Ethics

Entered on August 21, 2014, the North Carolina State Bar suspended Lynne Hicks, for two years with a stay of three years as long as she complies with the order. Hicks was suspended from practicing law for two years for misappropriating funds in the trust accounts she maintained for clients in ...[Continue Reading]

On July 24, 2014, the Grievance Committee of the North Carolina State Bar met and reprimanded Attorney William Noel, III. Noel represented a client in a number of traffic matters and failed to appear on behalf of his client in violation of the Rules of Professional Conduct. Noel failed to respond ...[Continue Reading]

Entered on August 12, 2014,Kenneth Free was publicly reprimanded for violating his professional duties as a lawyer by failing to appeal for his client who asked him to do so. Lawyers practicing in this state owe to their clients the duties of competence, diligence, and communication, among many ...[Continue Reading]

On July 22, 2014, the North Carolina State Bar disbarred Richard Polidi. Polidi received funds in connection with the representation of a client that were assigned to a third party. He used the funds for his own benefit and the client’s without the authorization of the third party, in violation ...[Continue Reading]

On June 12, 2014, a hearing panel of the Disciplinary Hearing Commission disbarred Sue Mako.  The Panel found that Mako failed to maintain accurate general ledgers, failed to maintain complete and accurate individual client ledgers, and failed to perform quarterly reconciliations of her trust ...[Continue Reading]

On June 18, 2014, a Hearing Panel of the Disciplinary Hearing Commission suspended Mary Phillips. Phillips failed to file annual accountings regarding a client’s estate, failed to respond to orders of the Clerk, failing to close out the client’s estate nearly five years after the estate was ...[Continue Reading]

Entered on June 12, 2014, the North Carolina State Bar suspended Roydera Hackworth for five years for the unauthorized practice of law in violation of Rule 5.5 of the Rules of Professional Conduct, making a false statement of material fact in connection with a disciplinary matter in violation of ...[Continue Reading]

On January 23, 2014, a Grievance Committee of the North Carolina State Bar met and reprimanded Attorney Jennifer Moore. Jennifer Moore represented a parent in a child support matter originating in another state, and reported to the client that she had been actively negotiating with opposing ...[Continue Reading]

On October 14, 2014, Kevin L. Byrd of Cary voluntarily consented to being transferred to disability inactive status.  Byrd suffers from bipolar disorder and depression, two conditions which impair his judgement, competence, and professional performance as an attorney. The procedure for a ...[Continue Reading]

Christopher V. Vaughan of Hoke County surrendered his law license on August 14, 2014 and was officially disbarred the next day. Vaughan had nine grievances filed against him with the North Carolina State Bar from May 2011 to October 2013. The grievances mainly arose when Vaughan failed to appear ...[Continue Reading]

Russell W. Warnock of Asheville was censured by the Grievance Committee of the North Carolina State Bar on August 15, 2014. Warnock was retained in 2011 by J.F. to file a patent application. J.F. emailed Warnock in May 2012 to inquire into the status of the application, to which Warnock replied ...[Continue Reading]

Karen Wright of Shelby received a reprimand from the Grievance Committee of the North Carolina State Bar on May 22, 2014. Wright was hired by two brothers in 2009 to settle the estates of their parents. She failed to settle the estates in a timely matter, in violation of Rule 1.3 of the North ...[Continue Reading]