Illinois Supreme Court disbars 2, suspends 17 in latest disciplinary filing

The Supreme Court of Illinois announced the filing of lawyer disciplinary orders on January 17, 2014, during the January Term of Court (unless noted). Sanctions were imposed because the lawyers engaged in professional misconduct by violating state ethics law.

DISBARRED

• Lonnie L. Lutz, Charleston

Mr. Lutz, who was licensed to practice in 1977, was disbarred on consent. He committed a criminal act, battery, when he inappropriately touched three different female clients when he was serving as their assigned public defender.

• Gary Evan Peel, Glen Carbon

Mr. Peel, who was licensed in 1968, was disbarred after a federal conviction for bankruptcy fraud and possession of child pornography. He was suspended on an interim basis on January 11, 2008.

SUSPENDED

• Jeremy Scott Brenman, Merrillville, Ind.

Mr. Brenman, who was licensed in 1997, was suspended for three years and until further order of the Court. He committed the criminal acts of domestic battery, driving under the influence, failing to stop at an accident scene, unlawful possession of firearms, harassment, intimidation, criminal trespass, invasion of privacy and battery. Further, he failed to notify the ARDC of criminal convictions in California and Indiana and then failed to cooperate with the ARDC investigation into his misconduct.

• Thomas J. Fleischmann, St. Charles

Mr. Fleischmann, who was licensed in 1979, was suspended for 60 days. Between 2008 and 2011, he did not diligently pursue two civil cases involving separate clients, resulting in the cases’ dismissal on multiple occasions. He also made a misleading statement to the ARDC when he claimed that one of those matters was progressing. The suspension is effective February 7, 2014.

• Jess Evan Forrest, Chicago

Mr. Forrest, who was licensed in 1964, was suspended for six months. He falsely notarized a quitclaim deed and made a misrepresentation about his actions to the ARDC during the course of the investigation into his conduct. The suspension is effective on February 7, 2014.

• James Joseph Graney, Niles

Mr. Graney, who was licensed in 1983, was suspended for one year and until further order of the Court. He was convicted of domestic battery and retail theft and failed to notify the ARDC about those convictions. In addition, he engaged in acts of cyberstalking based upon improper and inappropriate contact with a former girlfriend.

• Robert T. Hall, Springfield

Mr. Hall, who was licensed in 1980, was suspended for six months. While serving as an associate judge in Sangamon County, he dismissed a traffic citation issued to another judge’s daughter, falsely stating that a prosecutor had made a motion to dismiss the citation. Mr. Hall knew that no prosecutor had made a motion to dismiss the citation. The suspension is effective on February 7, 2014.

• K.O. Johnson, Sycamore

Mr. Johnson, who was licensed in 1996, was suspended 18 months and until he makes certain restitution. He filed fee petitions in two divorce cases seeking judgments for payment of fees that had previously been discharged in the clients’ respective bankruptcy proceedings. He also contacted clients and former clients who owed him fees and told them to disregard directions from the trustee in Mr. Johnson’s personal bankruptcy proceeding to pay the trustee outstanding fees owed to Mr. Johnson for the benefit of the bankruptcy estate. The suspension is effective on February 7, 2014.

• Robert Kenneth Lock, Jr., Chicago

Mr. Lock, who was licensed in Illinois in 1989, was suspended for one year and until further order of the Court. While owning an internet debt reconciliation business, he improperly solicited persons in financial distress through non-lawyer marketers. The marketers would collect an enrollment fee from consumers that would be shared with Mr. Lock.

• Jordan Lee Margolis, Chicago

(Order entered on November 27, 2013)
Mr. Margolis, who was licensed in 1979, was suspended on an interim basis and until further order of Court. A ten-count complaint was filed against him alleging that he converted $1,034,850 in client settlement funds and failed to distribute over $700,000 of those funds. The complaint further alleges that Mr. Margolis, or someone at his direction, forged his clients’ name in three matters and made misrepresentations to those clients relating to his receipt and distribution of their settlement funds.

• Marvin Marshall, Maywood

Mr. Marshall, who was licensed in 1993, was suspended for six months and until he makes certain restitution. He was the seller’s attorney in a real estate transaction in which Mr. Marshall’s wife was the seller’s agent pursuant to a power of attorney. Mr. Marshall’s wife was also the seller’s real estate broker and obtained an inflated commission from the sale proceeds. The suspension is effective on February 7, 2014.

• Ronald Jay McDermott, Chicago

On November 19, 2012, Mr. McDermott, who was licensed to practice in 1991, was suspended for six months and until further order of the Court, with the suspension stayed after sixty days by a two-year period of conditional probation. He recorded approximately 260 hours for work he falsely claimed to have performed on a client's behalf. His misconduct was discovered before the majority of the charges in question were billed to the client. Because he failed to comply with the terms of his probation, the Court has now revoked the probation imposed on November 12, 2012, vacated the stay of his suspension, and he was ordered suspended for the remainder of his six month suspension and until further order of the Court.

• Matthew John McDonald, Chicago

Mr. McDonald, who was licensed in 2006, was suspended for two years and until further order of the Court, with the suspension stayed after sixty days by a two-year period of conditional probation. He neglected a civil matter, failed to be candid with his client about the true status of that matter, and created a purported court in order to deceive his law firm partner about the status of the litigation. The suspension is effective on February 7, 2014.

• Martin J. McKenzie, Chicago

Mr. McKenzie, who was licensed in 1996, was suspended for 30 days. While acting as the trustee for a family trust, Mr. McKenzie ignored court orders requiring him to produce an accounting of the trust’s assets, income and expenditures. The suspension is effective on February 7, 2014.

• Lino John Menconi, Schaumburg

(Order entered on November 12, 2013)
Mr. Menconi, who was licensed in 1991, was suspended on an interim basis and until further order of the Court. A Hearing Board earlier found that he had misappropriated nearly $470,000 from four clients.

• Patrick Joseph O'Connor, Chicago

Mr. O’Connor, who was licensed in 1998, was suspended for one year. He was convicted in state court of deceptive practices, a Class A misdemeanor, for fabricating a settlement payoff letter purporting to be from the City of Chicago for a real estate transaction. The suspension is effective on February 7, 2014.

• Jerry Lee Peteet, Gary, Ind.

(Order entered on December 11, 2013)
Mr. Peteet, who was licensed in 1990, was suspended on an interim basis and until further order of the Court. After a 35-day federal jury trial, he was found guilty of conspiracy to commit racketeering and attempt to commit murder in aid of racketeering activity. He was sentenced to serve 276 months in prison.

• Curt Patrick Rehberg, Crystal Lake

(Order Entered on Nov. 27, 2013)
Mr. Rehberg, who was licensed in 1989, was suspended on an interim basis and until further order of the Court. He is facing disciplinary charges of misusing more than $600,000 he received in connection with two separate estate matters. In addition, he is facing criminal charges in McHenry County, where he has been accused of multiple thefts totaling more than $1.2 million.

• Mark Vince Tillman, Chicago

Mr. Tillman, who was licensed in 1990, was suspended for two years and until he completes the ARDC Professionalism Seminar. He used $37,000 in estate funds without the knowledge of the executor of the estate, the beneficiaries or the probate court. In a second matter, he had members of his staff falsely attest to his client’s signature on a will. The will was invalidated after Mr. Tillman made misrepresentations to the probate court regarding one of the witnesses and failed to procure the witness’ attendance at a court hearing in the matter. The suspension is effective on February 7, 2014.

• Ana B. Tristan, Beecher

Ms. Tristan, who was licensed in 1993, was suspended for one year and until further order of the Court. She failed to diligently handle two clients' dissolution of marriage matters, failed to return unearned fees, and converted $1,200 from one of her clients. She also failed to participate in her own disciplinary proceedings.

• Sharon E. Williams, Chicago

Ms. Williams, who was licensed in 1995, was suspended for four months, with the suspension followed by a one-year term of probation with conditions designed to improve her office management practices and insure that she makes restitution to her clients. She charged clients an excessive fee in an estate matter and provided them with an inaccurate accounting after she was discharged. The suspension is effective on February 7, 2014.

CENSURED

• Patrick Andrew Fleming, Chicago

Mr. Fleming, who was licensed in 1982, was censured. He provided false testimony to the Immigration Court in connection with matters involving his former mother-in-law.