Disciplinary History

Grant attorney Brent Lorne Parker was transferred to Inactive Status, effective September 13, 2018, by Order of the Supreme Court of Alabama. The Supreme Court entered its Order based upon the September 13, 2018 Order of Panel I of the Disciplinary Board of the Alabama State Bar in response to Parker’s petition submitted to the Office of General Counsel requesting he be transferred to inactive status.

Grant attorney Brent Lorne Parker was interimly suspended from the practice of law in the State of Alabama, effective September 5, 2018. The Supreme Court entered its order based upon the Disciplinary Commission’s Order finding Parker’s conduct is continuing in nature and is causing, or likely to cause, immediate and serious injury to a client and/or to the public. Parker was found to have misappropriated and mishandled client funds, including personal injury settlement funds, resulting in multiple violations of the Alabama Rules of Professional Conduct.

Daphne attorney John William Parker was suspended from the practice of law in the State of Alabama for a period of one year by the Supreme Court of Alabama, effective September 4, 2018. The Supreme Court entered its order based upon the Disciplinary Commission’s acceptance of Parker’s Conditional Guilty Plea, wherein he pled guilty to violating Rule 5.5(a)(1) [Unauthorized Practice of Law], Ala. R. Prof. C. Parker was disbarred from the practice of law on January 1, 2013. In 2016, Parker attempted to represent the mortgagee of a piece of property in extended negotiations to prevent the foreclosure to allow the individual to remain in possession of the property.

In September 2018, an attorney received a private reprimand for violating Rules 1.1 [Competence], 1.3 [Diligence], and 8.4(a) and (g) [Misconduct], Ala. R. Prof. C. The respondent attorney was appointed to represent a minor child in the Jefferson County Juvenile Court and, after an adverse ruling, he appealed to the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals. The respondent attorney missed the deadline to file the appellate brief twice and failed to rectify the error. As a result, the Court of Civil Appeals entered an order terminating his appointment.

In August 2018, an Anniston attorney received a private reprimand for violating Rules 4.1(a) [Truthfulness in Statements to Others] and 8.4(c) and (g) [Misconduct], Alabama Rules of Professional Conduct. In December of 2017, an EMS Board interview was conducted which was recorded and transcribed. In the interview, the attorney clearly represented to opposing counsel that another attorney, who at that time was on Inactive Status from the practice of law in the State of Alabama, was working for his law firm as an investigator. In fact, this was not true. Rather, the attorney made the misrepresentation in an effort to stop opposing counsel from asking certain questions.

On August 31, 2018, an attorney received a private reprimand for violating Rules 1.15(a) [Safekeeping Property], 5.5(a)(1) [Unauthorized Practice of Law], and 8.4(d) and (g) [Misconduct], Alabama Rules of Professional Conduct. In February of 2018, the Office of General Counsel was notified by a judge that an attorney appeared on behalf of a client while unlicensed to practice law. The attorney was previously declared inactive on January 14, 2018, after failing to renew his occupational law license with the Membership Department of the Alabama State Bar. When the attorney was contacted regarding appearing in court while not licensed to practice law, the attorney admitted to practicing law on several occasions after failing to renew his law license and later attempted to pay his license on a check drawn on his IOLTA account. Thereafter, the attorney properly renewed his law license on February 14, 2018.

Birmingham attorney Anthony Chuma Ifediba was suspended from the practice of law in the State of Alabama for a period of one year, split to serve sixty (60) days, with the remaining to be held in abeyance. Ifediba will be placed on probation for a period of two (2) years, effective October 28, 2018. The suspension was based upon the Disciplinary Commission’s acceptance of Ifediba’s Conditional Guilty Plea, wherein he pled guilty to violating Rules 1.5 [Fees] and 1.15(a) and (e) [Safekeeping Property], Ala. R. Prof. C.

Homewood attorney Chevene Neel Hill was suspended from the practice of law in the State of Alabama for a period of ninety-one (91) days with the suspension to be held in abeyance. Hill was placed on probation for a period of two (2) years, effective August 21, 2018. The suspension was based upon the Disciplinary Commission’s acceptance of Hill’s Conditional Guilty Plea, wherein he pled guilty to violating Rules 1.15(a), (e), and (f) [Safekeeping Property], Ala. R. Prof. C.

Blaine, Minnesota attorney Joshua Troy Williams who is also licensed in the State of Alabama, was summarily suspended pursuant to Rule 20a, Ala. R. Disc. P., from the practice of law in the State of Alabama by the Supreme Court of Alabama, effective August 21, 2018. The Supreme Court entered its order based upon the Disciplinary Commission’s order that Williams be summarily suspended for failure to comply with the 2017 Mandatory Continuing Legal Education requirements of the Alabama State Bar.

Childersburg attorney William Kenneth Rogers, Jr. was transferred to Inactive Status, effective August 14, 2018, by Order of the Supreme Court of Alabama. The Supreme Court entered its Order based upon the August 14, 2018 Order of Panel I of the Disciplinary Board of the Alabama State Bar in response to Roger’s petition submitted to the Office of General Counsel requesting he be transferred to inactive status.

Greenville attorney Heather Leigh Friday Boone was suspended from the practice of law for a period of two (2) years in the State of Alabama by the Supreme Court of Alabama, effective August 8, 2018. The Supreme Court entered its order based upon the Disciplinary Board’s Order, wherein Boone was found guilty of violating Rules 1.3 [Diligence], 1.4(a) [Communication], 8.1(b) [Bar Admission and Disciplinary Matters], and 8.4(g) [Misconduct], Ala. R. Prof. C. Boone was retained in May of 2017 for a fee of $650.00 to represent a client in an uncontested divorce. The client and her ex-husband signed the divorce documents in August of 2017. Thereafter, Boone failed to file the divorce on behalf of the client. The client subsequently filed a bar complaint. Boone failed to respond to formal requests for information concerning a disciplinary matter and was summarily suspended. In a separate matter, Boone had previously filed a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Petition on behalf of a client in 2014. The client was on a five-year repayment plan. In July of 2017, the client began trying to contact Boone regarding the possibility of converting her Chapter 13 plan to a Chapter 7 plan. Thereafter, Boone failed to return the client’s calls and failed to take any action on behalf of the client.

Mobile attorney Malcolm Bailey Conway was disbarred from the practice of law in the State of Alabama, effective August 8, 2018. The Supreme Court entered its order based on the Report and Order of the Disciplinary Board of the Alabama State Bar, disbarring Conway after he was found guilty of violating Rules 1.3 [Diligence], 1.4(a) [Communication], 1.15(a) [Safekeeping Property], 1.16(d) [Declining or Terminating Representation], 8.1(b) [Bar Admission and Disciplinary Matters], and 8.4 (g) [Misconduct], Ala. R. Prof. C. In May of 2016, Conway was hired by a client to file a petition to modify child support. The client paid Conway $300.00 for the filing fee and $750.00 of a $1,200.00 retainer to handle the matter. Thereafter, Conway failed to file the petition or take any other action on the client’s behalf. The client was unable to contact Conway or obtain a refund of the fees paid. Additionally, Conway failed to respond to multiple requests from the Office of General Counsel of the Alabama State Bar for a written response to the client’s complaint.

Brewton attorney Jonathan Neal Cook was transferred to Inactive Status, effective August 1, 2018, by Order of the Supreme Court of Alabama. The Supreme Court entered its Order based upon the August 1, 2018 Order of Panel I of the Disciplinary Board of the Alabama State Bar in response to Cook’s petition submitted to the Office of General Counsel requesting he be transferred to inactive status.

On July 27, 2018 an attorney was issued a private reprimand for violating Rules 5.5(a)(1) and 8.4(d) and (g), Ala. R. Prof. C. In March of 2018, the Office of General Counsel was notified by the Membership Department of the Alabama State Bar that the attorney had been practicing law without a license in the State of Alabama since 2008. The attorney requested a Certificate of Good Standing from Alabama so that he could be admitted pro hac vice in Louisiana. It was discovered that the attorney had been unlicensed since January of 2009 in the State of Alabama. The attorney admitted he had appeared as legal counsel in Alabama cases since that time under the mistaken belief that he had an occupational license. The attorney stated his firm handled the license renewals and that the staff must have failed to properly forward the 2008 renewal invoice for payment.

Birmingham attorney Joel Iverson Gilbert was interimly suspended from the practice of law in the State of Alabama, effective July 26, 2018. The Supreme Court entered its order based upon Gilbert’s recent conviction on six felony counts in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, Southern Division.