For the second time in less than two months, a non-lawyer in Chicago has been criminally charged for allegedly acting as an attorney in court. Darlene White-Yarber, 50, was disbarred in 1995. But Cook County authorities say she was nonetheless acting as a lawyer for a client in traffic court in Bridgeview on Monday, according to CBS News and WLS.
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The Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Committee announced those actions as part of the Illinois Supreme Court’s latest round of discipline against attorneys accused of professional misconduct in the state.
According to the ARDC release and the findings published in an ARDC report, Gallo was disbarred for an alleged “pattern of misconduct,” in which she improperly converted for her own use nearly $18,000 and allegedly charged excessive fees of more than $13,000 while representing clients in real estate transactions in Chicago’s suburbs.
The Illinois Supreme Court has disbarred two lawyers over alleged financial misconduct, while also suspending a Will County attorney from practicing law in Illinois for three months over accusations he called certain female opposing attorneys “bitch” and used other vulgar language when communicating with them.
Further, Gallo was accused of improperly representing sellers and buyers in the same transaction.
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While the ARDC administrator had recommended he be suspended, the ARDC hearing board recommended disbarmen t. The Supreme Court followed the hearing board’s wishes.
In 2013, the ARDC reports said Bertha was arrested and charged with criminal trespass when he allegedly attempted for a second time to enter the Kane County Jail in suburban St. Charles, ostensibly to meet with a client, but failed to present valid attorney identification. The ARDC report said Kane County Sheriff’s Police had warned Bertha, following his first attempt to enter the jail without valid attorney credentials, he would be charged with criminal trespass if he returned and attempted to do so again.
A lawyer who allegedly took $15,000 from a client for his own use, was charged with criminal trespass for attempts to enter the Kane County Jail without proper attorney credentials, and then allegedly repeatedly threatened judges and other Kane County justice officials, accusing them of engaging in a racist conspiracy against him , was among five lawyers disbarred by the Illinois Supreme Court.
For instance, in 2010 and 2012, the ARDC reports indicated the client paid Bertha a total of $13,000, presuming Bertha would deposit the funds in an escrow account, as demanded by Bank of America, with whom the client was embroiled at the time in foreclosure proceedings over her late mother’s home. Instead, the ARDC reports indicated Bertha allegedly either cashed the checks or deposited them into his father’s personal checking accounts. The client later demanded repayment of the money, a written request Bertha has allegedly not yet fulfilled.
According to information included in documents related to disciplinary proceedings before the ARDC, Bertha, since 2010, had allegedly appropriated to himself and his father about $15,000 in various payments submitted to him by a client who had agreed to represent in certain Chicago real estate and foreclosure matters following the death of the client’s mother.
Johnny McCraw Jr., of Chicago - Two years and until further order of the court, after allegedly violating terms of disciplinary probation imposed after he pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance;
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George M. Zuganelis, of Chicago, who was disbarred on consent, after he allegedly misappropriated client funds and “made false statements to his client about the status of her immigration petition.”