MARYLAND ATTORNEYS 

 DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS FY 2004

DISCIPLINARY SUMMARIES FY 2004
 

ALLEGANY COUNTY

BRASKEY, James F. - Disbarred for taking an excessive fee, conflict of interest, failure to safekeep client property and engaging in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation.

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY

GILMAN WEST, Pattie D. - Suspended indefinitely for multiple instances of neglect and misrepresentations to clients.

SMITH, Scott G. - Disbarred for misappropriation.

ZDRAVKOVICH, Dushko S. - Disbarred for misappropriation of fiduciary funds entrusted to him.

BALTIMORE CITY

ALSAFTY, Mahmoud - Disbarred for the unauthorized practice of law.

COATES, Marsden S. - Suspended by consent for one year for neglect, lack of communication, failing to place retainer in escrow and commingling personal funds with client funds in his escrow account.

COATES, Marsden S. - Disbarred by consent for commingling personal funds in his escrow account, writing overdrafts on his escrow account, failing to prepare a will for his client, failure to appear in court and abandoning his representation of his client.

ELDRIDGE, Robert W. - Disbarred by consent following a guilty plea in a criminal matter.

GOODMAN, Peggy H. - Commission Reprimand by consent for failing to adequately communicate the status of a case to her client and for ceasing the private practice of law without notifying her client.

HINES, Jeffrey C. - Suspended indefinitely by consent (continuation of indefinite suspension dated 121/25/03) for lack of diligence and failure to return unused fees.

MOODY, Maurice M. - Suspended by consent for 90 days for failure to appear at a court hearing in a child support case, failure to five post conviction petition, failure to obtain service of process in a divorce case, and failed to file claim for uninsured motorist benefits prior to deadline.

O’TOOLE, Thomas - Suspended for 30 days for failure to file Maryland wthholding returns and for failing to file federal and state income tax returns.

POTTER, Steven J - Suspended for 90 days for removing client files and deleting firm computer records without authorization.

QUILLEN, James P., Jr. - Commission reprimand by consent for failing to appear at scheduled trial dates for his client and conduct adverse to the administration of justice.

SOMMER, Peter J. - Disbarred by consent for misappropriating client funds and using his escrow account for payment of personal obligations.

STERN, Gary F. - Commission reprimand by consent for failing to timely pay monies owed on an assignment in connection with a personal injury claim.

TAYBACK, Matthew G. - Suspended indefinitely for willful failure to file income tax returns.

THOMPSON, Robert P. - Suspended indefinitely for taking a commission in an estate matter without prior court approval and for failing to pay or hold in trust employee withholding taxes for the State of Maryland.

WATSON, Barry K. - Disbarred for misappropriation of client funds.

BALTIMORE COUNTY

DICICCO, Robert A. - Suspended indefinitely by consent for failing to safekeep client or third persons property, criminal conduct and conduct adverse to the administration of justice.

GOODMAN, Ellis H. - Disbarred for impersonating another lawyer.

HERMAN, Steven P. - Disbarred for misappropriation of funds.

HORNIG, Craig J. - Suspended by consent for 90 days (effective 7/1/04) for lack of diligence and communication in an estate matter and failing to withdraw and protect client.

JACOB, Arthur F. - Disbarred by consent for misappropriation of client funds, violation of Court order, false statements and unreasonable fees.

KNOX-BENN, Beverly - Commission reprimand by consent for signing client’s name to interrogatories, lack of diligence, not filing timely discovery responses and lack of communication.

KOHLENSTEIN, Leonard - Commission reprimand by consent for failure to respond to your requests for information in a testamentary trust matter.

SPERLING, Leonard J. - Suspended indefinitely for a shortfall in his trust account.

WEBBER, Joseph P. - Disbarred for neglecting client’s case and failure to respond to Bar Counsel.

WOOTON, James R. - Commission reprimand by consent for lack of diligence, communication and failing to timely return client funds to client.

CAROLINE COUNTY

DORSEY, Nelson B., Jr. - Commission reprimand by consent for failing to obtain service on the defendant in a timely fashion in seven employment discrimination cases, failing to respond to Show Cause Orders issued in those cases, and failing to communicate with clients concerning developments in their cases.

CARROLL COUNTY

BAUHOF, William B. - Reprimanded for lack of competence and failing to supervise associates and staff.

PEARL, David S. - Suspended indefinitely, found guilty but not criminally responsible of conspiracy to commit murder, and was sanctioned by the Securities and Exchange Commission for participation in a stock fraud scheme.

CHARLES COUNTY

BROWN, Ronald A. - Disbarred for misappropriation of client funds.

DORCHESTER COUNTY

BOHLEN, Lawrence G. - Commission reprimand by consent for lack of competence, diligence and failing to communicate, in his administration of an estate.

FREDERICK COUNTY

MANN, Antoine I. - Suspended indefinitely by consent for misrepresentations to the court, Inquiry Panel and Bar Counsel, failure to communicate with clients, safekeeping of client funds and negligence.

HARFORD COUNTY

CULVER, Allan J. - Disbarred for failing to file timely discovery responses in a divorce matter, charged client for what was advertised as a free consultation and raised his billing rate without notice. Advised client to fraudulently borrow funds to pay his fee, misused the judicial process to delay the client’s attempts to obtain judgement against him and for coercing his client to engage in sexual acts with him.

DeMAIO, Louis J. - Disbarred for knowingly making false, misleading and unfounded representations against a judge, with a reckless disregard for the truth.

SOMERVILLE, Sally L. - Disbarred for neglect in an estate case, failing to communicate with her client and misusing estate funds.

WRIGHT, M. Jayne - Suspended indefinitely by consent for failing to communicate with clients, failing to act with reasonable diligence and promptness, and failing to respond to Bar Counsel.

HOWARD COUNTY

GREENBERG, David H. - Suspended for 30 days by consent for failing to act in a diligent manner and failing to communicate with a client.

MAY, Donald J. - Suspended for 90 days (effective 1/1/4) for permitting a non-lawyer to engage in the unauthorized practice of law and splitting a fee with him.

WARD, Franklin M. - Commission reprimand by consent for inappropriate conduct while acting in an ajudicatory capacity toward a female Defendant during the course of and after a motor vehicle hearing. The conduct was inappropriately personal, familiar and unprofessional.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY

AKPAN, Emmanuel D. - Commission reprimand by consent for lack of competence and diligence in an immigration matter.

BLEECKER, Lorin H. - Commission reprimand by consent for failure to respond to lawful demands for information from a disciplinary authority.

BRENNAN, Mary D. - Suspended for 90 days for commingling and failing to file federal and state tax returns for three years.

DEUTCHMAN, Murray L. - Disbarred by consent for misuse of client funds.

GANSLER, Douglas F. - Reprimanded for making extrajudicial statements by a prosecuting attorney that were of a substantial likelihood of causing material prejudice and not subject to the safe harbor provisions of Maryland Rule of Professional Conduct 3.6(c).

HALL, Ralph E., Jr. - Commission reprimand by consent for failure to appear at a court ordered scheduling hearing, failing to seek a continuance in the matter and failing to contact the Circuit Court before or after his failure to appear.

HOLDMANN, Lee F. - Commission reprimand by consent for failing to petition the Orphan’s Court for approval before receiving money from the personal representative in an estate matter.

MININSOHN, Gary S. - Commission reprimand by consent for failing to render promptly a full accounting to client and for failing to promptly return the unearned portion of the retainer to client after notification of termination and for failing to respond to Bar Counsel.

MININSOHN, Gary S. - Disbarred for misappropriation of funds, failure to pay withholding tax and failure to comply with court orders.

POST, Alan F. - Disbarred for misappropriation of funds from personal injury settlements which were intended to pay the clients’ medical bills.

RADICE, Alejandro - Commission reprimand by consent for failing to exercise due diligence in pursuing his client’s objective and failing to communicate with his client.

TSAI, Winston W. - Reprimanded by consent for not timely filing pleadings in two immigration cases.

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

HAMILTON, Michelle J. - Suspended indefinitely by consent for failing to act with diligence, failing to keep clients informed as to the status of the representations, failing to hold pre-paid fees in trust until earned, and failing to promptly refund unearned fees.

HERMINA, John W. - Reprimanded for lying to a court, failing to participate in a mandatory pretrial conference, failing to respond to discovery, and recklessly accusing the trial judge of participating in an inappropriate ex parte conference.

HOYERT, Robert S. - Commission reprimand by consent for receiving payment of legal fees from estate funds without prior approval of the court. (See YOHO, Bill L.)

JOYNER, James E. - Suspended for nine months by consent for neglecting client’s cases.

SILVERMAN, Leslie D. - Commission reprimand by consent for failure to respond to lawful demands for information from the office of Bar Counsel.

TINSKY, Craig R. - Disbarred for lack of competence and conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice.

VELASQUEZ, Ray I. - Disbarred for abandoning his representation of a client without taking steps to protect the client’s interests and engaging in the unauthorized practice of law in Virginia.

YABLON, Jeffrey S. - Reprimanded by consent for lack of diligence and failure to safeguard client property.

YOHO, Bill L. - Commission reprimand by consent for receiving payment of legal fees from estate funds without prior approval of the court. (See HOYERT, Robert S.)

ST. MARY’S COUNTY

ASHWORTH, Joe C. - Suspended indefinitely for failure to respond to demands for information by Bar Counsel and dishonest conduct.

TALBOT COUNTY

PERRY, Richard - Commission Reprimand by consent for failing to abide by his client’s decisions concerning representation objectives, failing to act with reasonable diligence and promptness, and failing to respond promptly with client request for information.

WASHINGTON COUNTY

WAGAMAN, Charles F. Jr. - Suspended for six months for failing to respond to a court order, failing to communicate with his client, failing to record deeds in a timely fashion and failing to respond to Bar Counsel.

WORCESTER COUNTY

FARNAN, Michael T. - Reprimand by consent for chronically driving a vehicle while his license was suspended.
 

OUT OF STATE

AYRES-FOUNTAIN, Caroline - Suspended for three years concurrent with suspension in Delaware for misrepresentations to the Court, neglect and misleading the disciplinary agency.

CAFFERTY, Diane E. - Disbarred for misappropriation of client funds in reciprocal action from the District of Columbia.

COLES, Terence A. - disbarred by consent for various criminal offense convictions, including Fraud and Bribery.

GORE, James G. - Disbarred for failing to pay sales taxes collected in restaurant operation, failing to file sales tax returns, and for submitting bad checks in payment of tax obligations.

IFILL, Adrian P. - Disbarred for misappropriation of client funds.

KLINGENBERG, Ronald L. - Disbarred in reciprocal action with the District of Columbia for mishandling and misappropriation of fiduciary funds.

LAMM, Jason D. - Commission reprimand by consent for conduct in Arizona which violated Maryland Rules of Professional Conduct relating to dealing with an unrepresented person, having direct contact with prospective clients, and conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation, in his capacity as a state prosecutor with the Maricopa County State’s Attorney’s Office.

OARE, J. Richard Jr. - Commission reprimand by consent for failing to pay Area Earned Income Taxes on his employees’ wages.

PARTRIDGE, John H. - Suspended for 30 months in reciprocal action for failure to deposit unearned retainer fees in an attorney trust account, failure to account to his clients and failure to refund unearned fees.

PONDS, Navron - Disbarred for criminal contempt violation of 18 USC Sec. 401(1)(2000).

SHORT, Robert M. - Disbarred for misappropriation of funds.