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Friday, March 19, 2010

Ind. Courts - "Public defender’s law license suspended for 6 months"

Laura Lane reports today ($$) in the Bloomington Herald Tribune:

Members of the state Supreme Court disciplinary commission have suspended a Monroe County public defender’s license to practice law for eight counts of professional misconduct, including one where he is accused of telling his own client to shut up during a court hearing, then pushing the man down into his chair when he said he had fired the lawyer.

A disciplinary agreement in the case states that the attorney, Patrick Schrems, lied to the commission when he denied pushing his client. It also stipulates that Schrems’ representation failed five clients in criminal cases and three in bankruptcy proceedings in which he “admits to repeated lack of communication with the clients and neglect of their cases.”

In several cases, Schrems missed deadlines for appeals. In others, he did not return unearned fees, the commission ruled. Schrems’ license to practice law is suspended for six months beginning April 22. After that, he can file a petition with the Indiana Supreme Court asking that it be made valid again. “If reinstatement is sought, it would likely be granted only with the involvement of and monitoring by the Indiana Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program,” the disciplinary agreement states. * * *

The disciplinary commission cited 10 violations — “serial misconduct” — and several aggravating circumstances, including the “vulnerability” of Schrems’ jailed clients, a previous reprimand in 2006 and his failure to cooperate with the commission.

Here is the order.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on March 19, 2010 09:16 AM
Posted to Indiana Courts