One PBC attorney disbarred, another disciplined

By Jane Musgrave

Lawrence Forno of Boynton Beach and Thomas Craft Jr. of Tequesta are disciplined by the Florida Supreme Court.

One Palm Beach County attorney has been disbarred and another has been placed on probation in recent rulings by the Florida Supreme Court.

Lawrence Forno, 77, of Boynton Beach, agreed to voluntarily give up his license to practice law after pleading guilty to a charge of grand theft in Miami-Dade Circuit Court. He was ordered to spend a year on house arrest.

Forno, who had practiced law since 1978, has also been sued by the Florida attorney general in connection with a scheme to steal as much as $1.5 million. The attorney general claims Forno filed “sham lawsuits” to steal money from court-ordered real estate sales, according to Broward County court records.

Thomas Craft Jr., of Tequesta, was publicly reprimand and placed on probation for two years after officials said he failed to properly monitor others involved in loan modification work.

While the high court said he performed his work properly, it ordered him to take an ethics class because he violated Florida Bar rules. He was also ordered to refund $3,750 to a client.

The two are among 14 lawyers statewide who were disciplined in the past month, according to the Florida Bar.

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One PBC attorney disbarred, another disciplined