Armengau, 5 other lawyers face misconduct charges
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Six Columbus-area lawyers, including one convicted of raping a client, face professional-misconduct charges before the disciplinary arm of the Ohio Supreme Court.
The filing of the cases before the Board of Commissioners on Grievances and Discipline seeking action against the lawyers’ licenses was announced this week by court officials.
A probable-cause panel recommended that suspended Columbus lawyerJavier Armengau be permanently disbarred following his conviction for raping one client and sexually assaulting two other women.
Armengau, 52, was sentenced to 13 years in prison on Aug. 26. But, the disciplinary complaint against him further accuses Armengau of a laundry-list of misconduct involving at least a dozen cases.
The complaint accuses him of conflicts of interest, charging excessive fees, making false statements, failing to return client funds, dishonesty, incivility, false advertising and client trust-fund violations.
Six other local lawyers also face charges before the disciplinary board.
Stephen E. Hillman, of Dublin, was cited for misconduct involving federal income tax violations from 2009 to 2011. He was placed on six months of house arrest this year and ordered to pay $133,899 to the IRS.
Gerald W. Salters, of Reynoldsburg, faces charges after he was convicted this year of felony trespassing, drunken driving and misdemeanor child endangering. He was convicted of drinking in a bar and entering an ex-girlfriend’s apartment while leaving his 2-year-old daughter in his vehicle and ordered to serve 60 days in jail.
Roger Warner, of Columbus, was charged with mishandling a clients’ case by filing paperwork two months too late — after the two children a couple sought to adopt were adopted by an out-of-state family.
James C. Zury, of Westerville, was charged with mishandling his employer’s money and dishonesty by cashing a $1,750 check payable to American Family Insurance. He repaid the money to the company months later, after his employment ended.
Daniel K. Balaloski, of Reynoldsburg, was charged mishandling six estates and other cases and failing to distribute funds to his clients in a timely manner.
The Board of Commissioners on Grievances and Discipline will conduct hearings in the cases and recommend to the Ohio Supreme Court what action, if any, should be taken against the lawyers’ licenses.
rludlow@dispatch.com
@RandyLudlow
The filing of the cases before the Board of Commissioners on Grievances and Discipline seeking action against the lawyers’ licenses was announced this week by court officials.
A probable-cause panel recommended that suspended Columbus lawyerJavier Armengau be permanently disbarred following his conviction for raping one client and sexually assaulting two other women.
Armengau, 52, was sentenced to 13 years in prison on Aug. 26. But, the disciplinary complaint against him further accuses Armengau of a laundry-list of misconduct involving at least a dozen cases.
The complaint accuses him of conflicts of interest, charging excessive fees, making false statements, failing to return client funds, dishonesty, incivility, false advertising and client trust-fund violations.
Six other local lawyers also face charges before the disciplinary board.
Stephen E. Hillman, of Dublin, was cited for misconduct involving federal income tax violations from 2009 to 2011. He was placed on six months of house arrest this year and ordered to pay $133,899 to the IRS.
Gerald W. Salters, of Reynoldsburg, faces charges after he was convicted this year of felony trespassing, drunken driving and misdemeanor child endangering. He was convicted of drinking in a bar and entering an ex-girlfriend’s apartment while leaving his 2-year-old daughter in his vehicle and ordered to serve 60 days in jail.
Roger Warner, of Columbus, was charged with mishandling a clients’ case by filing paperwork two months too late — after the two children a couple sought to adopt were adopted by an out-of-state family.
James C. Zury, of Westerville, was charged with mishandling his employer’s money and dishonesty by cashing a $1,750 check payable to American Family Insurance. He repaid the money to the company months later, after his employment ended.
Daniel K. Balaloski, of Reynoldsburg, was charged mishandling six estates and other cases and failing to distribute funds to his clients in a timely manner.
The Board of Commissioners on Grievances and Discipline will conduct hearings in the cases and recommend to the Ohio Supreme Court what action, if any, should be taken against the lawyers’ licenses.
rludlow@dispatch.com
@RandyLudlow
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