Jeanne Winkler received the Nevada State Bar's most serious sanction Monday night when a panel of judges unanimously recommended she be disbarred for life after stealing more than $260,000 from her client trust fund."What does a lawyer have to do to get disbarred?" Rob Bare, legal counsel for the Nevada State Bar, said in his closing statement. "That is this case."
Winkler in testimony delivered at the start of her hearing March 3 said she looted the fund, which has clients' money and must be handled separately from other accounts, because she was caught up in an investment scheme that would have netted her up to $60 million.
[A}ttorney Michael Warhola asked the panel for leniency, saying Winkler was under tremendous psychological stress and "deluded" when she misappropriated the funds.
Coincidentally, Winkler stole from her clients after she and her husband were victimized by an employee who, according to testimony in her previous hearing, stole more than $300,000 from their now defunct contracting business.
The bar's decision came less than an hour after the panel, consisting of attorneys Tom Ryan, Robert Schumacher, and Lary Lamoreux and lay member Carrie Taylor, began deliberations.
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NEVADA STATE BAR: LV Attorney's Disbarment for Life Urged
Good for Nevada. That's exactly what she deserved!!
ReplyDeleteDisbarrment for life is a real incentive for lawyers to be ethical and follow the law!
ReplyDeleteIf it's a lawyer who steals, the punishment must be MAX!
ReplyDeleteNow we're talking! What a pleasant way to start the day!
ReplyDeletevery unusual for a lawyer to be disbarred for life it's about time someone got tough on those who commit crimes will she be criminally charged?
ReplyDeleteMs Winkler was my divorce and child custody and criminal attorney & was paid for all services up front and even after all was finished she sued me said I still owed her money, and she even asked @ one time for the money she was holding in atrust fund that belonged to my children. I told her that money does not belong to you. Later I reminded her of that saying: "what goes around comes around" really did back at you Jeanne! and to think I trusted you and had faith in you and my life has never been the same since. You got what you deserved!!!
ReplyDeleteDanielle