Haskell Doak Willis, a former assistant district attorney in Cherokee County who transitioned to private practice, was suspended from practicing law in 2021. He was ordered to contact the Oklahoma Bar Association and resign as part of a plea agreement he struck with federal prosecutors in February 2020, when he was convicted for a federal firearms violation.
An order for disbarment that has yet to be released for publication by the Oklahoma Supreme Court shows Willis failed to follow through with the resignation. Willis, according to the court order, also failed to cooperate with the OBA and the Professional Responsibility Tribunal during the disciplinary proceedings, and "never filed a pleading responsive to the allegations" against him.
Willis was indicted Nov. 7, 2019, by a federal grand jury, which was shown evidence of a past felony conviction and the evidence collected while law enforcers executed a search warrant. That evidence included an unspecified amount of methamphetamine and 24 firearms — an assortment of handguns, rifles and shotguns — that “had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce.”
Eight of the nine justices who preside over the state's highest civil court — Justice James Edmondson did not participate — acknowledged "a criminal conviction itself does not establish unfitness to practice law." But conduct that reflects "adversely on the lawyer's honesty, trustworthiness or fitness as a lawyer in other respects" may "reflect on fitness to practice law."
The court cited three grievances filed by former clients who said Willis agreed to provide legal services, accepted money from them, but failed to follow through. The court also cited instances when Willis misappropriated or commingled client funds with his.
"Respondent's actions inflicted significant embarrassment upon the legal profession," Justice Noma Gurich states in the order. "Respondent's cumulative misconduct clearly warrants disbarment."
Willis was ordered to serve 12 months and a day in
federal penitentiary and a period of probation following his release.
Records show he was released from prison early on April 9, 2021.
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