Illinois Potpourri

The Illinois Supreme Court has announced a number of dispositions in bar discipline matters.

Among the cases resolved

Mr. Cardenas, who was licensed in 1995, was censured. He was convicted in the Circuit Court of Cook County of reckless conduct relating to an incident in which he removed his leather belt and used it to hit his then 14-year old daughter.

Ms. Cohen, who was licensed in 1978, was suspended for thirty days. During a four-year period when she had not registered to practice law and was thus removed from the Master Roll, she represented the City of Berwyn in approximately 100 different municipal ordinance proceedings before a hearing officer. The suspension is effective on February 2, 2018.

Mr. Meserow, who was licensed in 1985, was suspended for six months and until further order of the Court, with the suspension stayed in its entirety by a one-year period of probation. During a court proceeding, he shouted and criticized the presiding judge, then later filed a frivolous motion criticizing that same judge and falsely accused her of violating several provisions of the Code of Judicial Conduct.

Mr. Mora, who was licensed in 1968, was censured. While representing a client in a legal malpractice matter, he sought to sell his car and purchase a new one from a used car dealership. He entered into a business transaction with his client whereby Mr. Mora sold the old car to the client for its trade-in value, and the client agreed to co-sign Mr. Mora’s loan application for the new car so that he could obtain more favorable financing terms using the client’s better credit rating. Mr. Mora purchased the new vehicle with his client registered as a co-owner, and subsequently incurred various traffic tickets and late payments that led to an administrative judgment being entered against the client.

Mr. Niew, who was licensed in 1972, was censured. His wife, Kathleen Niew, an Illinois lawyer, was disbarred in 2013 for misappropriating $2.34 million belonging to a client who she represented in a real estate matter. After her disbarment, Mr. Niew failed to ensure that his wife no longer maintained a presence in their law office and he also failed to supervise his associate, to prevent that associate from aiding Ms. Niew in the unauthorized practice of law.

We had reported on the charges in the last listed matter. Mike Frisch)