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Supreme Court disciplines Cleveland attorney

00-1867. Cuyahoga Cty. Bar Assn. v. Belkin.
On Certified Report by the Board of Commissioners on Grievances and Discipline of the Supreme Court, No. 98-88.
Alan Belkin is suspended from the practice of law for eighteen months, stayed on conditions.
Moyer, C.J., Douglas, Resnick, F.E. Sweeney, Pfeifer and Cook, JJ., concur.
Lundberg Stratton, J., dissents.
Opinion: http://www.sconet.state.oh.us/rod/newpdf/0/2001/2001-ohio-136.pdf

Alan Belkin, 54, was placed on disciplinary probation today by the Supreme Court, which voted 6-1 against an actual suspension of the Cleveland attorney's law license.

Belkin violated professional conduct rules by accepting clients' retainers without following through with the legal work he was hired to do, the court said.

Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton said she would impose an 18-month suspension, staying only 12 months. She disagreed with the other justices that Belkin's battle with depression should be considered a mitigating factor.

As a condition of his probation, Belkin must submit to monitoring by an attorney of the Cuyahoga County Bar Association's choosing and repay a former client's $1,000 retainer. Failure to do either, or committing further rule infractions, will net Belkin an actual 18-month license suspension, the court warned.

Contacts
Margaret E. Stanard, 216.861.3086, Harry J. Jacob III, 440.349.3301, and Robert I. Chernertt, 216.696.8700, for the Cuyahoga County Bar Association.

Alan Belkin, 216.241.8080, pro se.