Illinois Supreme Court Disbars 1, Suspends 10 in Latest Disciplinary Filing
The Illinois Supreme Court announced the filing of lawyer disciplinary orders on November 20, 2024. Sanctions were imposed because the lawyers engaged in professional misconduct by violating state ethics law.
Disbarred
Jennifer Michelle George, Oceanside, CA
Ms. George was licensed in Illinois in 1994 and in California in 2000. The Supreme Court of California disbarred her based on her plea of nolo contendere to the crime of felony battery in Florida. The Supreme Court of Illinois imposed reciprocal discipline and disbarred her.
Suspended
Javaron Darnell Buckley, Waukegan
Mr. Buckley, who was licensed in 2017, was suspended for nine months. He met a 17-year-old girl at the McHenry County courthouse, met up with her at the courthouse again after she turned 18 years old, and took her to a hotel after purchasing condoms and a bottle of cognac. After the girl passed out in the hotel room, Mr. Buckley took her to her home and left. He was convicted of the misdemeanor offenses of providing alcoholic liquor to a person under 21 years of age and renting a hotel room with the knowledge that the room would be used for the consumption of alcoholic liquor by a person under 21 years of age. The suspension is effective on December 10, 2024.
Leroy U. Ekechukwu, Chicago
Mr. Ekechukwu, who was licensed in 2016, was suspended for eighteen months and until further order of the Court, with the suspension stayed after five months by a two-year period of probation with conditions. He neglected a client’s child support case, then made several false statements to the client about the case’s status, including fabricating a court order relating to the garnishment of the client’s wages. He eventually acknowledged that he had neglected the case and entered into an agreement to pay more than $28,000 to the client, which he did not honor. The suspension is effective on December 10, 2024.
Sophia Juliana Johnson, New Orleans, LA
Ms. Johnson was licensed in Louisiana in 2010, in Illinois in 2013, and in Colorado in 2021. The Supreme Court of Louisiana suspended her for one year, retroactive to October 12, 2023, and with certain conditions, for fabricating an email message, making a frivolous claim, and making false statements to a court and her opposing counsel in a civil proceeding. The Supreme Court of Colorado imposed reciprocal discipline and suspended her for one year, effective May 28, 2024. The Supreme Court of Illinois imposed reciprocal discipline and suspended her for one year and until she is reinstated in both Louisiana and Colorado. The suspension is effective on December 10, 2024.
Robert Edward Lewin, Skokie
Mr. Lewin, who was licensed in 1974, was suspended for two years and until further order of the Court, with the suspension stayed after one year by a one-year term of probation with conditions. He made harassing, offensive, inappropriate, and lewd comments to court personnel and female attorneys in the Will County courthouse. The suspension is effective on December 10, 2024.
Jared James Rahar, Taylorville
Mr. Rahar, who was licensed in 2011, was suspended for six months and until further order of the Court, with the suspension stayed after 30 days by a one-year period of probation with conditions. He did not return a former client’s file and $97 in unearned fees, and he participated in court proceedings for approximately two months after being removed from the roll of attorneys for not completing his Minimum Continuing Legal Education requirements. The suspension is effective on December 10, 2024.
Joseph Ryan Riegerix, Denver, CO
Mr. Riegerix was licensed in Illinois in 2014 and in Colorado in 2019. Colorado disciplinary authorities suspended him for six months and required him to petition for reinstatement for neglecting a client’s civil litigation, which resulted in dismissal of the case, and not informing the client of the dismissal, not adequately communicating with separate clients in a personal injury case, and allowing a suspended colleague to advise those clients about their case. The Supreme Court of Illinois imposed reciprocal discipline and suspended Mr. Riegerix for six months and until he is reinstated to the practice of law in Colorado. The suspension is effective on December 10, 2024.
Jacob Joel Swanson, Springfield
Mr. Swanson, who was licensed in 2016, was suspended for two years and until further order of the Court. While employed as an Assistant State’s Attorney in Montgomery County, he possessed and used methamphetamine over a number of years, and operated motor vehicles with methamphetamine in his system. A suspension until further order of the Court is an indefinite suspension which requires the suspended lawyer to petition for reinstatement after the fixed period of suspension ends. Reinstatement is not automatic and must be allowed by the Supreme Court of Illinois following a hearing before the ARDC Hearing Board.
Jason Paul Young, Springfield
Mr. Young, who was licensed in 2003, was suspended for 90 days. While serving as an Assistant Attorney General, he submitted false timesheets on at least 18 occasions. His timesheets reflected that he worked full days for the Illinois Attorney General’s Office when in reality he was instead making court appearances on behalf of his wife, who is also an attorney. The suspension is effective on December 10, 2024.
Frank John Zangara, Crystal Lake
Mr. Zangara, who was licensed in 1985, was suspended for one year, with the suspension stayed after four months by a two-year period of probation with conditions. He misappropriated more than $74,000 from his client trust account that he should have been holding on behalf of clients and others for real estate escrows and earnest money deposits. The suspension is effective on December 10, 2024.
Boney M. Patel, Bartlett
Mr. Patel, who was licensed in 2014, was suspended on an interim basis and until further order of the Court. He is the subject of a three-count disciplinary complaint arising from his criminal convictions for aggravated battery and attempt criminal sexual assault.
Censured
John Russell Wienold, Aurora
Mr. Wienold, who was licensed in 1976, was censured. In a personal injury matter, he presented a witness for a deposition but failed to correct the witness’ false testimony regarding the extent of his communications and meetings with the witness prior to the deposition.
Reprimanded
John F. Cloutier, Chicago
Mr. Cloutier was licensed in Illinois in 1998, and in Florida 2006. A Grievance Committee of the Supreme Court of Florida admonished him for not responding to a former client’s complaint or to several letters from the Florida Bar investigating the complaint. The Illinois Supreme Court imposed reciprocal discipline and reprimanded him.