The Florida Supreme Court suspended for three years a Miami lawyer named sole beneficiary of an account, which had a value of more than $2 million, from his elderly clients suffering from cognitive decline.

"The ruling notes the often-overlooked significance of Florida Bar Rule 4-1.14 governing the representation of a client with diminished capacity, a complex but crucial rule in the representation of elderly and impaired clients," said Anthony V. Alfieri, a professor at the University of Miami School of Law and director of its Center for Ethics and Public Service.

Anthony V. Alfieri of the University of Miami School of Law. (Credit: J. Albert Diaz/ALM) Anthony V. Alfieri of the University of Miami School of Law. (Credit: J. Albert Diaz/ALM)