Bad lawyers
There are bad lawyers and there are bad lawyers that get caught.
In Florida, four lawyers were disbarred by the high court for matters like committing fraud to failing to follow through on a case to a third party to living at client’s foreclosed property.
Home Sweet Home
Probably the most salacious disbarment involved a Miami lawyer named Peter Dale Fellows. He lost his license after moving into a home in Pembroke Pines, which by itself is not a problem. The only issue was that the home was in foreclosure and the home belonged to one of his clients. Mr. Fellows moved into the property with his legal assistant who doubled as his lover.
According to Law.com, the assistant blew their cover when she called the homeowner to offer help with a short sale of the property. This was a few years after Fellows represented the homeowner after they filed for bankruptcy. Fellows failed to get the homeowner “discharged” from the mortgage.
Fast forward a few years after the bank sued, the homeowner found out they still owned the property the legal duo used as their pad. Add to this situation Wright Time Now, Inc., a real estate firm the homeowners used to list the property. That real estate company was linked to the legal assistant and ran out of the law office of Fellows.
One of the property owners spoke with the HOA. A representative from the homeowner’s association said it was occupied. After gaining access, the owner found pictures of Fellows and the legal assistant throughout as well as mail in their names.
Fellows had access to the property thanks to his power of attorney privilege as the homeowner’s attorney. He also listed himself and his assistant as “permanent guests” of the property.
Client? What Client?
Coral Gables attorney Aldo Guillermo Busot Jr. was disbarred after failing to follow through on a case filed in 2011. The case, which involved getting a promissory note for a client, was eventually dismissed voluntarily by Busot in 2015.
As it turns out, the bar documents filed with the high court said the case dismissal was done without the client’s authorization. Also, it was said the client had unsuccessfully reached out to the lawyer over years and the lawyer refused to discuss information from the case as well. Busot ultimately pleaded guilty to the consent judgement from the bar.
Other Disbarments
Crime defense attorney Kenneth Joseph Kukec was disbarred after failing to appear at a disciplinary hearing. The bar said Kukec did not accept calls from a client with a post-conviction appeal and this isn’t the first time the attorney has been in trouble.Kukec failed to comply with a suspension order in the past.
NY attorney Frederick Oberlander was disbarred due to unethical violations in a case against Bayrock Group. He used confidential information from documents sealed by the FBI, thus violating a court order. He was suspended of practicing law for one year.
Miami lawyer Peter Milan PredragVujin was disbarred for behavior displayed in two civil cases in which he represented himself. His litigation tactics were described by the bar as frivolous, done in bad faith, annoying and abusive. Court documents say he used similar tactics during an ethics case, according to Law.com
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