The Florida Bar has filed an emergency petition asking the state Supreme Court to suspend Scot Strems of the Strems Law Firm in Coral Gables, alleging he "sits at the head of a vast campaign of unprofessional, unethical and fraudulent conduct that now infects courts and communities across the state."

The Strems Law Firm specializes in property insurance, personal injury and workers' compensation cases and has at least 14 attorneys across five Florida offices, according to its website.

But the Florida Bar's petition filed Thursday called that website "a professional veneer," accusing Strems of violating 17 ethical rules. The petition pointed to an "alarming number" of cases that follow a pattern usually resulting in sanctions orders.

The bar collated orders and filings from 18 different cases that it said reveal a pattern, but "by no means represent the totality of sanctions issued against respondent."

The pattern, according to the bar, begins with multiple lawsuits filed for separate losses under the same policy. Then comes "a ceaseless pattern of delay," as deadlines, depositions and court orders are allegedly ignored and dishonest or false statements allegedly follow.

"For example, dubious reasons might be given to excuse an absence from a hearing, or SLF may conveniently forget to apprise the court of a client's death," the petition said.

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Violations in 'virtually every case'

The bar claims that months or years later, the firm and/or its clients are usually sanctioned and "the end result is a massive waste of judicial resources and defense costs, and—of course—nothing for Mr. Strems' clients."

One of those sanctions orders came before the Fourth District Court of Appeal on Wednesday, when it affirmed the dismissal of an insurance case as punishment but overturned $22,877 in sanctions.

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Related story: South Florida Law Firm Dodges Nearly $23,000 Sanction Over Misconduct in Insurance Suit

Strems is yet to formally respond to the allegations. But his attorneys Scott Tozian of Smith Tozian Daniel & Davis in Tampa and Miami solo practitioner Mark Kamilar said he denies the accusations.

"Scot Strems strongly disputes the allegations and is working with the bar to set a hearing to present his defense," Kamilar said.

The petition claimed Strems's conduct not only damages his clients but also hurts insurers, insurance lawyers, the courts, the public and Florida homeowners, who pay the price with insurance premiums.

The cases featured in the bar's petition stem from Broward, Miami-Dade, Hillsborough, Orange, Collier, Volusia, Polk and Lee Counties, and resulted in admonishments from 17 different judges and at least $89,410 in sanctions.

The bar also attached affidavits from Hillsborough Circuit Judges Gregory Holder and Rex Barbas, who've presided over some of the firm's cases. The judges stated it's widely known among their colleagues that Strems violates the Rules of Professional Responsibility in "virtually every case where he and his firm enter an appearance," according to the petition.

Strems was admitted to practice in 2007 and has not been disciplined within the last 10 years, according to his bar profile. He holds a law degree from the University of Miami.

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