JUDICIAL ACTIONS
Leonel Julian Lopez Jr. (Municipal Judge, Rio Grande City, Starr County)
On March 27, 2019, the State Commission on Judicial Conduct issued an order of suspension to Leonel Julian Lopez Jr., municipal judge for Rio Grande City in Starr County.
According to the State Bar, the suspension is related to “pending criminal matter.” In March, according to press reports, Lopez pleaded guilty to federal bribery charges and faces up to ten years in prison. His sentencing is scheduled for July.
RESIGNATIONS
Gary W. Inmon (Cibolo)
On February 26, 2019, the Supreme Court of Texas accepted the resignation, in lieu of discipline, of Gary W. Inmon [#00789393], 51, of Cibolo. At the time of his resignation, Inmon had one grievance pending alleging Inmon failed to safeguard client funds, failed to deliver clients’ funds that they were entitled to receive, misrepresented facts to the court, and failed to respond to a demand for information from a disciplinary authority.
Inmon violated Rules 1.14(a), 1.14(b), 8.01(b), 8.04(a)(2), and 8.04(a)(3).
SUSPENSIONS
J. Gaylord Armstrong (Austin)
On March 11, 2019, J. Gaylord Armstrong [#01320000], 79, of Austin, accepted a 79-month active suspension effective August 23, 2012. An evidentiary panel of the District 9 Grievance Committee found that Armstrong was formerly of counsel to an Austin law firm and was an authorized signatory on a political action committee, or PAC, checking account of his firm’s client. Armstrong was authorized to write checks for political contributions to elected officials from the PAC account. Beginning in March 2011, Armstrong misappropriated funds from the PAC account by writing checks to himself without the client’s knowledge or authorization. Armstrong spent the misappropriated funds on his own personal expenses.
Armstrong engaged in conduct constituting theft and misapplication of fiduciary property Armstrong violated Rules 8.04(a)(2), 8.04(a)(3), and 8.04(a)(1).
Lorenzo Brown (DeSoto)
On March 13, 2019, Lorenzo Brown [#03151500], 67, of DeSoto, agreed to a 12-month fully probated suspension effective March 15, 2019. An evidentiary panel of the District 6 Grievance Committee found that an agreed disciplinary judgment dated February 21, 2017, actively suspended Brown from the practice of law from April 1, 2017, to June 30, 2017, and ordered Brown to provide written notification of his suspension to any courts or opposing counsel in matters that Brown was the attorney of record that were pending during his suspension. Brown was the attorney of record in a case in Dallas County and failed to notify the court in writing regarding his suspension. Brown was the attorney of record in a case in Collin County and failed to notify opposing counsel in writing regarding his suspension. Brown failed to comply with the Texas Rules of Disciplinary Procedure Rule 13.01 relating to notification of an attorney’s suspension of practice.
Brown violated Rule 8.04(a)(10). He was ordered to pay $1,000 in attorneys’ fees and direct expenses.
Luis Roberto Campos (Dallas)
On February 13, 2019, Luis Roberto Campos [#00792394], 49, of Dallas, received a 12-month fully probated suspension effective February 1, 2019. An evidentiary panel of the District 6 Grievance Committee found that in or about August 2015, the complainant hired Campos in a civil matter. The complainant paid Campos $700 to begin the representation. Thereafter, Campos neglected the legal matter entrusted to him by failing to provide legal services to the complainant. Campos also failed to keep the complainant reasonably informed about the status of her case and failed to promptly comply with reasonable requests from the complainant about her legal matter. Upon termination, Campos failed to surrender papers and property to which the complainant was entitled and failed to refund advance payments of fees that had not been earned. Further, Campos failed to timely respond to the grievance.
Campos violated Rules 1.01(b)(1), 1.03(a), 1.15(d), and 8.04(8). He was ordered to pay $200 in restitution and $1,149 in attorneys’ fees and direct expenses.
Michael W. Eaton (Conroe)
On March 6, 2019, Michael W. Eaton [#06383800], 60, of Conroe, agreed to a 36-month active suspension effective April 15, 2020. An evidentiary panel of the District 7 Grievance Committee found that in representing the complainant, Eaton neglected the legal matters entrusted to him and frequently failed to carry out completely the obligations he owed to the complainant. Eaton failed to keep the complainant reasonably informed about the status of his lawsuit and failed to promptly comply with reasonable requests for information from the complainant. Further, when communicating with the complainant and when communicating with the State Bar of Texas in connection to this grievance, Eaton engaged in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation.
Eaton violated Rules 1.01(b)(1), 1.01(b)(2), 1.03(a), and 8.04(a)(3). He was ordered to pay $2,350 in attorneys’ fees and direct expenses.
Annette R. Loyd (Fort Worth)
On February 14, 2019, Annette R. Loyd [#16731100], 56, of Fort Worth, received a two-year fully probated suspension. An evidentiary panel of the District 7 Grievance Committee found that while representing clients in a civil matter, Loyd neglected the case and violated a disciplinary judgment. Loyd failed to promptly comply with the clients’ reasonable requests for case information and failed to explain the legal matter to the extent reasonably necessary to permit the clients to make informed decisions about the representation. Loyd also failed to timely provide a response to the grievance.
Loyd violated Rules 1.01(b)(1), 1.03(a), 1.03(b), 8.04(a)(7), and 8.04(a)(8). She was ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution and $4,000 in attorneys’ fees and direct expenses.
Refugio Rafael Perez (Corpus Christi)
On February 28, 2019, Refugio Rafael Perez [#24051893], 41, of Corpus Christi, accepted a nine-month active suspension effective October 1, 2018. An evidentiary panel of the District 11 Grievance Committee found that Perez failed to return unearned fees, failed to respond to the grievance, and engaged in the practice of law while his license was suspended. Perez violated Rules 1.15(d), 8.04(a)(8), and 8.04(a)(11). He was ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution and $800 in attorneys’ fees and direct expenses.
Regina M. Scrivner-Tibbs
On March 14, 2019, Regina M. Scrivner-Tibbs [#17931200], 59, of San Antonio, agreed to a one-year fully probated suspension effective April 1, 2019. An evidentiary panel of the District 10 Grievance Committee found that Scrivner- Tibbs failed to hold funds in trust and failed to promptly notify and deliver funds to the client’s health care provider.
Scrivner-Tibbs violated Rules 1.14(a) and 1.14(b).
Cynthia Borgfeld Smith (Georgetown)
On March 20, 2019, Cynthia Borgfeld Smith [#18553650], 71, of Georgetown, accepted a one-year fully probated suspension effective March 15, 2019. An evidentiary panel of the District 8 Grievance Committee found that while representing a client in a child support modification, Smith told her client that she filed a petition on his behalf. However, no such petition was filed. Smith then ceased all communication with her client. Smith failed to respond to her client’s request for a copy of his file, an accounting of any earned fees, and the return of any unearned fees and further failed to file a response to the grievance as required by the Texas Rules of Disciplinary Procedure.
Smith violated Rules 1.01(b)(1), 1.03(a), 1.15(d), and 8.04(a)(8). Smith was ordered
to pay $400 in restitution and $580.50 in attorneys’ fees and direct expenses.
PUBLIC REPRIMANDS
Jennifer K. Gjesvold (Hurst)
On February 12, 2019, Jennifer K. Gjesvold [#24076175], 43, of Hurst, received a public reprimand. The 352nd Judicial District Court of Tarrant County found that Gjesvold violated Rule 4.04(a) [In representing a client, a lawyer shall not use means that have no substantial purpose other than to embarrass, delay, or burden a third person, or use methods of obtaining evidence that violate the legal rights of such a person].
Cheryl Denise Hole (McAllen)
On August 7, 2015, Cheryl Denise Hole [#13857300], 72, of McAllen, received a public reprimand. The 92nd District Court of Hidalgo County found that Hole violated Rule 7.01(a) [a lawyer in private practice shall not practice under a trade name, a name that is misleading as to the identity of the lawyer or lawyers practicing under such name, or a firm name containing names other than those of one or more of the lawyers in the firm] and 7.01(c) [the name of a lawyer occupying a judicial, legislative, or public executive or administrative position shall not be used in the name of a firm, or in communications on its behalf, during any substantial period in which the lawyer is not actively and regularly practicing with the firm].
Hole violated Rules 7.01(a) and 7.01(c). She was ordered to pay $1,000 in attorneys’ fees and direct expenses.
Ronald G. Hole (McAllen)
On August 7, 2015, Ronald G. Hole [#09834200], 64, of McAllen, received a public reprimand. The 430th District Court of Hidalgo County found that Hole violated Rule 7.01(a) [a lawyer in private practice shall not practice under a trade name, a name that is misleading as to the identity of the lawyer or lawyers practicing under such name, or a firm name containing names other than those of one or more of the lawyers in the firm] and 7.01(c) [the name of a lawyer occupying a judicial, legislative, or public executive or administrative position shall not be used in the name of a firm, or in communications on its behalf, during any substantial period in which the lawyer is not actively and regularly practicing with the firm].
Hole violated Rules 7.01(a) and 7.01(c). He was ordered to pay $1,500 in attorneys’ fees and direct expenses.
Rachel June Williams (Conroe)
On December 4, 2018, Rachel June Williams [#24042166], 47, of Conroe, received a judgment of public reprimand. An evidentiary panel of the District 3 Grievance Committee found that Williams neglected the legal matter entrusted to her, failed to keep her client reasonably informed about the status of her matter, failed to timely furnish to the Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel a response or other information as required by the Texas Rules of Disciplinary Procedure, and, upon termination of representation, failed to refund advance payments of fees that had not been earned.
Williams violated Rules 1.01(b)(1), 1.03(a), 1.15(d), and 8.04(a)(8). She was ordered to pay $737.06 in attorneys’ fees and direct expenses.