|
JACKSONVILLE, FLA---According to a recent article in The Florida Bar News, a first look at an "extensive review of the Florida Bar's disciplinary process" will be on the agenda for the Bar's Board of Governors when it meets Dec. 16 at Amelia Island.
Florida attorney Jeffrey R. Hill was employed by Farah, Farah & Abbott, PA a/k/a the Law Offices of Eddie Farah, in 2004 when he discovered it was allegedly regularly overcharging its personal injury clients.
According to Hill, "The firm was frequently 'padding' costs charged to clients by $300 or more per case and had been doing so for several years. Clients were required clients to sign settlement statements certifying they agreed with the falsified figures before any portion of their settlement proceeds would be paid to them. The firm's contingency fee contracts, accounting records and settlement statements clearly document its overcharging practices." Examples of the firm's overcharging practices are available on Hill's personal web page called "Hill's Peek" at http://home.comcast.net/~email4hill/wsb/index.html.
Hill reported his concerns over the firm's alleged illicit overcharging practices in September 2004 by letter to Donald M. Spangler, Esq., Chief Branch Discipline Counsel for The Florida Bar. Hill said to his surprise, a full year went by with no contact from any representatives of the Florida Bar to investigate his allegations of wide scale fraud and misappropriation of clients' funds by the Law Offices of Eddie Farah.
Hill followed up with the Florida Bar in September and October 2005. By email dated Oct. 27, Spangler succinctly responded, "The file to which you refer was closed. The grievance committee considered the matter after investigation and an audit by the bar staff auditor, and found there was no probable cause to pursue disciplinary proceedings. They did elect to send a letter of advice to the firm."
Hill says hefinds it difficult to fathom how the Florida Bar's grievance committee could reach an informed decision concerning probable cause to pursue disciplinary proceedings without ever even contacting him as the person reporting the misconduct. Despite the egregiousness of the reported misconduct, Hill received no inquiries whatsoever from the Florida Bar by letter, telephone or email.
Hill followed up with Spangler requesting a copy of the Florida Bar's file. By email dated Oct. 28, Spangler responded, "Your request will be treated as a public records request and you will be informed by the appropriate individual regarding the cost of the documents you are requesting." As of Dec. 6, Hill has neither received the requested documents nor been contacted by Bar regarding the cost of producing them. Hill is continuing to follow up on his efforts to obtain the records, which should be readily available pursuant to the Public Records Act, Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes.
Florida Bar president-elect and Board of Governors member Henry Matson Coxe III chairs the Special Commission on Lawyer Regulation conducting an "extensive review" of the Bar's disciplinary process.
Coincidentally, Coxe's law office is just a half mile down the street from the Law Offices of Eddie Farah in Jacksonville. By email to Coxe on Dec. 5, Hill requested that the manner in which his complaint of misconduct was handled be included in the Board of Governor's "extensive review" of The Florida Bar's disciplinary
process at the upcoming December 16 meeting. http://www.northcountrygazette.org/articles/112405LawyerOvercharging.html 12-06-05
© 2005 North
Country Gazette
|
