Civil and criminal penalties sought against Beaumont attorney

Beaumont attorney Alto Watson III is facing both criminal charges for burglary and possible disbarment for stealing from his former firm and client.

As previously reported, the Commission for Lawyer Discipline, an arm of the State Bar of Texas,

Alto Watson III

filed a disciplinary petition against Watson on May 31 in Jefferson County District Court.

According to the Beaumont Enterprise, on May 22 Watson was arrested for burglary of a habitation and family violence. He has since been indicted.

The commission’s petition says that from September 1998 through July 8, 2012, the Law Firm of

Gilbert T. Adams employed Watson. During his employment, the suit alleges Watson wrongfully billed clients separately for his services and personally accepted client funds meant for the firm, depositing the money in his personal accounts for his own use and benefit.

For example, the suit claims that on March 2, 2011, Mohd Ali hired the firm for representation in a suit styled Major League Grill Franchise vs. Azam Beaumont Enterprises. Ali agreed to pay the firm $10,000 — $5,000 of which Watson asked the client to pay directly to him. He deposited the funds into his personal account and failed to inform the firm, according to the lawsuit.


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Civil and criminal penalties sought against Beaumont attorney