The Florida Supreme Court has taken action to discipline several attorneys, making decisions that will affect their careers and reputations in the legal field. Among the disciplined is Miami attorney Leroy G. Lee, who finds himself on the receiving end of a 90-day suspension, according to a report by The Miami Herald. This is not Lee's first brush with disciplinary action, having previously been suspended for six months in 2021 and for 81 days in 2019 for violations that are hauntingly similar to the current charges against him.
Lee's most recent suspension arises from less than diligent service to a client and insufficient communication. The genesis of the current suspension lies in the case of a convicted fraudster, whose wife transferred $500 to Lee under the belief that he had been hired for an appeal. “By contrast, [Lee] believes he only agreed to review (the client’s) criminal matter and determine a path forward for (the client). Although (the client’s wife) spoke to [Lee] on behalf of her husband a few times, [Lee’s] communication eventually dropped off,” The Miami Herald reports. Despite his client’s pleas and payments, Lee failed to not only effectively communicate but also adequately represent the interests entrusted to him by those seeking his legal counsel.
In response to his actions, Lee claimed a lack of "dishonest or selfish motive," citing a period of personal crisis due to a COVID-19 related death in his family that impacted his mental and emotional well-being. He expressed regret for his lack of communication, acknowledging that he could have maintained better dialogue lines, as noted in his guilty plea. Lee's past actions have raised concerns, as he has been previously reprimanded for similar misconduct, including failing to handle legal matters and discouraging clients from reporting him by using biblical arguments, as detailed by The Miami Herald.
Lee is not alone in facing repercussions for professional misconduct. The state's supreme judicial body has also suspended Maria C. Delgadillo for a term of 18 months due to misrepresentations to the court among other derelictions. Delgadillo will need to demonstrate rehabilitation before she can to hope to have her law license reinstated. Details on her suspension and other disciplinary actions taken against Florida attorneys were reported by The Palm Beach Post.
