Springfield attorney has law license suspended indefinitely after domestic assault case

by Harrison Keegan

The Supreme Court of Missouri announced Tuesday that a Springfield lawyer's law license will be suspended indefinitely after he pleaded guilty to two charges in a domestic violence case.

Aaron Klusmeyer, 37, must wait a year before he can apply for reinstatement, according to Tuesday's order. Klusmeyer, an attorney with Lowther Johnson Attorneys at Law, pleaded guilty in May to unlawful use of a weapon (a Class E felony) and fourth-degree domestic assault (a Class A misdemeanor) following an incident from February of 2019 where he pointed a loaded gun at himself and his then-wife.

Klusmeyer was sentenced to five years probation under a Suspended Imposition of Sentence (SIS) on the felony charge, meaning the conviction will go off his record if he successfully completes probation.

At sentencing, Klusmeyer's attorney argued that Klusmeyer's alcoholism was a major factor in the domestic violence incident and that Klusmeyer had since gotten sober. A condition of Klusmeyer's probation is to not consume or possess alcoholic beverages. He also must submit to drug/alcohol testing when requested by his probation offer.

In a legal filing opposing the professional suspension, Klusmeyer's attorney argued the terms of the probation were enough to ensure Klusmeyer stayed on the right path and that he should be allowed to continue practicing law and make money to go toward paying restitution to the victim in his case.

Tuesday's order from the Missouri Supreme Court states that if Klusmeyer applies for reinstatement of his license, the court will take into consideration whether he has any contact with the victim and whether he participates in appropriate treatment pertaining to domestic violence.

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Springfield attorney has law license suspended indefinitely after domestic assault case

Paychecks cut off for Caledonia probate judge whose law license had already been suspended

By Ethan Weinstein

Judge William Cobb. Law office photo

Caledonia County Probate Judge William Cobb, whose license to practice law was suspended earlier this year, will lose his salary beginning Nov. 3, the Vermont Supreme Court decided last week.

Cobb has the opportunity to file a motion for reargument about the salary decision, according to the Supreme Court’s Oct. 24 entry order.

Without his license to practice law, Cobb, a Democrat, will still appear on the Nov. 8 ballot. He’s being challenged by Annette Lorraine, a Peacham lawyer with nearly 30 years of experience who is running as an independent.

Cobb had been suspended with pay despite not being able to do his job. His law license, suspended on July 10, will not be restored until October 2023, and the Vermont Supreme Court reaffirmed that decision last month. 

In May, Vermont’s Professional Responsibility Board, which investigates ethics complaints against lawyers, found that Cobb had been “dishonest and deceptive” and had shown “little remorse.”

The board sanctioned him on five counts related to two different cases. According to the findings, Cobb disclosed confidential juvenile records and confidential client information, failed to provide competent representation because he did not review recordings of interviews or follow his client’s wishes about modifying conditions of release, and misrepresented his timekeeping.

In December 2020, Vermont’s Judicial Conduct Board sanctioned Cobb for abusing his judicial position to gain an advantage for one of his clients who was facing criminal charges. The board did not specify the nature of that abuse.

In addition to being the probate judge, Cobb is the sole practitioner at a St. Johnsbury law firm.

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Paychecks cut off for Caledonia probate judge whose law license had already been suspended

Man trying to recoup $150K after Las Vegas lawyer charged with theft

Scott Michael Cantor

By Glenn Puit

James Wilson says he trusted his Las Vegas attorney, Scott Michael Cantor, to properly handle the details of his late mother’s estate in probate court.

Wilson, 51, is a retired North Las Vegas corrections sergeant who now lives in Washington. His mother, Charley Janet Wilson, died in Las Vegas in 2010, and her home in Centennial Hills was sold a year later. The proceeds were placed in a trust account at Cantor’s law firm as the family’s complex probate case dragged on for a decade.

“I thought the money was as safe as Fort Knox in a trust account,” Wilson said. “Just by the name alone, it’s called trust.”

But when the probate case finally resolved in 2020, Wilson reached out to his attorney to get his portion of his inheritance valued at roughly $150,000. What followed from Cantor, Wilson said, was excuse after excuse.

“There were numerous times when I did call him and told him, ‘Hurry up and get this done,’” Wilson said. But the money never came.

Las Vegas police and Clark County prosecutors now say the reason Wilson never got paid is because Cantor, 69, stole the money. The attorney was arrested in October and is facing trial on a felony count of attempted theft.

Cantor’s attorneys did not respond to requests for comment for this story, but records obtained by the Las Vegas Review-Journal show that Cantor was previously disciplined by the Nevada Supreme Court for violating rules of professional conduct in legal cases dating back decades. Those same records also show he was disbarred by the state of California in March, and that the State Bar of Nevada is now seeking to revoke Cantor’s law license as well.

“The way I see it, Scott stole my mother’s house … That was money I could have sent my kids to college with,” Wilson said. “That’s what my mom wanted to see.”

At least four prior complaints

Cantor was admitted to practice law in both Nevada and California in 1978. In 1990, he received a private reprimand from the Nevada bar because Cantor “temporarily misplaced two casino chips entrusted to him by a client in 1983,” according to bar records.

In 2014, the Nevada bar initiated disciplinary proceedings against Cantor stemming from complaints in three other cases.

The first stemmed from a 2005 case in which Cantor failed to obey a court order requiring prompt disbursement of settlement monies on behalf of a client who had received a pre-settlement advance loan in a civil case.

In the second case, a woman said she hired Cantor as a divorce attorney and paid him more than $1,000, but she ultimately had to perform her own legal filings after she said Cantor didn’t do what he said he was going to do. The Nevada bar said Cantor failed to file the woman’s parenting certificates and waited a year to file a joint petition. He also failed to inform his client of significant legal developments, the Nevada bar said.

In another complaint, Cantor was hired to handle a probate case of a woman who died in 2008. The Nevada bar said he acted as an administrator for the estate without approval from the probate court and ended up receiving illegal fees in the case. He also failed to perform legal services by filing accounting documents.

Discipline in Nevada, California

The filings with the Nevada Supreme Court indicate Cantor entered into a conditional plea with the state bar over the three complaints, acknowledging that he violated rules of professional conduct.

As a result of the plea, in September 2015, the Nevada Supreme Court approved a stayed six-month suspension of Cantor’s law license and a year’s probation with the Nevada bar. He was also appointed a mentor by the bar to help him get back on track.

However, a short time later, the mentor — a Las Vegas attorney — reported back to the bar “that he had concerns with Cantor’s handling of trust funds,” according to bar filings, and that “Cantor admitted to a shortfall” of $37,000 in a trust account.

As a result, in November 2016, the Nevada Supreme Court signed off on a Nevada bar recommendation extending Cantor’s stayed law license suspension to three years. An audit of his trust fund account was ordered along with a repayment of any deficiencies.

Cantor was also required to use an accounting and case management system, and provide quarterly reports on his progress.

The Nevada discipline then triggered the California state bar to initiate its own disciplinary proceedings against Cantor. Cantor was disbarred in California in March for repeatedly failing to meet requirements imposed on him.

The Nevada bar, in its November petition, said Cantor also never informed them that he had been disbarred in California, even though he was required to do so, and that the loss of his license in California was only discovered as the Nevada bar investigated “another matter” regarding Cantor. The filings don’t provide details on what the Nevada bar is investigating.

Waiting for a check

Wilson said in 2020 that he became increasingly frustrated with Cantor’s chronic excuses as to why he had not transferred Wilson’s mother’s inheritance to him. A series of exchanges in fall 2020 left him convinced that something was seriously wrong.

“I told Scott, ‘I want to see the money in my account,’” Wilson said. “He said, ‘I’ll have the money in your account. I’ll go over and do a wire transfer at Nevada State Bank.’”

Later that day, Wilson said Cantor told him he couldn’t make the wire transfer because the bank had closed at 2 p.m.

“I was like, ‘A bank closes at 2 p.m.?’” Wilson said.

In the following days, Cantor told him the money was, in fact, sent to him via wire transfer.

“He sent me a picture of this letter,” Wilson said. “It says wire transfer. It had the amount on there, but it didn’t hit my bank. Then I started looking at this letter and the type print was off. The lines were crooked.”

Wilson said he sent the picture of the letter to several friends who are retired cops, and they all told him “that looks hinky,” Wilson recalled.

Wilson then filed a complaint with Las Vegas police last January. Detectives wrote in an arrest report for Cantor that they learned the attorney also told Wilson he needed to audit his trust account.

“After Mr. Cantor’s audit, he told (Wilson) that there was only $200 in his trust account,” police said. “Mr. Cantor told (Wilson) that he would make good on the funds, but never paid.”

Wilson said Cantor offered him mining contracts as reimbursement, but he still never got any money. Wilson is hoping he will one day be reimbursed for the loss through court proceedings or possibly by the Nevada bar.

“I wouldn’t wish this on anybody,” Wilson said.

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Man trying to recoup $150K after Las Vegas lawyer charged with theft

Six South Florida lawyers disciplined for misconduct

By Rafael Olmeda

Six South Florida lawyers have been disciplined for misconduct in February, according to the Florida Bar.

The Bar releases an official list of sanctions once a month, targeting attorneys accused of violating the standards of the legal profession. All of the descriptions below are provided by the Bar.

William Robert Amlong, of Fort Lauderdale, had his law license suspended for 91 days effective March 6. A Bar investigation concluded he failed to properly supervise his associate and “acted in bad faith in pursuing frivolous claims and concealing evidence” in a 2012 civil case. Details of the case were not posted online. As a consequence of the same case, Jennifer E. Daley is suspended for 91 days starting March 6 for allegedly making false statements to opposing counsel, failing to disclose material facts and obstructed opposing counsel’s access to evidence.

Brandon Joshua Barker, of West Palm Beach, had his license suspended for 30 days starting March 13 for failing to show up for a civil trial and not notifying the court.

Andrew David Hodes, of Boca Raton, had his license suspended for 60 days and ordered to attend The Florida Bar’s Ethics School for filing a faulty quit claim deed for his client. The error was uncovered when civil litigation regarding the property found that “Hodes committed acts of fraud, misrepresentation, forgeries and/or material alterations regarding the subject property and title,” according to the Bar. “Hodes’ intent was not to deceive or make a material misrepresentation, but rather, to correct ... errors that Hodes had made on the deed,” the Bar wrote in a news release announcing disciplinary action.

Enrique Miranda, of Miami, was suspended by a Feb. 11 court order ”inappropriate disbursement of escrow funds, misrepresentations about the funds held in trust, and violation of the fiduciary duty” in two business transactions totaling more than $100,000.

Francisca Johanna Wider, of Boca Raton, received a public reprimand and must attend the Florida Bar’s Ethics School for preparing a last will and testament in 2014 naming herself as the personal representative. “Wider telephoned the sole beneficiary [in 2016] and informed her that she was ‘mentioned’ in the will but did not tell the woman that she was the sole beneficiary of the estate,” the Bar stated. “Misrepresentations were made by Wider regarding the beneficiary’s status as sole beneficiary.”

Elsewhere in the state:

Curtis Lee Allen, of Temple Terrace, received a public reprimand for unprofessional conduct and was ordered to attend Professionalism Workshop effective immediately after a Feb. 4 court order. In one matter, Allen became unprofessional in his questioning of a witness who he believed was repeatedly lying. In another case, the trial court entered an order stating it had to intervene and set case management directives for both Allen and opposing counsel due to their unprofessional behavior toward each other. In a third matter, the trial court entered an order finding that Allen engaged in unprofessional and aggressive behavior.

Carl Robert Anderson, of Phoenix, AZ, was suspended for 91 days starting March 18. In Arizona, Anderson represented a homeowners association that was managed by a property management company. He allowed the employees of that company to perform secretarial and paralegal work for him. In some instances, the work was for cases unrelated to the HOA matters. In cases, Anderson failed to timely respond to discovery requests and failed to notify the clients of the requests. Judgments were subsequently entered against his clients and he failed to notify them of the judgments. This is a reciprocal discipline action based on the order filed by the State Bar of Arizona.

David A. Fernandez, of Bradenton, had his license revoked with leave to apply for readmission in five years effective 30 days after a Feb. 18 court order. Fernandez was hired to serve as the closing agent and title agent for the sale of a home and was found guilty of multiple rules. In additional matters pending at the grievance committee and staff level, Fernandez was accused of missing deadlines, failure to communicate with clients, engaging in a conflict of interest, being disqualified and removed as counsel in a matter due to a conflict, misusing client funds being held in his trust account, and conduct involving dishonesty or misrepresentation.

Andrew C. Hill, of Trinity, was suspended effective 30 days after a Feb. 3 court order. Hill was held in contempt of the court’s order dated June 27, 2019, due to a finding of probable cause for misconduct that occurred during his probation period.

Stephen Hillebrand, of Sarasota, was disbarred effective March 6. Hillebrand failed to diligently represent three clients; failed to reasonably communicate with the clients; and failed to complete the client’s representation to the detriment of the clients. Hillebrand failed to appear at his scheduled sworn statement and failed to participate in the disciplinary proceedings.

Diane Marie McGuire, of Key Largo, is publicly reprimanded effective immediately after a Feb. 11 court order. McGuire was found in contempt of court for failing to respond to official Bar inquiries.

William E. McManus Jr., of Johnson City, Tennessee, was disbarred in Florida effective March 22 after a Feb. 18 court order. McManus was charged with bribery of a public servant, a felony offense in Tennessee. McManus consented to disbarment in Tennessee and Florida. This is a reciprocal discipline action based on the Tennessee Supreme Court’s order dated June 26, 2020.

Charles Paul-Thomas Phoenix, of Sanibel, is suspended for two years after a Jan. 28 court order. Phoenix was counsel for a vacation rental management company that was operating as a Ponzi scheme. Phoenix signed a non-prosecution agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office agreeing to cooperate in the prosecution of the company’s executives in exchange for not being prosecuted himself. In the agreement, Phoenix admitted to certain conduct constituting rule violations, including making false statements and failing to timely withdraw from his representation of the company despite his knowledge of its illegal activity.

Michael Anthony Saracco, of Cocoa, is suspended for 45 days effective April 12 after a Feb. 11 court order. Saracco failed to provide diligent and competent representation to a client in connection with filing an action against the client’s mortgage lender and failed to keep the client reasonably informed regarding the legal matter. Saracco failed to respond to a motion to dismiss in the matter as well as an order to show cause, resulting in dismissal of the case without prejudice. At his client’s request, Saracco filed a new lawsuit in federal court to preserve the claim. The court ultimately permitted Saracco to withdraw from the case. Saracco provided a full refund to the client.

A. Siddiqui, of St. Augustine, is suspended for three years effective March 3. In one matter, Siddiqui failed to competently and timely pursue the client’s family law matter and misrepresented to the client the status of the case. In a second matter, Siddiqui failed to competently represent the client in his criminal case and failed to appear for jury selection. In a third matter, Siddiqui failed to appear for court and misrepresented to the court that he did not receive notice of the court hearing.

Erik Donald Ulano, of Spring Hill, was disbarred effective immediately after a Feb. 18 court order. Beginning on Oct. 1, 2018, Ulano became ineligible to practice law in Florida for not paying his Bar membership fees for fiscal year 2018-2019. While he was ineligible to practice, Ulano repeatedly appeared in court in Hernando County on behalf of his client. Ulano also failed to respond to the Bar’s inquiries and failed to participate in the disciplinary proceeding.

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Six South Florida lawyers disciplined for misconduct

Suspended Lincoln attorney gets probation for financially exploiting vulnerable woman

A Lincoln attorney whose law license was suspended after her arrest on allegations that she financially exploited a woman with developmental disabilities for whom she was a court-appointed guardian has been sentenced to five years of probation.

Christine Vanderford, 48, also was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and serve 90 days in county jail starting May 10, unless it's later waived by the court.

Christine Vanderford

Lancaster County District Judge Robert Otte found her guilty of abuse of a vulnerable adult and not guilty of felony theft at a bench trial this summer.

At a hearing Wednesday afternoon, her attorney, Bob Creager, argued for a new trial, saying there were unresolved issues at trial, including whether a trust could be a victim or qualify as a "vulnerable adult," as the state had alleged in the case, and whether Vanderford had criminal intent. 

"This is a strange statute. You exploit someone by exploiting them," Creager said.

He argued that when Vanderford wrote checks from the trust to herself, paying herself for the work she was doing for the woman, the conduct wasn't wrongful or unauthorized. She contended that the woman's father had OK'd it. 

Deputy Lancaster County Attorney Jeremy Lavene pointed out that the woman's father denied it at trial.

"She was wrongfully taking money for her own benefit and not the benefit of (the victim)," he said. "Clearly there's intent here."

Lavene said Vanderford was having financial difficulties and paid herself more than $60,000 between 2014 and 2016 to keep her law firm afloat when she got behind on payments and maxed out her line of credit. 

The Lincoln police investigation started with a tip from Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services in June 2017 alleging that Vanderford, who had been appointed by the court to serve as a 33-year-old woman’s guardian, had been writing herself checks on a trust set up for the woman's benefit.

Creager said Vanderford was doing what she was asked to do, including taking the woman to medical appointments and helping her with the things her mother did for her before she died.

In the end, the judge gave her probation. 

 

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Suspended Lincoln attorney gets probation for financially exploiting vulnerable woman

Seven Palm Beach County attorneys disciplined

Kip Kootz, of Ocean Ridge, disbarred after DUI conviction revealed four more in another state.

A 77-year old Boca Raton lawyer agreed to give up his law license after he was accused of stealing $4.2 million from a longtime client, according to the Florida Bar.

Craig Sherman, who is being sued in Palm Beach County Circuit Court by his client, Barry Smith, is among seven Palm Beach County attorneys and 23 statewide who were disciplined by the Florida Supreme Court in March and April.

Two other Palm Beach County attorneys were stripped of their ability to practice law, the Bar said this week.

Kip Kootz, of Ocean Ridge, was disbarred after he was convicted in Palm Beach County Court of driving under the influence. In researching Kootz’s criminal record, a prosecutor discovered the attorney had been convicted of DUI four times in Minnesota. In violation of professional rules, he failed to tell the Florida Bar about his convictions.

West Palm Beach lawyer David Jaynes was disbarred for ignoring an order that required him to tell clients, judges and other lawyers that his license had been suspended last year. The Supreme Court found him guilty of contempt of a court order.

Brian Becher, of Boca Raton, was prohibited from practicing for two years after the Supreme Court found that he “engaged in conduct contrary to honesty and justice,” the Bar said. He knowingly made false statements to a judge and helped multiple companies avoid being served foreclosure lawsuits, it said.

Joshua Hauserman, of West Palm Beach, lost his license for six months, retroactive to Oct. 21, after the court found he failed to adequately supervise a non-lawyer who worked in his office and failed to effectively communicate with a client about the status of a case.

Aaron Cohen, of Delray Beach, and Stafford Shealy, of Lantana, both received public reprimands. The court said Cohen failed to respond to requests for information from the Bar. Shealy didn’t immediately report his DUI conviction to the Bar.

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Seven Palm Beach County attorneys disciplined

Austin Lawyer's Mishandling of $64K Brings Disbarment. 20 Other Texas Attorneys Sanctioned

A list of Texas lawyer discipline cases that was released Friday included 21 attorneys with ethics sanctions, which included three disbarments, eight law license suspensions, two public reprimands and eight private reprimands.

 
By Angela Morris 

Photo: Atstock Productions/Shutterstock.com

Austin lawyer Damon Dean Robertson’s misconduct in handling nearly $64,000 of a client’s money has ended with his disbarment.

A woman hired Robertson in a divorce case and she won the funds from the sale of her home and her ex-husband’s retirement account. The client’s money was in Robertson’s trust account initially, but the lawyer transferred the money to himself in January 2017, said a judgment of disbarment. She never received her funds. The attorney’s mishandling of two business litigation matters for a different client, which ended with that client facing significant judgments, are also reasons behind Robertson’s disbarment.

His cases are just one of the lawyer discipline actions against 21 total attorneys included on the May disciplinary list announced Friday by the State Bar of Texas Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel. Two other attorneys on the list were also disbarred, while eight lawyers received partially or fully probated suspensions of their law licenses. Public reprimands were issued to two attorneys, and another eight lawyers were privately reprimanded, according to the list.

Here are links to the public disciplinary documents in the rest of the cases on the May discipline list.

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Austin Lawyer's Mishandling of $64K Brings Disbarment. 20 Other Texas Attorneys Sanctioned

Federal judge refuses to acquit Cook County judge as she clings to the bench

For months, a Cook County judge found guilty of fraud has refused to step down from the bench, insisting that the federal judge overseeing her criminal case could still overturn the jury’s verdict.

On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Durkin shut the door on that possibility, denying several motions made by defense lawyers for Jessica Arong O’Brien, including her request for an acquittal or a new trial.

O’Brien now faces sentencing Oct. 9. A jury found her guilty Feb. 15. And though she has been doing little judicial work, she has been paid $148,900 so far this year, according to a state comptroller database.

Steve Greenberg, O’Brien’s attorney, said he was disappointed by Durkin’s 45-page ruling and insisted the government overreached in its case against O’Brien.

He also said, “I think it’s too soon for her to do anything today.”

“Let her have a minute to absorb the ruling,” Greenberg said. “But obviously, if the conviction stands, she’s not going to be able to continue as a judge.”

Federal jurors found O’Brien guilty after prosecutors said she pocketed $325,000 during a mortgage fraud scheme that took place more than a decade ago, before she became a judge.

Despite becoming the rare sitting judge to be found guilty in federal court, O’Brien has fought on multiple fronts to keep her job — and even filed paperwork to seek retention in November’s election.

The Illinois Supreme Court suspended O’Brien’s law license back in April. Then, in July, retired Cook County Judge George Scully pointed to the suspension and asked the Illinois Supreme Court to remove O’Brien from the November ballot.

The state constitution requires a judge to be “a licensed attorney-at-law of this state.” O’Brien is “not authorized to practice law due to discipline,” according to the Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission.

The high court has yet to rule.

The Illinois Courts Commission is also set to consider at a Sept. 24 hearing whether to suspend O’Brien from her position without pay. O’Brien’s lawyers have argued the Courts Commission — the body authorized to discipline judges — does not have the authority to “discipline a judge for conduct which occurs prior to the judge’s election to the bench.”

After her indictment in April 2017, O’Brien began to perform administrative duties. Typically that includes presiding over marriages. However, a spokesman for Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans has said she is no longer even doing that.

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Federal judge refuses to acquit Cook County judge as she clings to the bench

Law license of former York County probate judge suspended for 2 years

Former York County Probate Court Judge Robert Nadeau.

The Maine Supreme Judicial Court has suspended the law license of former York County Probate Judge Robert Nadeau for two years for multiple violations of the state’s code of judicial conduct.

The court’s 34-page decision, handed down Tuesday, is the latest setback for Nadeau. He was suspended 30 days last summer while he was still on the bench, then lost his bid for re-election in November.

Nadeau has been operating a law practice in Biddeford, but will not be allowed to practice in Maine for two years beginning Aug. 1. He also must pay a $5,000 fine.

“This is now the fourth time that Judge Nadeau has appeared before us for ethical violations and the third time for conduct that occurred while serving in a judicial capacity,” the court’s ruling states. “Here, his actions were often carried out in an intemperate and vindictive fashion against former colleagues of his law practice and their associates. Attorneys’ reputations were harmed, and litigants before him were pressured to support his efforts to increase court resources and his compensation.”

Despite the ruling, Nadeau defended his record in a statement Tuesday night.

“I am proud to have made a positive difference in the lives of nearly 20,000 children, adult incapacitated persons, and their parents, grandparents, adult children and others during my 16 years of service for York County and its probate court,” Nadeau said in an email. “This is so, despite the probate court’s woeful lack of adequate support and exercise of substantial interference by its county commissioners and despite the unfortunately high degree of politicization of Maine’s elected private judges by those commissioners, their uninformed manager and probate register, the York County bar, and others who oppose an elected judiciary.”

Nadeau was first elected as probate judge in York County in 1996. He served three four-year terms before losing re-election in 2008. However, he won back his seat in 2012.

The most recent allegations against him were detailed in a report filed Jan. 16, 2016, by the state’s Committee on Judicial Responsibility and Disability, which governs members of the bar.

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Law license of former York County probate judge suspended for 2 years

Bristol lawyer charged with stealing from estate

A longtime Bristol, Tennessee, attorney is in trouble with the law.

Don Cooper has been indicted by a Sullivan County grand jury on the charge of theft of $250,000 or more.

Members of the grand jury say Cooper illegally took cash from a Bristol family's estate worth more than $250,000. He’s accused of stealing that between May 2012 and Nov. 2013.

Cooper’s law license was temporarily suspended on Dec. 4, 2015, by the disciplinary counsel of the Board of Professional Responsibility of the Supreme Court of Tennessee.

News 5 WCYB obtained the order which states Cooper “misappropriated funds and poses a threat of substantial harm to the public.”

He was “immediately precluded from accepting new cases” and had to stop representing existing clients by last January.

News 5 WCYB has learned Cooper’s law license is still suspended.

He is due in court on May 13.

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Bristol lawyer charged with stealing from estate

Mich. Attorney Suspended For Trying To Have Rival Killed

Law360, San Francisco (February 17, 2015, 6:39 PM ET) -- The State of Michigan Attorney Discipline Board suspended attorney Clarence Gomery's law license Friday after he pleaded guilty to hiring someone to murder an attorney representing Gomery's former client, who sued seeking repayment of a debt after Gomery filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy.

Gomery pleaded guilty Feb. 6 to one felony count of solicitation of murder, triggering the automatic suspension of his license, according to the board. He sought the killing of attorney Christopher Cooke of Cooke Law PLLC, who represents Fred A. Topous in Topous'...

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Mich. Attorney Suspended For Trying To Have Rival Killed