Disciplinary Actions from the Most Recent Journal

Most Recent Actions

Disbarments

Mark H. Badgett of Pinnacle was disbarred by the DHC. Badgett was a district court judge in District 17B until the Supreme Court removed him from the bench. The Supreme Court found that while he was a judge, Badgett was deceptive, made false representations to the district attorney and to an SBI agent, attempted to influence the recollections of witnesses, and gave incredible testimony before the Judicial Standards Commission.

J. Lee Hatch of Four Oaks surrendered his law license and was disbarred by the Johnston County Superior Court. Hatch pled guilty to the counts of felony obstruction of justice, ten counts of altering an official case record, and one count of conspiracy to commit felony obstruction of justice.

Cynthia L. Jaeger of Winston-Salem surrendered her law license and was disbarred by the Johnston County Superior Court. Jaeger pled guilty to ten counts of felony obstruction of justice and ten counts of altering an official case record.

Chadwick C. Lee of Smithfield surrendered his law license and was disbarred by the Johnston County Superior Court. Lee pled guilty to ten counts of felony obstruction of justice, ten counts of altering an official case record, and one count of conspiracy to commit felony obstruction of justice.

Alton Y. Lennon of Wilmington was disbarred by the DHC. Lennon misappropriated entrusted funds, made misrepresentations to his client, concealed information and documents from his client, and engaged in business transactions with his client that sacrificed his client's interests.

Treve B. Lumsden of Emerald Isle surrendered his law license and was disbarred by the Wake County Superior Court. Lumsden misappropriated $59,000 in entrusted funds.

Michael J. Miller of Charlotte surrendered his law license and was disbarred by the State Bar Council. Miller misappropriated $25,000 in entrusted funds.

The DHC disbarred William D. Orander of Goldsboro. Orander engaged in mortgage fraud by preparing and providing to lenders false HUD-1 Settlement Statements that disguised purchases as refinances.

Kenneth L. Poortvliet of Greensboro surrendered his law license and was disbarred by the Wake County Superior Court. Poortvliet misappropriated approximately $9,000 in entrusted funds.

Suspensions & Stayed Suspensions

Wilson lawyer Willie D. Gilbert was suspended for five years by the DHC. The suspension is stayed for five years on numerous conditions. A dissenting panel member would have imposed disbarment. The DHC found that Gilbert misappropriated client funds.

The DHC suspended Christopher Dean Johnson of Charlotte for three years. The suspension is stayed on numerous conditions. Johnson neglected domestic cases, lied to clients about the status of their cases, and signed a client's signature on a verification page without the client's knowledge or consent.

The DHC suspended Hendersonville lawyer Randolph Romeo for three years. The suspension is stayed for two years on numerous conditions. Romeo chronically failed to comply with trust accounting rules in his real estate practice.

The DHC suspended Charlotte lawyer Robert Trobich for two years. The suspension is stayed for three years on numerous conditions. Trobich neglected his client's lawsuit, resulting in dismissal of her claims with prejudice. Trobich falsely told his client that he had settled her case and paid her out of his own pocket while representing that the funds were from the settlement. He also made misrepresentations to the Grievance Committee.

Mohammed M. Shyllon of Raleigh was suspended for 18 months by the DHC. Shyllon practiced law during a disciplinary suspension.

Bambi Walters of Virginia was suspended from practicing in North Carolina trial and appellate courts for 18 months. She failed to appear in response to the North Carolina Business Court's contempt citation.

Interim Suspension

The DHC entered an order of interim suspension against Raleigh lawyer Johnny S. Gaskins, who was convicted in federal court of several federal felony charges.

Censures

Brian R. Brown of Raleigh was censured by the Grievance Committee. While representing an estate, Brown failed to safeguard signed blank estate account checks and failed to supervise his paralegal, allowing her to embezzle over $200,000 from the estate. Brown also failed to regularly review bank statements and cancelled checks.

The DHC censured Sanford lawyer John M. Holmes Jr. Holmes ran what he represented was a "law firm" which purported to have "firm members" all over the state and obtained traffic ticket clients by mass direct mail solicitation. The alleged members were actually independent contractors. This arrangement led to multiple instances of client neglect. Holmes had rejected the Grievance Committee's censure.

Pamela Hunter of Charlotte was censured by the DHC. Hunter failed to use reasonable diligence in representing a client. Hunter had rejected the Grievance Committee's reprimand.

Robert Train III of Pittsboro was censured by the Grievance Committee. In 2004, Train contracted with American Family Legal Plans to provide legal services to consumers. American Family marketed a "plan" that did not qualify as a prepaid legal services plan under the State Bar Rules in effect at the time. Train assisted the company's unauthorized practice of law. Train and American Family did not inform consumers that American Family paid Train a much lower fee for his legal services than it charged the consumers for those services. Train allowed a third party to use information gathered about the consumers' estate-planning needs to market financial products.

Reprimands

John Alexander of Crossnore was reprimanded by the Grievance Committee. Alexander failed to correct trust accounting deficiencies found by State Bar auditor Bruno Demolli. Alexander also neglected his client's traffic case, failed to communicate with his client, failed to participate in the State Bar's fee dispute process, and failed to respond timely to the Grievance Committee.

John Hairston of Raleigh was reprimanded by the Grievance Committee. Hairston neglected his client's case, failed to communicate with his client for more than a year, and failed to supervise an associate lawyer.

Graham lawyer Jimmy Joyner was reprimanded by the Grievance Committee. Joyner failed to act diligently, failed to communicate with his clients, and failed to respond to the State Bar.

Clinton O. Light of Eden received two reprimands from the Grievance Committee. Light engaged in the unauthorized practice of law in Virginia, engaged in an ex parte communication with a judge, advised his client to disobey a legal obligation to appear in a Virginia court in response to a summons, failed to act with reasonable diligence, failed to provide his client with information necessary to make an informed decision, failed to handle his client's North Carolina domestic case diligently, and failed properly to seek the court's permission to withdraw. In a separate matter, Light failed properly to supervise a non-lawyer assistant, failed to inform his client of the court's final orders, and failed to timely file a motion to withdraw.

John Lewis of Cullowhee was reprimanded by the Grievance Committee for failing to respond to the State Bar.

Marty McConchie of Durham was reprimanded by the Grievance Committee. He neglected his client's case, failed to provide necessary information to his client and the client's new attorney, and failed to respond to the State Bar.

Mary Phillips of Wallace was reprimanded by the Grievance Committee. She failed to handle an estate matter promptly and failed to respond to the State Bar.

Reciprocal Discipline

The Grievance Committee imposed reciprocal discipline on J. Warren Tomlin of Roanoke, Virginia. Tomlin will be suspended for five days if he is ever reinstated from inactive status.

Disability Inactive Status

The DHC entered consent orders transferring Karen Zaman of Chapel Hill and Bret Tomits of Charlotte to disability inactive status. The chair of the Grievance Committee transferred Terrance L. Williams of Clinton and Debra K. Gilchrist of Fayetteville to disability inactive status.

Petitions for Reinstatement

The DHC denied Michael H. McGee's petition for reinstatement. McGee was suspended in 2004 for making false statements in his personal bankruptcy. n