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Date Posted: August 22, 2009 Action Line Complaint: Barry Roy Nager Category: Lawyers
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Address
5703 Red Bug Lake Road, PMB 211
Winter Springs
Florida, County: Seminole
 Phone Number Unavailble
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Overview
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| Disbarred effective 30 days from the date of an April 1 court order.(Admitted to practice: 1959) On Aug. 30, 2007, Nager was suspended for 90 days, effective Oct. 1, 2007. Reinstatement would have been automatic after 90 days. The court\'s order required that Nager accept no new business until reinstatement. Nager did not properly notify his clients of the suspension; while suspended, Nager sought to accept new business and he practiced law. (Case Nos. SC07-2085 and SC08-387) |
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Date Posted: August 22, 2009 Action Line Complaint: David Mogul Category: Lawyers
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Address
3085 Saint James Drive
Boca Raton
Florida, County: Palm Beach
Phone Number Unavailble
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Overview
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| Suspended for 90 days, effective retroactive to Nov. 2, 2008, following a May 14 court order. (Admitted to practice; 1983) Mogul is further directed to attend a trust accounting workshop. Mogul commingled personal funds with client funds in his trust account and did not maintain minimum required trust account records or procedures. He used personal funds placed in his trust account for payment of his own personal expenses, including fees related to his divorce case and the purchase of a boat. (Case No. SC08-2240) |
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Date Posted: August 22, 2009 Action Line Complaint: William L. Mims, Jr. Category: Lawyers
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Address
4437 Koger St.
Orlando
Florida, County: Orange
Phone Number Unavailble
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Overview
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| Suspended for 91 days following a June 4 court order, consecutive to a 91-day suspension ordered in February. (Admitted to practice: 1983) Mims was the attorney for a legal aid pro bono case, but he failed to perform his duties or communicate with the client. He subsequently failed to file a motion to withdraw from the representation and failed to communicate with the court. In another matter, Mims failed to diligently pursue settlement of an estate, nor did he timely respond to the Bar\'s inquiries into the matter. (Case No. SC09-362) |
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Date Posted: August 22, 2009 Action Line Complaint: Lisa Metellus Category: Lawyers
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Address
810 S. State Road 7
Plantation
Florida, County: Broward
Phone Number Unavailble
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Overview
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| Disbarred effective retroactive to January 3, following a May 28 court order. (Admitted to practice: 2000) Further, Metellus shall pay restitution in the amount of $74,375.74 to one client. Metellus misappropriated client funds. In April 2008, Metellus issued a check to a client in the amount of $74,375.74 for a divorce settlement. The check was returned for insufficient funds. The Bar\'s audit found that a $75,000 divorce settlement check for the client was deposited into Metellus\' trust account on Dec. 12, 2007. As of March 31, 2008, Metellus\' trust account was overdrawn by more than $4,000. (Case No. SC08-2451) |
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Date Posted: August 22, 2009 Action Line Complaint: Darin Wade Mellinger Category: Lawyers
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Address
1200 N. Federal Highway, Suite 200
Boca Raton
Florida, County: Palm Beach
Phone Number Unavailble
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Overview
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| Mellinger is publicly reprimanded following an April 23 court order. (Admitted to practice: 2001) In October 2006, Mellinger began representation of a client and his company in a real estate contract. On at least one occasion, Mellinger told the seller\'s counsel that he was holding $25,000 in escrow, when in fact, the check had been returned by the bank for insufficient funds. Following a breach of contract and failure of further negotiations, the sellers sued the client and his company as well as Mellinger\'s law firm. (Case No. SC09-631) |
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Date Posted: August 22, 2009 Action Line Complaint: Oscar Summer Mayers, Jr. Category: Lawyers
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Address
902 Spring Knoll Drive
Herndon
Virginia/ Florida, County: unavailable
Phone Number Unavailble
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Overview
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| Suspended for 18 months, effective retroactive to Sept. 4, 2008, following a May 28 court order. (Admitted to practice: 1986) In addition to having membership in The Florida Bar, Mayers was a member of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. In March, Mayers was disciplined by the court for misconduct pertaining to a child support proceeding. Mayers admitted to altering a check and making a false statement to the court. In January 2005, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of failing to pay child support. Mayers failed to timely notify the Bar of the discipline. (Case No. SC08-2119) |
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Date Posted: August 22, 2009 Action Line Complaint: Joseph S. Lefrak Category: Lawyers
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Address
18 E, 48th St., Fl 10
New York
New York/ Florida, County: unavailable
Phone Number Unavailble
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Overview
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| Suspended until further order, following an April 15 court order. (Admitted to practice: 1978) According to the emergency suspension order, Lefrak appeared to be causing great public harm. In New York, Lefrak was disbarred for his alleged improper refusal to release estate funds due a client; commingling of client funds and refusal to respond to a judicial subpoena. In addition, after Lefrak\'s emergency suspension in New York, before his disbarment, two checks from his attorney escrow account were returned for insufficient funds. (Case No. SC09-640) |
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Date Posted: August 22, 2009 Action Line Complaint: Steven Curtis Lawson Category: Lawyers
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Address
746-R N.E. 3rd Ave.
Fort Lauderdale
Florida, County: Broward
Phone Number Unavailble
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Overview
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| Disbarred effective immediately, following a May 14 court order. (Admitted to practice: 2000) Lawson abandoned representation of an incarcerated criminal defendant and he failed to respond to calls and letters from the judge handling the case. (Case No. SC08-2396) |
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Date Posted: August 22, 2009 Action Line Complaint: Mark Kevin Koenig Category: Lawyers
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Address
7711 N. Military Trail #208
Palm Beach Gardens
Florida, County: Palm Beach
Phone Number Unavailble
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Overview
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| Disbarred effective 30 days from the date of a June 18 court order. (Admitted to practice: 1986) Koenig accepted an excessive fee to represent a client in a murder case for which he was not qualified. He also held trust funds from settlement proceeds belonging to several clients, but failed to pay their medical bills to a particular company. When inquiries were made by the company regarding the outstanding bills, Koenig failed to respond. A Florida Bar audit determined that Koenig had shortages in his trust account and had intentionally misappropriated funds. (Case No. SC07-957) |
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Date Posted: August 18, 2009 Action Line Complaint: J. A. Jurgens Category: Lawyers
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Address
900 Fox Valley Drive, Suite 100
Longwood
Florida, County: Seminole
Phone Number Unavailble
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Overview
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| Suspended until further order, following a June 22 court order. (Admitted to practice: 1987) According to an emergency suspension order, Jurgens appeared to be causing great public harm by misappropriating funds held in his trust account. The Florida Bar\'s investigation indicated that Jurgens took client funds from his trust account and used them for his own personal purposes.(Case No. SC09-1004) |
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Date Posted: August 18, 2009 Action Line Complaint: Robin Peter Jung Category: Lawyers
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Address
7194 Augusta Blvd.
Seminole
Florida, County: Pinellas
Phone Number Unavailble
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Overview
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| Suspended effective 30 days from a June 15 court order. (Admitted to practice: 1990) In February, Jung pleaded guilty in circuit court to possession of cocaine, a felony. (Case No. SC09-1005) |
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Date Posted: August 18, 2009 Action Line Complaint: Thomas Lemeul Hurst Category: Lawyers
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Address
822 NE 96th Street
Miami
Florida, County: Miami/Dade
Phone Number Unavailble
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Overview
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| Suspended for 91 days, effective 60 days from a May 7 court order. (Admitted to practice: 1972) In June 2002, Hurst was appointed as the personal representative of an estate. A year later, one of the heirs requested full disclosure of assets and expenditures from the estate, but Hurst never responded. In July 2005, the court entered an order of dismissal of the probate case due to Hurst\'s failure to properly administer the estate.(Case No. SC08-1567) |
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Date Posted: August 18, 2009 Action Line Complaint: Dennis Hernandez Category: Lawyers
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Address
3339 W. Kennedy Blvd.
Tampa
Florida, County: Hillsborough
Phone Number Unavailble
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Overview
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| Suspended for 90 days, effective 60 days from the date of a May 14 court order. (Admitted to practice: 1992) Hernandez is further ordered to attend ethics school and pay restitution in the amount of $19,766 to six clients. Hernandez did not adequately supervise his employees to ensure their compliance with rules of professional conduct. In at least two instances, a client met with an associate and a non-lawyer employee whom the client thought to be an attorney. On a section of his firm\'s Web site entitled “Our Attorneys,” Hernandez listed the names and biographies of several people who were not Florida lawyers. Hernandez may have also billed some non-lawyers on cases at the firm\'s attorney rates of $200 to $300 per hour. (Case Nos. SC07-973 and SC07-1262) |
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Date Posted: August 18, 2009 Action Line Complaint: Gary John Hausler Category: Lawyers
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Address
6302 Trail Blvd.
Naples
Florida, County: Collier
Phone Number Unavailble
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Overview
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| Suspended until further order, following a May 21 court order. According to an emergency suspension order, Hausler had caused or was likely to cause serious harm to his clients and/or to the public. (Admitted to practice: 1984) Hausler was entrusted with $80,000 by clients for use in making a mortgage loan. Hausler admitted to using the money for a personal obligation without his clients\' permission. (Case No. SC09-855) |
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Date Posted: August 18, 2009 Action Line Complaint: Kenneth James Hamel Category: Lawyers
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Address
P.O. Box 161717
Miami
Florida, County: Miami/Dade
Phone Number Unavailble
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Overview
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| Disbarred effective immediately, following an April 23 court order. (Admitted to practice: 1993) Hamel represented a buyer in a real estate transaction. Hamel advised the seller\'s attorney on more than one occasion that he held a deposit of $50,000. Hamel did not have the deposit and thereafter agreed as a part of a settlement in subsequent litigation to personally pay the seller the $50,000. Hamel never paid the seller. As a result of The Florida Bar\'s investigation, Hamel was served a subpoena to appear and produce bank records. Rather than comply with the subpoena, Hamel chose instant disbarment. (Case No. SC09-650) |
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Date Posted: August 18, 2009 Action Line Complaint: Kathy B. Gregg Category: Lawyers
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Address
121 S. 7th Avenue
Wauchula
Florida, County: Hardee
Phone Number Unavailble
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Overview
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| Reprimanded following a June 18 court order. (Admitted to practice: 1979) Gregg is also ordered to attend ethics school. In fall 2007, Gregg accepted $1,500 as a retainer from a client on military duty. She failed to respond to the client's numerous e-mails or telephone calls requesting the status of his case until July 2008 when the client filed a grievance. During the Bar's investigation, Gregg admitted that she commingled the client's deposit by placing it into her operating account. (Case No. SC09-194) |
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Date Posted: August 18, 2009 Action Line Complaint: Scott Marshall Greenbaum Category: Lawyers
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Address
200 S.E. 18th Court
Fort Lauderdale
Florida, County: Broward
Phone Number Unavailble
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Overview
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| Disbarred for five years, effective immediately, following a June 4 court order. (Admitted to practice: 2003) In December 2007, Greenbaum was placed on suspension for six months and probation for three years. He failed to comply with the terms of those sanctions. Greenbaum also failed to notify his clients of the suspension as required. (Case No. SC08-780) |
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Date Posted: August 18, 2009 Action Line Complaint: Caryn S. Grainer Category: Lawyers
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Address
1930 Harrison St., Suite 503
Hollywood
Florida, County: Broward
Phone Number Unavailble
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Overview
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| Reprimanded following an April 23 court order. (Admitted to practice: 1980) In October 2005, Grainer filed on behalf of her client a motion to set aside mediation agreement. Grainer alleged that she had a good faith basis for filing the motion, but the court found that she acted in bad faith and awarded attorneys fees in the amount of $15,368.95-- $7,684.47 of which was to be paid by Grainer personally. Grainer did not pay any of the sanction entered against her, but voluntarily submitted to a deposition and filed a financial affidavit. She offered a payment plan to opposing counsel, but he declined and sought a judgment instead. (Case No. SC09-697) |
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Date Posted: August 18, 2009 Action Line Complaint: Delmer C. Gowing, III Category: Lawyers
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Address
6711 N. Ocean Blvd., Apt. 12
Ocean Ridge
Florida, County: Palm Beach
Phone Number Unavailble
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Overview
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| Suspended until further order, following a June 2 court order. (Admitted to practice: 1989) According to the emergency suspension order, Gowing appeared to be causing great public harm. Gowing represented a client in arbitration proceedings. A Florida Bar audit revealed that in October 2008, award checks totaling $33,679.98 were issued to Gowing for the client. He deposited them into his operating account instead of his trust account and failed to provide the client with all of the client\'s settlement proceeds. Gowing is charged with misappropriating client funds. Shortages in his trust account ranged from $20,000 in September 2006 to $67,930 in January 2009. (Case No. SC09-885) |
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