Disciplinary History

Hoover, Alabama attorney, Bradley James Latta was issued a public reprimand with general publication on January 19, 2024, as ordered by the Disciplinary Commission of the Alabama State Bar, for violating Rules 1.3 [Diligence] 1.4 [Communication], 1.15 [Safekeeping Property], 8.1(a) [Bar Admission and Disciplinary Matters] and 8.4 (c), (d) and (g) [Misconduct], Alabama Rules of Professional Conduct. Latta failed to appear for hearings in a matter on two separate occasions. On the first occasion, Latta falsely represented that he had been in a car accident which caused him to miss the hearing. On the second occasion, Latta admitted to oversleeping and missing the hearing. Latta subsequently failed to pay court ordered sanctions in a timely manner. Latta also failed to properly deposit the client’s fee in trust.

Birmingham attorney, William Henry McGowen, III, was summarily suspended from the practice of law in the State of Alabama by the Supreme Court of Alabama, effective January 17, 2024, pursuant to Rule 20(a), Alabama Rules of Disciplinary Procedure. The Supreme Court noted the summary suspension based upon the Disciplinary Commission’s order that McGowen be summarily suspended for failing to respond to a pending disciplinary matter.

On February 6, 2024, the Supreme Court of Alabama issued an order accepting the voluntary surrender of Brent Lorne Parker’s license to practice law in the State of Alabama, with an effective date of January 11, 2024.

On February 6, 2024, the Supreme Court of Alabama issued an order accepting the voluntary surrender of Brent Lorne Parker’s license to practice law in the State of Alabama, with an effective date of January 11, 2024.

On February 6, 2024, the Supreme Court of Alabama issued an order accepting the voluntary surrender of Brent Lorne Parker’s license to practice law in the State of Alabama, with an effective date of January 11, 2024.

On February 6, 2024, the Supreme Court of Alabama issued an order accepting the voluntary surrender of Brent Lorne Parker’s license to practice law in the State of Alabama, with an effective date of January 11, 2024.

On December 18, 2023, a Hoover, Alabama attorney was issued a private reprimand pursuant to Rule 12(d)(1), Alabama Rules of Disciplinary Procedure for violating Rules 1.1 [Competence], 1.2 [Scope of Representation], 1.3 [Diligence], 1.4 [Communication], 1.15 [Safekeeping Property] and 8.4 (d) and (g) [Misconduct], Alabama Rules of Professional Conduct. The attorney represented a client in a child custody modification and failed to competently and diligently keep the client informed about the status of the case.

On December 12, 2023, a Birmingham, Alabama attorney was issued a private reprimand pursuant to Rule 12(d)(1), Alabama Rules of Disciplinary Procedure for violating Rules 1.3 [Diligence], 1.4 [Communication], 1.16 [Declining or Terminating Representation], 8.1(b) [Bar Admission and Disciplinary Matters] and 8.4 (c) and (g) [Misconduct], Alabama Rules of Professional Conduct. The attorney represented a client in an ADA claim against the former employer, The attorney failed to competently and diligently keep the client informed about the status of the case and failed to file court documents in a timely manner.

On December 12, 2023, a Fort Payne, Alabama attorney was issued a private reprimand pursuant to Rule 12(d)(1), Alabama Rules of Disciplinary Procedure for violating Rules 3.10 [Threatening Criminal Prosecution], 4.2 [Communication with Person Represented by Counsel], and 8.4 (c), (d) and (g) [Misconduct], Alabama Rules of Professional Conduct. The attorney represented a client in a civil matter and met and interviewed the client of the opposing attorney despite instruction from the opposing attorney not to meet with his client. The attorney and co-counsel also offered to forgo other criminal charges if the opposing party cooperated in the civil action.

Warrior, Alabama attorney Matthew Owen Kinder was summarily suspended from the practice of law in the State of Alabama by the Disciplinary Commission of the Alabama State Bar, pursuant to Rule 20a, Alabama Rules of Disciplinary Procedure effective December 8, 2023, for failing to pay disciplinary costs and fines as ordered by the Disciplinary Commission. Kinder subsequently paid the disciplinary costs and fines and petitioned for dissolution of the summary suspension. The Disciplinary Commission granted the petition and ordered that the summary suspension be dissolved on December 14, 2023. The Supreme Court of Alabama noted the summary suspension effective December 8, 2023 through December 14, 2023.

Birmingham attorney Sandy Eugene Lee was disbarred from the practice of law in the State of Alabama by Order of the Supreme Court of Alabama, effective November 17, 2023. The Supreme Court entered its order based upon the November 17, 2023, Order of Panel III of the Disciplinary Board of the Alabama State Bar. The Supreme Court entered its order based on the Disciplinary Board’s acceptance of Lee’s Consent to Disbarment, wherein Lee admitted to inappropriate conduct with a client.

Birmingham attorney Sandy Eugene Lee was disbarred from the practice of law in the State of Alabama by Order of the Supreme Court of Alabama, effective November 17, 2023. The Supreme Court entered its order based upon the November 17, 2023, Order of Panel III of the Disciplinary Board of the Alabama State Bar. The Supreme Court entered its order based on the Disciplinary Board’s acceptance of Lee’s Consent to Disbarment, wherein Lee admitted to inappropriate conduct with a client.

On November 2, 2023, a Florence Alabama attorney was issued a private reprimand pursuant to Rule 12(c)(1), Alabama Rules of Disciplinary Procedure for violating Rule 8.4(d) [Misconduct], Alabama Rules of Professional Conduct. The attorney failed to timely file a brief in representing a client before the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals. The attorney also failed to cure the deficiency or otherwise communicate with the Court after being sent a deficiency notice and other communication from the Court. As a result, the Court was required to appoint counsel.

On October 31, 2023, the Disciplinary Commission of the Alabama State Bar issued a private reprimand to an attorney for violating Rules 1.1 [Competence], 1.3 [Diligence], 1.4 [Communication] and 8.4 (d) and (g) [Misconduct], Alabama Rules of Professional Conduct. On or about May 23, 2023, the Office of General Counsel was contacted by the Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Trustee for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Alabama—Western Division and the Bankruptcy Administrator and reported they were having difficulty contacting an attorney regarding their bankruptcy clients and they had failed to timely file amended bankruptcy petitions, missed other court-imposed deadlines, and failed to attend hearings. On April 27, 2023, the Court held a hearing on three Chapter 13 Bankruptcy petitions filed by the attorney. The attorney appeared by telephone for the hearings and was unprepared for the hearing and did not have access to the client files and could not demonstrate to the Court that the clients had signed the petitions. These matters were dismissed by the Court on April 28, 2023, based upon the attorney’s failure to file an amended plan by the Court’s deadline. The attorney was provided multiple opportunities to file the amended plans by the Court. In addition, the attorney was prohibited from receiving any fee in the cases and the attorney’s privileges to appear by telephone before the Court were revoked for six months. These cases were later reinstated by the Court. In addition, a Motion to Dismiss had been filed by the Bankruptcy Administrator in ten other matters based upon the attorney’s failure to timely submit amended plans despite multiple opportunities to do so. The attorney subsequently filed amended plans in all ten matters which were later accepted by the Court; however, the Court denied or reduced the attorney’s fees in each of the matters.