06.05.14 Reprimand [Wake County]

Photo Courtesy of the North Carolina State Bar

On April 24, 2014 the Grievance Committee of the North Carolina State Bar issued a reprimand to William A. LeLiever for violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct.

First, LeLiever violated Rule 8.4(d) for professional misconduct by (1) failing to timely comply with the Bankruptcy Court’s order and failure to properly appear at compliance hearings which amounted to prejudicial conduct to the administration of justice and (2) failing to acknowledge and comply with his obligation to disburse funds received from his client to the bankruptcy estate without a court order.

Second, LeLiever violated several trust account rules: (1) not always indicating on trust account checks the client from whose balance in the trust account he was disbursing funds in violation of Rule 1.15-3(b); (2) failure to produce reconciliations in response to the State Bar’s request in violation of Rule 8.1(b); (3) failure to maintain records as required by Rule 1.15-3(b) and (d); (4) comingling funds with client funds in the trust accounts in violation of Rule 1.15-2(a) and (f); and (5) disbursing funds by improper methods from the trust account in violation of Rule 1.15-2(i).

In addition to the reprimand, the Grievance Committee required LeLiever to complete continuing legal education (CLE) in addition to the minimum amount required. Within 120 days of his reprimand, LeLiever had to complete one trust account CLE and once CLE on professionalism in court.

View the full disciplinary order below.

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