Suspension Stayed for Lawyer Who Tried to Settle Without Client’s Consent
A Missouri lawyer who has been admonished twice and reprimanded once has run into trouble with disciplinary authorities a fourth time, allegedly for drafting an agreement that let him settle a case without a client’s consent.
The Missouri Supreme Court suspended Larry Coleman of Raytown, but stayed the order and placed the lawyer on one year’s probation, the Kansas City Star reports. He will have to attend ethics school.
The Missouri Supreme Court found that Coleman had run afoul of the disciplinary rules because of ignorance rather than intentional conduct, and his misconduct may be remedied by education and supervision.
The court said Coleman created a conflict of interest when, after a client paid him between $30,000 and $50,000 in hourly fees, he drafted a contingency agreement giving him a third of any future recovery and the right to settle the cases without client consent, according to the Kansas City Star account. Coleman represented the client in three cases alleging medical malpractice, wrongful termination and discrimination.
Coleman tried to settle the discrimination case for $20,000 over the client’s objection; the case was later thrown out, according to the story. The court also said Coleman commingled client and personal funds.
