The Florida Bar disciplined 11 attorneys with orders issued July 28 to Aug. 20 by the state Supreme Court.
Four attorneys who practice in Northeast Florida were suspended.
Michael Joseph Gabor, 1636 Arrowhead Trail in Neptune Beach, is suspended for three years effective retroactively to Jan. 18, following an Aug. 6 court order.
He pleaded no contest to one count of felony aggravated battery causing great bodily harm after a domestic altercation in his home.
Gabor also failed to notify The Florida Bar of his felony arrest and charges.
Alan Douglas Henderson, 230 Canal Blvd., Suite 3, in Ponte Vedra Beach, was suspended for 30 days and must attend ethics school and a professionalism workshop, effective 30 days following a July 31 court order.
Henderson represented a close family friend who had filed a petition for injunction for protection against domestic violence against her husband. Henderson instructed his client to break into a safe containing the husband’s records and after reviewing the confidential medical records, Henderson made copies to use at an upcoming proceeding.
Peter Arnold Robertson, 5575 Florida A1A S., Suite 116, in St. Augustine, is suspended for 90 days and must complete ethics school and a professionalism workshop, effective 30 days following an Aug. 6 court order.
An attorney and general contractor who owns a construction company, Robertson referred clients of his law firm to his construction company without advising them to seek independent counsel and without putting the terms of the business transaction in writing with the clients’ informed consent.
Robertson represented a married couple against the seller of a home for failing to disclose mold and water damage. The husband fired Robertson after discovering an impermissible personal relationship had developed between Robertson and his wife. Despite the conflict of interest, and having been fired by the husband, Robertson filed documents with the court on behalf of both clients.
Adrian Shiand Webster-Cooley, 8451 Gate Parkway W., Suite 23, in Jacksonville, is suspended for three years followed by one year of probation and must pay restitution, effective retroactively to May 18 following a July 30 court order.
Webster-Cooley joined with “The Criminal Defense League,” which solicited clients nationwide via the internet for mostly criminal matters.
Staff who were not licensed to practice law handled all aspects of cases, harming clients, and clients had trouble communicating with employees.
The Criminal Defense League listed Webster-Cooley as managing attorney though he had no actual involvement in any of the cases. He also created Criminal Defense League Processing Inc. solely for the purpose of receiving client funds and transmitting that money to the nonlawyers.