Topics

On May 22, 2014, the Grievance Committee of the North Carolina State Bar reprimanded Thomas D. Blue, Jr. (“Blue”), for violations of the North Carolina Rules of Professional Conduct. In August 2013, a new assistant reconciling the firm’s trust account discovered a bookkeeping error made by Blue’s assistant in November 2010.  The error caused a client to receive an over-disbursement of entrusted funds in January 2012. The Grievance Committee reprimanded Blue for failure to adequately [...]

On June 20, 2014, the Grievance Committee of the North Carolina State Bar reprimanded Kristen N. Comerford (“Comerford”).  Comerford’s former employer previously filed a grievance against her after learning that she had falsified multiple entries in the firm’s document review software.  Her actions violated Rule 8.4(c) of the North Carolina Rules of Professional Conduct, which prohibits conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation. Although the above violation is [...]

On February 20, 2014, the Grievance Committee of the North Carolina State Bar reprimanded Stephanie L. Villaver (“Villaver”) after determining that her Internet conduct violated several provisions of the North Carolina Rules of Professional Conduct. Villaver posted an Internet advertisement through which she claimed to be “Jacksonville’s best auto injury attorney.”  Such a claim violates Rule 7.1(a)(3) because it constitutes a comparison of services that cannot be factually [...]