Disciplinary History

On February 10, 2012, the attorney received a private reprimand for violating Rules 1.4(a), 1.4(b), and 8.4(a), Ala. R. Prof. C. The respondent attorney was appointed to represent a client on a Rule 32 appeal. After the Rule 32 petition was denied by the trial court, the respondent attorney filed an appeal with the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals. The trial court’s denial of the Rule 32 petition was affirmed by the Court of Criminal Appeals; however, the respondent attorney failed to inform the client that the trial court’s decision had been affirmed. As a result, the client was unable to file an application for rehearing or pursue a petition for writ of certiorari to the Supreme Court of Alabama.

The attorney was suspended from the practice of law in the State of Alabama for a period of ninety-one (91) days, by Order of the Supreme Court of Alabama, effective January 25, 2012, the date of the attorney’s previous suspension. The Supreme Court entered its order based upon the Disciplinary Commission’s acceptance of the attorney’s Conditional Guilty Plea, wherein the attorney pled guilty to violations of Rules 1.4(a), 1.16(d), and 8.4(a), Ala. R. Prof. C. In February of 2011, the attorney was hired to represent the complainant in seeking a guardianship over the complainant’s ex-husband, and was paid $1,500.00. The attorney was subsequently suspended from the practice of law on April 22, 2011. The attorney failed to adequately communicate with the complainant during the course of representation, and since the attorney’s suspension, he has made repeated promises to refund the complainant the $1,500.00 fee, but has failed to do so. In addition to the ninety-one (91) day suspension, the attorney has been ordered to make restitution to the complainant in the amount of $1,500.00.

The attorney was suspended from the practice of law in the State of Alabama for a period of ninety-one (91) days, by Order of the Supreme Court of Alabama, effective January 25, 2012. The Supreme Court entered its order based upon the Disciplinary Commission’s acceptance of the attorney's Conditional Guilty Plea wherein the attorney pled guilty to violations of Rules 1.3, 1.16, 3.4, 5.5, 8.4(a), 8.4(d), and 8.4(g), Ala. R. Prof. C. In one case, the attorney represented the heirs of an estate in the sale of property. In October 2010, the complainant purchased a piece of property from the estate. After the sale, the attorney failed to record the original deed with the probate court. Further, the attorney did not open the estate until April 8, 2011, shortly before his suspension in an unrelated matter. In another case, the attorney was suspended from the practice of law in the State of Alabama for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days, effective April 22, 2011. After his suspension, the attorney continued to file legal documents on behalf of his clients and used the electronic signature and bar number of another attorney to electronically file the pleadings. In the attorney’s response to the Bar, he stated that he asked the other attorney for his Bar number; however, the other attorney stated that he was not aware that the attorney had filed anything using his name as attorney of record, and stated that he never gave permission to the attorney to file anything using his name.

An attorney was disbarred from the practice of law in the State of Alabama, by Order of the Supreme Court of Alabama, with an effective date retroactive to January 24, 2012. The Supreme Court entered its order based upon the April 2, 2014 Order on Consent to Disbarment of the Disciplinary Board of the Alabama State Bar. The attorney's consent to disbarment was based upon multiple pending investigations involving allegations that the attorney improperly solicited personal injury clients and mishandled and/or misappropriated client and third-party funds. Rule 23(a)

On January 23, 2012, the attorney received a private reprimand for a violation of Rule 1.7(b), Ala. R. Prof. C. The respondent attorney admitted to undertaking to represent a client in a criminal investigation in which he was the complaining victim and, thus, had a personal interest in the outcome of the investigation.

The attorney was disbarred from the practice of law in the State of Alabama by order of the Alabama Supreme Court effective January 14, 2012. The Supreme Court entered its order based upon the decision of the Disciplinary Board of the Alabama State Bar finding the attorney guilty of violating Rules 5.5 and 8.4(a), (c), (d) and (g), Ala. R. Prof. Co. The Disciplinary Board’s finding of guilt was based upon the attorney’s failure to answer the formal charges filed against him alleging that while suspended from the practice of law, the attorney accepted $750.00 from a potential client agreeing to represent her. Prior to her court date, the client called the attorney to check on the status of her case. During that conversation, the attorney told her everything was fine, but never told her he could not represent her because his license was suspended. The attorney did not appear for court. Therefore, the formal charges were deemed admitted.

On January 12, 2012, an Alabama attorney located in another state received a private reprimand for a violation of Rule 1.15(a), Alabama Rules of Professional Conduct. The respondent attorney was notified of the decision of the Disciplinary Commission in October of 2011. However, no further communication was received from him. In October of 2010, the Alabama Law Foundation received information that the respondent attorney’s IOLTA account was overdrawn as of September 20, 2010. The bank initiated two overdraft notices in October and November. The respondent attorney waited until December of 2010 to rectify the account balance but the account had already been closed. The respondent attorney stated that he miscalculated the balance when he wrote himself a check from settlement proceeds. The respondent attorney violated Rule 1.15(a), Alabama Rules of Professional Conduct, when he caused an overdraft in his IOLTA account and failed to immediately correct the matter.

On January 9, 2012, the attorney received a private reprimand for a violation of Rule 4.1(a), Alabama Rules of Professional Conduct. On September 16, 2011, the Disciplinary Commission denied the respondent’s request for reconsideration and determined that the discipline should remain as a private reprimand. The respondent attorney was notified of the decision of the Disciplinary Commission in October of 2011. However, no further communication was received from him. The respondent attorney’s client was injured in an auto accident in October of 2006. She received treatment at the complainant’s physical therapy center. The respondent attorney sent the complainant a letter of protection on behalf of his client. A settlement was reached, however, the respondent attorney informed the complainant that he had given all the proceeds to his client with the assurance that she would pay all her outstanding debts. According to the complainant, the respondent attorney’s client failed to pay her outstanding balance due the complainant. The respondent attorney violated Rule 4.1(a), Alabama Rules of Professional Conduct, when he provided the complainant a letter of protection promising payment and then later failed to honor the letter of protection.
[Comp's facility treated RA's client & RA sent a letter of protection. The case was settled, however, RA did not pay Comp.]

On December 28, 2011, the attorney received a private reprimand for a violation of Rules 1.3, 1.4(a), 1.4(b), and 8.4(a), Ala. R. Prof. C. The respondent attorney was hired to file a criminal appeal on behalf of a client, and subsequently failed to inform the client that his criminal appeal had been affirmed. As a result, the client was unable to file an application for rehearing or pursue a petition for writ of certiorari to the Supreme Court of Alabama.

On December 7, 2011, an attorney received a private reprimand for violations of Rules 1.3, 1.4(b) and 1.7(b), Ala. R. Prof. C. The respondent attorney represented a client in a civil action filed against her in another state court. The respondent attorney did not timely file an answer to the complaint, which resulted in a default judgment being entered against his client. The respondent attorney continued to represent the client and negotiated a settlement of the claims against her. Further, the respondent attorney did not promptly notify the client of the missed deadline or the resulting entry of judgment. In addition, the respondent attorney did not thoroughly discuss with the client the conflict of interest created between the client and him by the missed deadline and the resulting default judgment.

Attorney was disbarred from the practice of law in the State of Alabama effective November 29, 2011, by Order of the Supreme Court of Alabama. The Supreme Court entered its order based upon the October 20, 2011 order of Panel I of the Disciplinary Board of the Alabama State Bar. In one case, the attorney was determined to be guilty of having violated Rules 1.3, 1.4(a), 1.15(a), 1.15(b), 3.4(c), 8.1(b), 8.4(a) and 8.4(g), Alabama Rules of Professional Conduct. After attorney failed to file an answer to formal charges filed against him in the matter, a hearing to determine discipline was conducted by the Disciplinary Board on October 19, 2011. Attorney failed to appear at this hearing. Following the hearing to determine discipline, the Board ordered that attorney be disbarred.

The attorney was suspended from the practice of law in the State of Alabama by Order of the Supreme Court of Alabama for a period of ninety-one (91) days, effective November 1, 2011. The Supreme Court entered its order based upon the Disciplinary Commission’s acceptance of the attorney's Conditional Guilty Plea wherein the attorney pled guilty to violating Rules 3.4(c), 5.5(a)(1), 8.4(a) and 8.4(g), Alabama Rules of Professional Conduct. The attorney was previously suspended from the practice of law in April of 2011 and had not been reinstated. In July of 2011, the Office of General Counsel received a series of email exchanges between the attorney and an assistant district attorney, wherein the attorney referred to himself as a lawyer. The attorney later admitted to acting as a paralegal while he was suspended and admitted that he had not received permission from the Disciplinary Commission to work in the legal field during his suspension.

An attorney was disbarred from the practice of law in the State of Alabama by Order of the Supreme Court of Alabama, with an effective date retroactive to 2011, the date of the attorney's previously ordered interim suspension. The Supreme Court entered its order based upon the 2013 Order on Consent to Disbarment of Panel I of the Disciplinary Board of the Alabama State Bar. The attorney's consent to disbarment was based upon her recent conviction for Theft of Property, 1st Degree. [Rule 23a, Ala. R. Disc. P.]

The attorney was suspended from the practice of law in the State of Alabama for a period of ninety-one (91) days, by Order of the Supreme Court of Alabama, effective October 12, 2011. The Supreme Court entered its order based upon the Disciplinary Commission’s acceptance of the attorney's Conditional Guilty Plea wherein the attorney pled guilty to violations of Rules 1.15(a) and 8.4(g), Ala. R. Prof. C. On or about July 19, 1985, the attorney borrowed $60,000.00 and was to repay the loan in 360 monthly installments of $571.50. The attorney failed to make payments as agreed and suit was filed against the attorney in March of 2000. On or about July 29, 2010, the court entered a judgment against the attorney in the amount of $191,766.25. After the attorney’s appeal of the court’s order failed, he filed a Chapter 7 bankruptcy petition. A bar complaint was subsequently filed against the attorney alleging that he was using his trust account to shield his assets from being seized or garnished as the result of an outstanding judgment. A review of the attorney's trust account statements and check register revealed that beginning in August of 2009, the attorney began depositing personal funds into his client trust account and making personal payments from the trust account. Since that time, the attorney has continued to deposit personal funds into his trust account and has continued to make improper personal payments from his trust account.

An attorney was disbarred from the practice of law in the State of Alabama, by Order of the Supreme Court of Alabama, with an effective date of disbarment retroactive to August 30, 2011, the date of the attorney’s previous interim suspension. The Supreme Court entered its order based upon the December 14, 2012, Order on Consent to Disbarment of the Disciplinary Board of the Alabama State Bar. The attorney consented to disbarment based on four investigations concerning her’s handling of lender and client funds and the excessive billing of clients. Rule 23a, Ala. R. Disc. P.