Connecticut's Statewide Grievance Committee took disciplinary action against 10 attorneys in September, according to the latest roundup of attorney ethics cases.

The sanctions include reprimands, presentments and discipline with conditions. Here's a look at the attorneys, listed alphabetically, whose ethics charges led to disciplinary action.

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Tony Anthony

The Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel reprimanded New Britain solo practitioner Tony Anthony over his work in a client's divorce.

The office found Anthony violated Rule 4.2 of the Rules of Professional Conduct. That rule prohibits a lawyer from bypassing a litigant's counsel and communicating directly with that litigant, without the other attorney's consent.

In Anthony's case, the reviewing arm of the Statewide Grievance Committee found he communicated with a represented party without consent of counsel. The committee found Anthony negotiated and obtained the signature of a woman on a divorce agreement, while other counsel was representing that litigant.

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Christopher Bacotti

The Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel placed New York and Connecticut attorney Christopher Bacotti on interim suspension Sept. 12 until further orders from the court.

A grievance was filed against Bacotti for an overdraft in his Connecticut Interest on Lawyers Trust Account, or IOLTA. Bacotti, the counsel said, failed or refused to cooperate by providing information about his Bank of America account.

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Nitor Egbarin

The Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel reprimanded Hartford-based attorney Nitor Egbarin over his fee agreements with clients.

Superior Court Judge David Sheridan, acting on a request for a reprimand from counsel, wrote that Egbarin "is fully aware that he needs to take considerably more care in making, documenting, and carrying out fee agreements in the future."

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Alan Giacomi

The Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel made a presentment in the case of former Waterbury solo practitioner Alan Giacomi, who had been suspended from practicing law in Connecticut for 20 years, effective July 22. Giacomi was suspended for his role in siphoning at least $411,000 from clients in real estate transactions. He was sentenced after criminal prosecution in a related case to 41 months in prison and three years of supervised release.

The latest attorney-discipline case stems from a grievance by Giacomi's sister, over a December 2016 transaction in which her brother had represented her on a real estate closing.

A trustee contacted the sister after Giacomi was suspended from practicing law in 2017. The investigation revealed that Giacomi had never recorded the warranty deed or mortgage. The Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel found the attorney had also failed to pay conveyance and property taxes. Giacomi's sister was forced to retain new counsel to finalize the closing, according to the disciplinary record.

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Ross Hakala

The Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel set conditions for Bridgeport solo practitioner Ross Hakala, charged with violating Rules of Professional Conduct related to competence, misconduct and candor toward the tribunal.

Those conditions included attending an in-person, three-hour continuing legal education course in ethics.

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Perlesta Hollingsworth Jr.

The Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel suspended Connecticut and Washington, D.C., attorney Perlesta Hollingsworth Jr. for six months, with three months of the suspension being stayed in favor of one year of unsupervised probation.

The Connecticut discipline is reciprocal to the discipline handed down in Washington, D.C., after Hollingsworth acknowledged mismanagement of his IOLTA.

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Jonathan Hull

The Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel set conditions for Connecticut attorney Jonathan Hull, charged with violating Rules of Professional Conduct related to the communication of fees. Those conditions include attending an in-person, three-credit continuing legal education course in ethics.

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Neil Johnson

The counsel made a presentment against Tolland solo practitioner Neil Johnson, charged with violating Rules of Professional Conduct related to misconduct and to meritorious claims and contentions.

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Rolland Mandel

Stamford-based attorney Rolland Mandel agreed to resign from the Connecticut Bar and has waived the privilege of reapplying, over charges related to his management of his IOLTA account.

The Statewide Grievance Committee notified Mandel in July that he'd been randomly selected to have his IOLTA account audited. Through his attorney, Mandel notified the committee that he wouldn't be complying with the audit, and instead decided to resign.

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Walter Shalvoy Jr.

The counsel set conditions and ordered restitution for Newtown-based attorney Walter Shalvoy Jr.

Shalvoy must attend an in-person, three-credit continuing legal education course in ethics. He must also pay $500 restitution to former client Sean Allen Sr., who filed a grievance complaint against him.

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