7 Connecticut Attorneys Disciplined in April, Grievance Committee Reports
Seven Connecticut attorneys were disciplined in April for offenses ranging from sex-related charges to a weapons case.
May 08, 2019 at 03:52 PM
5 minute read
Connecticut's Statewide Grievance Committee this week announced disciplinary action against seven attorneys, issuing reprimands, suspensions, presentments and resignations.
Here is a look at those attorneys, listed alphabetically, whose ethics charges led to disciplinary actions in April.
Seth Carey:
Maine resident and Connecticut attorney Seth Carey has been suspended from practicing law for three years in the Nutmeg State for sex-related charges in Maine. The suspension is effective Dec. 20, 2018.
Carey is primarily an Auburn, Maine, attorney, and Connecticut issued reciprocal discipline.
Maine disciplinary authorities found credible evidence the 43-year-old Carey grabbed the head of a female tenant and “thrust it toward his crotch while demanding oral sex.” Carey, the Maine disciplinary authorities said, claimed the sexual abuse threat followed his threat to evict the woman from her residence, where he was the landlord.
Maine disciplinary authorities said various emails and texts “substantiate that attorney Carey was seeking to have the complainant engage in sexual activity with him and that she had refused.”
John Herbert Harrington:
The Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel has reprimanded Southport attorney John Herbert Harrington.
The chief disciplinary counsel followed up on an April 2018 grievance complaint that Robert Koteles Jr. leveled against Harrington, and found the attorney agreed to act as a receiver of rents, but failed to do so. The counsel found Harrington didn't properly communicate with Koteles about the status of the rents and didn't keep accurate records of the finances.
Richard Lawlor:
The Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel has ordered Hartford attorney Richard Lawlor to make restitution in the amount of $2,000 to complainant Lauren LeBlanc.
LeBlanc instituted a grievance against Lawlor in July 2018.
This was an agreed upon disposition where Lawlor did not agree to all of the factual claims. LeBlanc's claim was that Lawlor didn't attend a scheduled court hearing and didn't communicate sufficiently. The restitution was an agreed-upon refund of part of the attorney fee paid.
Jason Lipsky:
The Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel announced that Waterbury lawyer Jason Lipsky, who had been suspended for one year for not filing a client's disability claim, has agreed to resign as an attorney.
The disciplinary counsel said Lipsky also waived the privilege of reapplying to the state bar at a later date.
An attorney for 21 years who specialized in criminal defense, personal injury, residential real estate and probate matters, Lipsky was supposed to have filed an application for Social Security disability insurance for Southington resident Paul Cavalieri.
Cavalieri, who has multiple sclerosis, said Lipsky repeatedly assured him his application had been filed but that there was a backlog in the system. Cavalieri said, in fact, Lipsky never filed the application, and wrote in his complaint against the attorney that Lipsky also gave him wrong information about his work capabilities.
“He advised me to work as long as I could because Social Security doesn't care if you continue to work during the application process, which I didn't know at the time was totally false,” Cavalieri wrote in his complaint against Lipsky.
Dale James Morgado:
The Statewide Grievance Committee cited New York and Florida attorney Dale Morgado, who is also licensed to practice law in Connecticut, twice in its report on April discipline.
The committee made a presentment against Morgado related to his representation of Sean Jacobus in a civil litigation matter. The committee also disbarred Morgado for seven years, effective Nov. 29, 2018, for a separate matter.
With regard to Jacobus' case in Florida, Morgado had charged Jacobus about $19,000 for representation in a labor matter. Morgado is alleged to have had very little communication with Jacobus on his case, including not responding to a motion for summary judgment by plaintiff Matt Yates.
Morgado's disbarment also resulted from a case in New York. In that case, according to New York authorities, Morgado failed to appear pursuant to a subpoena for his failure to “register with and pay dues to the Office of Court Administration for the 2016/17 biennial period, conduct immediately threatening the public interest.”
Christopher Overton:
The Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel announced Norwalk solo practitioner Christopher Overton, who spent 18 months in prison for gun charges and making threats as he attempted to buy drugs, could apply for reinstatement in five years.
Overton, who was released from prison in April, is suspended from practicing law for one year after his discharge. Upon release, he was given a five-year period of conditional discharge, which means he could return to prison if he breaks any laws. That conditional discharge requirement could also affect when he is allowed to practice law again, so Overton's attorney said he is weighing whether to appeal.
Overton, the Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel said, pulled a knife and then a gun on an acquaintance in an attempt to get drugs. That acquaintance, court papers say, had helped him acquire narcotics in the past.
Aimee Wickless:
The Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel announced it has reprimanded Norwich attorney Aimee Wickless, who was the subject of a grievance by RCN Capital in March 2018.
This was an agreed upon disposition where Wickless did not agree to all of the factual claims. RCN Capital claims it retained Wickless to commence two foreclosure actions and she only commenced one. RCN Capital also claimed inadequate communication; specifically that Wickless didn't timely inform them that the foreclosure action had been dismissed.
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