTA account is a pooled interest or dividend-bearing client trust account established with an eligible financial institution used for the deposit of nominal or short term client funds. The interest on an IOLTA account is paid to the Lawyers Trust Fund of Illinois (LTF). LTF is a tax-exempt, not-for-profit organization that uses the interest generated by IOLTA accounts to make charitable contributions to not-for-profit agencies that provide legal aid to the poor; or
- A separate, interest-bearing non-IOLTA client trust account established to hold the funds of a specific client or third person with that specific client designated as the income beneficiary.
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May 18, 2011 |
Practice News
The Illinois Supreme Court has 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. More information on each case is available at the ARDC website.
DISBARRED
- Robert Bruce Becker, Peoria
- Susan Grace Castagnoli, Zion
- Charles August Conner, Jr., Chicago
- Kenneth Glen Mason, Wilmette
- Erwin Mayer, Winnetka
- Mahendra R. Mehta, Chicago
- George Angelo Palivos, Chicago
- L. Tod Schlosser, Chicago
- Peter Raymond Vogel, Sugar Grove
- Adalbert Paul Wojewnik, Chicago
SUSPENDED
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April 29, 2011 |
Practice News
More Illinois lawyers provided free legal services during the economic downturn according to the ARDC Annual Report. The report indicates that 29,276 Illinois attorneys provided a total of 2,328,770 pro bono legal service hours last year - a 6% increase over 2009. The number of lawyers making monetary contributions increased 6% as well, with a total contribution of $15,266,660. Grievances against Illinois attorneys continue to decline. The Commission docketed 5,617 investigations, a 3.7% decrease from 2009 and the fewest number of docketed investigations in 18 years. The top three areas of a grievance involve problems with the client-attorney relationship including allegations of neglect (38% of all investigations), failing to communicate (21%) and conduct involving fraud or deceit (15%). Consistent with prior years, the top areas of practice most likely to lead to a grievance include criminal law, domestic relations, tort and real estate. The report shows that the Master Roll of Attorneys continues to increase. The lawyer population in Illinois rose to 86,657 as of Oct. 31, 2010. That does not include the 2,117 attorneys sworn-in in November. That total is a 2.2% increase over 2009. The counties with the greatest increase in attorney population include McHenry (3.2%), Will (2.5%), Lake (2.4%) and Cook (2.4%).
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March 21, 2011 |
Practice News
The Illinois Supreme Court has 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. More information on each case is available at the ARDC website.
DISBARRED
- Harry E. Defrouneau, Markham
SUSPENDED
- Maurice Joseph Barry, Jr., Normal
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January 20, 2011 |
Practice News
The Illinois Supreme Court has 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. More information on each case is available at the ARDC website.
DISBARRED
- Dave Ellis Compton, Chicago
- Forrest David Laidley, Libertyville
- Eric Tyrone Tolen, St. Louis, Mo.
- Bradford Francis Wisniewski, Chicago
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November 15, 2010 |
Practice News
The Illinois Supreme Court has 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. More information on each case is available at the ARDC website.
DISBARRED
- John Lansing Isaac, Littleton, Colo.
- Gerald John Jansen, Santa Ana, Calif.
- Gary Lynn Kaplan, San Anselmo, Calif.
- Manso Kavvadias, Batavia
- Tom George Kontos, La Jolla, Calif.
- Paul Ira Nemoy, Chicago
- Michael Nicholas Skoubis, Chicago
- Sam Tuzzolino, Skokie
SUSPENDED