Lorain County Acting Administrator Rob Weber has been recommended for a one-year suspension of his attorney’s license by the Ohio Supreme Court Professional Conduct Board for mismanaging client payments , according to court records.

Following a March 24 hearing before the High Court Ethics Board, the panel concluded with clear and compelling evidence that Weber committed malpractice involving five clients for personal injury between 2016 and 2018 and one no. -respect of the rules governing its interest on the confidence of lawyers. account (IOLTA).

Weber replaced Tom Williams, who was fired on August 18. No reason was given for Williams’ dismissal.

According to the American Bar Association, an interest in the Lawyers Trust Account is an account that lawyers use to manage clients’ money.

On June 11, the panel granted Weber a one-year suspended suspension and ordered him to complete six hours of continuing legal education on lawyers’ trust account interest and management of client funds, from s ” refrain from any other fault and pay the costs of the procedure.

“(Weber) had not been subjected to any discipline before and his conduct had no dishonest or selfish motive,” concluded the Board of Professional Conduct. “Although the evidence has established that on several occasions the (Weber’s) IOLTA balance fell below the amount of the customer’s money that had been withheld from their paychecks, there is no proof that this was due to the misappropriation of funds by the Respondent for his own benefit. .

“On the contrary, it is clear that he simply had no experience managing client funds in an IOLTA before starting his own solo practice.”

Weber admitted the violations during the March 24 hearing.

According to documents, the complaint against Weber was filed on December 2, 2020, and in March 2016, he established his own solo law firm.

In his previous work as a partner in other firms, he had no involvement in the management of interest on attorneys’ trust accounts.

In three separate cases, the complaint alleged that Weber deposited med-pay checks endorsed by the client’s signatures without his knowledge.

On August 22, 2016, Weber was retained by a woman in a personal injury claim and three checks for $ 505, $ 3,020 and $ 455 were issued to her by an insurance company and deposited in Weber’s interests on the attorneys trust account with its endorsement. .

Council documents say the woman was unaware of the checks, did not sign them, and did not allow anyone to put her name on the back of the checks.

In a similar case, on October 13, 2016, a woman retained Weber’s services in a personal injury case and an insurance company issued two checks for $ 775 and $ 225, with the client ignoring the checks, failing them. did not sign and did not authorize anyone to endorse his name.

On March 23, 2017, Weber represented another woman and a check for $ 10,597 was issued and deposited in her interest into the lawyers’ trust account without her knowledge or knowledge or without permission to endorse her name, according to the complaint.

Weber was not immediately available for comment.