The Florida Supreme Court disciplined 20 attorneys — disbarring three, revoking the licenses of four, suspending 12 and publicly reprimanding one.
One is from Jacksonville:
• Alma Celeste Defillo, 660 Park St., suspended effective immediately, until further order and until she fully responds in writing to official Florida Bar inquiries. Defillo failed to respond to Bar inquiries regarding two complaints. It appears she closed her office and left the country.
Others are:
• Edward Mitchell Albrecht, Land O’Lakes. The court on April 24 granted Albrecht a disciplinary revocation with leave to seek readmission after five years, subject to the continuing jurisdiction of the court. Disciplinary revocation is equivalent to disbarment. Albrecht had charges pending regarding failure to diligently represent clients and failure to communicate with them.
• Robert F. Alsfelder Jr., Cincinnati, Ohio, suspended indefinitely, until further order. According to a petition for emergency suspension order, Alsfelder, who is also a member of the Ohio State Bar Association, appeared to be causing great public harm. He was suspended from practicing law in Ohio, but failed to notify The Florida Bar of his suspension, as required.
• David Joseph Berger, North Miami, suspended until further order. Berger was found in contempt for willful failing to respond to official Bar inquiries.
• Bernard F. Daley Jr., Tallahassee. The court granted Daley a permanent disciplinary revocation without leave to seek readmission. Disciplinary revocation is equivalent to disbarment. Daley had numerous charges pending including, but not limited to. lack of diligence and communication and excessive billing.
• Tami Leigh Diebel, Winter Park, suspended for 91 days. While handling a civil matter, Diebel received a direct order from the court requiring her to provide an affidavit confirming the absence of any insurance coverage for her client and her client’s minor child. Ms. Diebel provided the court with an affidavit from her client, however, the affidavit failed to disclose to the court the existence of a homeowners insurance policy that covered both her client and her client’s minor child.
• Daniel Robert Doorakian, West Palm Beach, to be publicly reprimanded. Between November 2009 and July 2013, Doorakian has been arrested, convicted and sentenced in three driving under the influence cases in Palm Beach County.
• Obed Dorceus, Palm Coast, suspended for 91 days. Dorceus was found in contempt for failing to comply with the terms of a July 10, 2014, suspension order. Specifically, he was required to notify his clients, opposing counsel and tribunals of his suspension and provide to The Florida Bar within 30 days a sworn affidavit listing the names and addresses of all persons and entities that he informed.
• Kallan Christopher Eslich, Sarasota. The court granted Eslich a permanent disciplinary revocation with leave to seek readmission after five years. Disciplinary revocation is equivalent to disbarment. Eslich had several charges pending including those involving trust account violations and failure to diligently represent his clients.
• John Peter Friedrich Jr., Fort Lauderdale, suspended for 90 days. In the course of acting as attorney for a trust, Friedrich neglected to complete the matter for an extended period of time and failed to take necessary action that could have prevented certain delays with regard to charitable gifts. Additionally, he failed to properly communicate with the personal representative regarding the status of the case.
• Ronald Lamont Hardin, Zephyrhills, disbarred effective immediately. Hardin was found in contempt for failing to respond to official Bar inquiries. In September 2014, Hardin was placed on emergency suspension for misappropriating client trust funds.
• Marie Louise Henry, Lake Mary, suspended for six months. Additionally, prior to reinstatement, Henry is required to be evaluated by a mental health professional regarding her fitness to practice law. Henry made misrepresentations to the court and engaged in other conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice in two separate court matters.
• Marc Hoffman, Boca Raton. The court granted Hoffman a disciplinary revocation with leave to seek readmission after five years. Disciplinary revocation is equivalent to disbarment. Hoffman had a multitude of grievances pending, including those stemming from federal action shutting down the Hoffman Law Group, which engaged in a massive fraudulent operation that preyed on consumers and was run by non-lawyers who Hoffman failed to supervise.
• David Evans Hunt, Portland, Maine, disbarred. This is a reciprocal discipline action. Hunt was also a member of the Maine State Bar Association. Hunt abandoned his office and clients in Maine. An audit revealed that client retainers had been deposited into the operating account instead of the trust account. Investigators subsequently learned that Hunt had become significantly impaired by substance abuse and had traveled to Maryland for inpatient treatment. He also received inpatient treatment in Maine.
• John Thomas Kennedy, Stuart, suspended for 20 months. An audit revealed Kennedy commingled his funds with client funds held in trust by failing to promptly remove earned funds. He failed to maintain minimum trust account records and he failed to follow all the required trust account procedures. At a deposition, it was learned that after suffering a series of health and financial problems, Kennedy closed his law firm and moved out of the country.
• Maurice Andrew Mooney, Bradenton, suspended until further order. According to a petition for emergency suspension, Mooney appeared to be causing great public harm by misappropriating client trust funds.
• Eugene Keith Polk, Pensacola, suspended for 91 days. After being retained, Polk failed to diligently represent a client in a criminal case and to adequately communicate with him. Polk failed to timely file the client’s initial brief, but, after withdrawing as counsel, a public defender was appointed and the appeal was completed.
• James Herbert Rainey, West Palm Beach, disbarred. Rainey misappropriated client funds.
• Phillip Harding Taylor, St. Petersburg, suspended for one year. Taylor was found in contempt for violating the terms of his July 24, 2014, suspension order. Specifically, Taylor was required to notify his clients, opposing counsel and tribunals of his suspension and provide to the Florida Bar within 30 days a sworn affidavit listing the names and addresses of all persons and entities that he informed.
• Daniel Joshua Zemel, Miami Beach, suspended for one year. Zemel was found in contempt for violating the terms of a May 8, 2014, suspension order. He was ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation ordered by Florida Lawyer’s Assistance and comply with the treatment recommendation, including entering into a rehabilitation contract with FLA.