The Illinois Supreme Court announced the filing of lawyer disciplinary orders on May 19, 2022. Sanctions were imposed because the lawyers engaged in professional misconduct by violating state ethics law.

Disbarred

Valarie Pope Franklin, Oak Park

Ms. Franklin, who was licensed in 1994, was disbarred for intentionally converting more than $122,000 owed to ten separate clients in workers’ compensation and other matters.   

Dale B. Halling, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Mr. Halling was licensed to practice in Illinois in 1993 and in Colorado in 1995. The Supreme Court of Colorado disbarred him for not diligently representing three clients in patent matters, failing to keep clients informed about the status of their matters, converting client funds in two of the matters, and abandoning two of the clients. The Supreme Court of Illinois imposed reciprocal discipline and disbarred him. 

Suspended

Mahdis Azimi, Chicago

Ms. Azimi, who was licensed in 2015, was suspended for 90 days. In the course of representing a client in an immigration matter, she failed to file an application to adjust the client’s visa status, made false statements about the status of the matter to the client, and generated two fabricated emails purportedly from an immigration agency in order to mislead the client about the status of the matter. The suspension is effective on June 9, 2022.  

Marc Ericson Darnell, Newport News, Virginia 

Mr. Darnell was licensed to practice in Illinois in 2005 and in Virginia in 2007. On March 18, 2021, the Virginia State Disciplinary Board entered an order suspending him for nine months, effective on September 19, 2022, when his current three-year Virginia suspension ends. Mr. Darnell did not diligently pursue a client’s personal injury matter, did not reasonably communicate with his client, and made misrepresentations to his client about the status of her matter. The Supreme Court of Illinois imposed reciprocal discipline and suspended him for nine months and until he is reinstated to the practice of law in Virginia, effective on October 13, 2023, when his current Illinois reciprocal suspension is due to end. 

Mark Doyle Easley, II, St. Louis, Missouri 

Mr. Easley was licensed to practice in Illinois in 2007 and in Missouri in 2000. The Supreme Court of Missouri entered an order suspending him indefinitely and staying the suspension in full in favor of a two-year period of conditional probation. Mr. Easley failed act with reasonable diligence to complete an elderly client’s estate planning matter and did not reasonably communicate with the client. The Supreme Court of Illinois imposed reciprocal discipline and suspended him until he is reinstated to the practice of law in Missouri, with the suspension stayed in its entirety by a term of probation subject to the conditions imposed in Missouri and continuing until he has satisfied his Missouri probation.  

James Russell Leone, Deltona, Florida  

Mr. Leone was licensed to practice in Illinois in 1981 and in Florida in 1985. In December 2020, the Supreme Court of Florida granted Mr. Leone’s petition for disciplinary revocation of his law license, with leave to seek readmission after five years. He had misrepresented facts to a third person in connection with litigation over a piece of property on which Mr. Leone and his wife had paid past-due property taxes. The Supreme Court of Illinois imposed reciprocal discipline and suspended him until he is reinstated to the practice of law in Florida. The suspension is effective on June 9, 2022. 

John Russell McCulloh, Lyons

Mr. McCulloh, who licensed in 1983, was suspended from the practice of law for one year, with the suspension stayed after 60 days in favor of a one-year period of probation. He commingled and used without authority approximately $5,200 in others’ funds in connection with real estate escrow and earnest money matters. The suspension is effective on June 9, 2022.   

Michael John Ries, Peshtigo, Wisconsin 

Mr. Ries, who licensed in 1998, was suspended from the practice of law for two years and until he is reinstated to the practice of law before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. He engaged in a number of criminal acts involving incidents of domestic violence and driving while over the legal limit for alcohol, and he mishandled three patent applications. The suspension is effective on June 9, 2022. 

Andres Ybarra, Chicago  

Mr. Ybarra, who was licensed in 2008, was suspended for one year, with the suspension stayed after 60 days by an 18-month period of conditional probation. Mr. Ybarra failed to diligently represent clients in several matters, including divorce and family-law cases, made misrepresentations to clients about the status of their matters, and did not refund unearned fees to a number of those clients. The suspension is effective on June 9, 2022.