675 East Irving
Park Road, Suite 202
Roselle, IL 60172-2349
File Information:
M.R. 22643, 07 CH 23
Mr. Kofkin, who
was licensed in 1983, was suspended
for one year and until further order of the
Court, with the suspension stayed after
sixty days by a two-year period of probation
with conditions. He neglected several
bankruptcy matters, did not refund unearned
fees to two clients, and failed to cooperate
with the ARDC investigation.
The suspension is
effective on December 9, 2008.
In re TRACY HENSLER
KRIZMAN, Attorney Number 6225381
1901 West Division Street
Chicago, Illinois 60622-3713
File Information: M.R. 22620, 08 CH 2
Ms. Krizman, who was licensed in 1994, was
disbarred. She neglected five different
client matters, made misrepresentations to
her clients, and failed to cooperate with
the ARDC. She did not appear at her
disciplinary hearing. She was previously
disciplined for similar misconduct.
In re
MICHAEL IRA
LAWRENCE,
Attorney Number
6207972
102 South
Interstate Drive
Sikeston, Missouri 63801-8641
File information:
M.R. 22682, 08 RC 1511
Mr.
Lawrence, who was licensed in Illinois in
1991 and in Missouri in 1990, was disbarred
in Missouri for neglecting and abandoning
his clients and his law practice, when he
resumed a previously-controlled pattern of
substance abuse. The Illinois Supreme Court
imposed reciprocal discipline and ordered
him disbarred in this state.
In re JAMES JOSEPH PACINI,
Attorney Number 6209678
4784 North
Elston Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60630-4003
File Information:
M.R. 22667, 07 CH 98
Mr. Pacini,
who was licensed in 1992, was suspended for
one year and until further order of the
Court, with the suspension stayed in its
entirety by a two-year period of probation
subject to conditions. He possessed
illegal controlled substances at his
residence.
In re RAYMOND
L. PRUSAK, Attorney Number 3128532
1021 West Adams Street, Suite
102
Chicago, IL 60607-2935
File Information: M.R. 22666, 06 CH 66
Mr. Prusak, who was licensed in 1980, was
suspended for three years and until further
order of the Court, with the suspension
stayed after the first six months by
probation with conditions, provided that he
makes certain restitution. He provided
ineffective assistance of counsel and
engaged in a conflict of interest when he
represented two co-defendants in one
criminal case, neglected three criminal
appeals, neglected the matters of five other
different clients, inadequately supervised
his associates in three matters, did not
refund unearned fees in three matters, and
made misrepresentations to clients and to
the ARDC. The
suspension is effective on December 9, 2008.
In re JOSEPH SHUN MENDOZA RAVAGO,
Attorney Number 6244768
2716 West
Peterson Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60659-3920
File Number:
M.R. 22600, 06 CH 71
Mr. Ravago,
who was licensed in 1998, was suspended for
one year and until he completes the program
of the Illinois Professional Responsibility
Institute. He
assisted a client
in engaging in fraudulent conduct by
executing a lien reflecting that Mr. Ravago
was owed money for services relating to a
piece of property when no such services had
ever been rendered.
He also
wrongfully notarized the signatures of three
individuals on lien forms without verifying
the validity of the signatures. The
suspension is effective on December 9, 2008.
In re DEAN J.
ROUPAS,
Attorney Number 6271418
4634
West 103rd Street, Suite 101
Oak Lawn, Illinois 60453-6218
File Information: M.R. 22661,
08 CH 76
Mr. Roupas, who was licensed in 2000, was
disbarred on consent. He pled guilty to
federal charges of corruptly offering and
giving cash with the intent to influence and
reward others. He represented individuals
and entities before the Illinois Department
of Revenue. He paid cash bribes totaling
approximately $40,000 to Department auditors
in exchange for referrals to him of
taxpayers’ legal work. He was suspended on
an interim basis on October 17, 2008.
In re MICHAEL
SEGAL, Attorney Number 2542234
875 N. Michigan Avenue, 20th
Floor
Chicago, Illinois 60611-1803
File Information: M.R. 22658, 07 CH 103
Mr. Segal, who was licensed in 1968, was
disbarred on consent. He was convicted in
the United States District Court for the
Northern District of Illinois on charges of
mail fraud, wire fraud, racketeering,
embezzlement, tax conspiracy and making
false statements to various governmental
agencies, all related to his role as the
owner, director, chief executive officer and
chief operating officer of Near North
National Group. He was suspended on an
interim basis on January 23, 2006.
In re BARRY MICHAEL SELTZER, Attorney Number
6184869
2123 Bay
Street
Sarasota, Florida 34237-7909
File Information:
M.R. 22583, 05 CH 113
Mr.
Seltzer, who was licensed in 1983, was
suspended for one year and until further
order of the Court, with the suspension
stayed after the first ninety days by a
two-year period of probation subject to
conditions. He was convicted of felony
assault with a deadly weapon without intent
to kill. He drove an automobile toward
then-United States Congresswoman Katherine
Harris and her campaign supporters. The
suspension is effective on December 9, 2008.
In re BARBARA JEAN SMILES,
Attorney Number 3124491
Post Office
Box 3456
Joliet, Illinois 60434-3456
File Number: M.R.
22618, 08 DC 1007
Ms. Smiles,
who was licensed to practice in 1979, was
disbarred upon consent. In her
capacity as trustee and attorney for a
trust, she charged an unreasonable fee, did
not make the required disbursements to the
trust beneficiaries, and did not provide an
accounting of the distributions she made
from the trust.
In re GARY
EUGENE STARK, Attorney Number 6226166
602 South Main Street.
Anna, Illinois 62906
File information: M.R. 22628, 08 SH 24
Mr. Stark, who was licensed in 1994, was
suspended for sixty days
and ordered to complete the program of the
Illinois Professional Responsibility
Institute. He neglected three civil
matters for a client and made
misrepresentations to her regarding the
status of her cases.
The suspension is
effective on December 9, 2008.
In re CHARLES FREDERICK WILHELM,
Attorney Number 3122898
Post Office
Box 312
Purchase, New York 10577-03212
File Information:
M.R. 22698, 07 CH 73
Mr.
Wilhelm, who was licensed in 1978, was
suspended for one year and until further
order of Court, with the suspension stayed
after six months by a two-year period of
probation subject to conditions. He pled
guilty but mentally ill to driving a vehicle
while under the influence of alcohol, intent
to commit armed violence, and aggravated
fleeing and eluding. He was suffering from a
manic episode as a result of not taking his
medications for bipolar disorder when his
misconduct occurred. The suspension is
effective on December 9, 2008.
In re ROGER
H. WILLIAMS, Attorney Number 3027325
1901 West Division, Suite 4N
Chicago, Illinois 60622-3713
File Information: M.R. 22620, 08 CH
1
Mr. Williams, who was licensed in 1973, was
disbarred. He neglected five different
client matters, made misrepresentations to
his clients, and failed to cooperate with
the ARDC. He did not appear at his
disciplinary hearing. He was previously
disciplined for similar misconduct.
The Following Orders Were Entered By The
Court Before The November 2008 Term But Were
Not Included In Any Previous Information
Release
In re
JOHN JOSEPH ROBINSON, Attorney Number
6189063
Post Office Box 557
Dundee, Illinois 60118-0557
File Information: M.R. 22675,
08 CH 109
(Order entered November 4, 2008).
Mr. Robinson, who was licensed in 1984, was
suspended on an interim basis and until
further order of the Court. He pled guilty
to a federal mail fraud charge and was
sentenced to a one year and one day prison
term. He served as a lobbyist and consultant
for vendors and institutions that wanted to
develop business with the Illinois
Department of Corrections. He paid cash
kickbacks to the IDOC Director totaling
between $20,000 and $25,000. In
consideration for the kickbacks, the
Director gave Mr. Robinson information and
other assistance in connection with the
entities on whose behalf Mr. Robinson
lobbied and rendered consulting services.
In re LORIE KEENA WESTERFIELD, Attorney
Number 6227219
2102 East
73rd Street
Chicago, Illinois 60649-3202
File Information:
M.R. 22569, 08 CH 71
(Order entered on
September 23, 2008).
Ms. Westerfield,
who was licensed in 1995, was suspended on
an interim basis and until further order of
the Court. She was convicted of federal wire
fraud after she participated in a scheme to
cause individuals experiencing financial
problems to sell their homes as part of a
leaseback arrangement. She was sentenced to
a five-year term of probation and was
ordered to pay restitution of $116,147 to a
defrauded bank.
In re
Allen Barry Witz, Attorney Number
3054055
10 Sheridan
Square
New York, New York 10014-6824
File Number: M.R.
22565, 08 CH 59
(Order entered on
October 14, 2008)
Mr. Witz, who
was licensed in 1966,
was suspended on
an interim basis and until further order of
the Court. He conspired to commit securities
fraud and engaged in conduct contrary to
rules or regulations of the Securities and
Exchange Commission.
