IL Staff for www.theidianalawyer.com
A Chicago-based attorney who is also licensed in Indiana was suspended by the Indiana Supreme Court as reciprocal discipline after he was suspended from the practice of law in Illinois for professional misconduct.
The Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission filed a verified notice of foreign discipline and petition for issuance of an order to show cause, finding Nicholas C. Kefalos had been disciplined by the state of Illinois. The commission requested reciprocal discipline be imposed for Kefalos in Indiana.
Kefalos was first issued an order to show cause in April by the Indiana Supreme Court. That move came one month after the Supreme Court of Illinois issued an order suspending Kefalos for six months due to professional misconduct.
The attorney failed to diligently represent three clients, did not communicate with them and failed to refund a total of $2,550 in unearned fees, according to the Illinois State Bar Association. Kefalos also made a false statement to one of his clients and did not cooperate with an investigation into his conduct by the Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois.
Upon finding no reason why he should not be reciprocally disciplined, Indiana Supreme Court justices in a Thursday order directed Kefalos be suspended indefinitely from the practice of law in the Hoosier state.
If Kefalos is reinstated to practice in Illinois, he may file a Motion for Release from Reciprocal Suspension pursuant to Admission and Discipline Rule 23(20)(g), provided no other suspension order in effect against him.
The costs of the proceeding are assessed against him. All justices concurred, with Chief Justice Loretta Rush writing the order.
