 |
 |
to fill out a simple form to connect to Personal Injury Lawyers in your area.
|
|
|
|
|
Matter of Serterides12/8/1988
ORDER
The Disciplinary Review Board having duly filed a report with the Supreme Court recommending that LOUIS SERTERIDES of JERSEY CITY, who was admitted to the Bar of this State in 1970, be publicly reprimanded for his conduct in four matters, the Disciplinary Review Board finding that respondent's conduct in each of the four matters constituted gross negligence in violation of DR 6-101(A)(1) and thus a pattern of negligence, in violation of DR 6-101(A)(2) and respondent's misrepresentations to his clients constituted a violation of DR 1-102(A)(4) and respondent's failure to carry out his contracts of employment constituted a violation of DR 7-101(A)(2) and (3), and the Disciplinary Review Board also having recommended that LOUIS SERTERIDES be required to perform 100 hours of community service, and good cause appearing;
It is ORDERED that the foregoing findings and recommendations of the Disciplinary Review Board are hereby adopted, and LOUIS SERTERIDES is publicly reprimanded; and it is further
Ordered that LOUIS SERTERIDES is to provide 100 hours of pro bono legal services to Hudson County Legal Services or an appropriate alternative under terms and conditions
to be approved by the Disciplinary Review Board; and it is further
Ordered that the Decision and Recommendation of the Disciplinary Review Board, together with this order and the full record of the matter, be added as a permanent part of the file of respondent as an attorney at law of the State of New Jersey; and it is further
Ordered that respondent reimburse the Ethics Financial Committee for appropriate administrative costs.
APPENDIX
Decision and Recommendation of the Disciplinary Review Board
To the Honorable Chief Justice and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of New Jersey.
This matter is before the Board based on a Presentment filed by the District VI (Hudson County) Ethics Committee recommending that public discipline be imposed upon respondent. The Presentment resulted from five separate allegations of unethical conduct charged against respondent. The facts are as follows:
The Harrington Matter
In 1978 Maria Harrington ("Grievant") hired respondent to represent her in connection with the sale of a parcel of realty. At closing, respondent retained the sum of $250 in escrow for payment of unascertained sewer charges. Upon receipt of those charges, respondent forwarded the appropriate check to the buyer's attorney. However, despite repeated requests by the grievant, respondent did not forward to her the $166.40 balance in the escrow account. Thereafter, a dispute arose with regard to the condition of the property, with the buyer's attorney putting forth a claim for repairs in the amount of $376.39. This claim was asserted against the balance owed by
buyer to seller on a promissory note executed at the time of closing. Said balance was $494.16. The buyer's attorney wished to get a credit against the balance due on the promisory note. Grievant requested respondent to resist the claim, but respondent, not wanting to litigate the matter, sent to grievant a check drawn on his own funds for $376.39. Grievant returned the check uncashed and demanded that respondent pay her the entire balance of the promissory note plus the entire $250 escrow. Respondent neither closed out the escrow fund nor forwarded the balance to grievant.
The Alvarez Matter
In 1977 Carlos and Dahlia Alvarez ("Grievants"), retained resp
Page 1 2 3 4 5 New Jersey Personal Injury Attorneys
Personal Injury Lawyers
|
| |
to fill out a simple form to connect to Personal Injury Lawyers in your area.
|
|