Apr 1, 2014, 6:57am EDT

Misconduct, trust account problems lead to lawyers’ discipline

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Jane Meinhardt

Staff Writer- Tampa Bay Business Journal

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Four area lawyers are among 29 recently disciplined by the Florida Supreme Court after investigations by the Florida Bar.
Corinda Lynn Luchetta, a St. Petersburg lawyer, was suspended for 91 days for displaying “a pattern of misconduct,” according to a Bar statement. Most recently, she did not respond to the Bar regarding a complaint alleging that she altered a marital agreement without consent, making it appear the client had signed the agreement.
She was suspended for 15 days in 2008 for failing to respond to the Bar in five out of seven cases.
Brandon lawyer Jeffrey Michael Lasman was suspended until further order. He was found in contempt for not responding to multiple grievances and avoiding service of a subpoena for trust account records.
Masable Larumbla Baker, a Clearwater lawyer, also was suspended until further notice because he appeared to be causing public harm by misappropriating trust funds. An audit determined his trust accounts totaled $613 when there should have been a balance of $122,000.
The majority of the money was used for Baker’s personal and business purposes, according to the Bar statement.
Tampa lawyer Thomas Theodore Clifford was suspended for 90 days and directed to complete trust accounting school. After reinstatement he will be placed on probation for two years.
He failed to maintain the proper funds in his trust account and failed to maintain trust account records.

Jane Meinhardt's beats include health care, law firms and lawyers.