News Releases

SUPREME COURT DISCIPLINES 11 ATTORNEYS

Summaries of orders issued from December 23, 2025, to January 28, 2026

The Florida Bar, the state’s guardian for the integrity of the legal profession, announces that the Florida Supreme Court in recent court orders disciplined 11 attorneys, disbarring four, and suspending seven.

The Florida Supreme Court, The Florida Bar, and its Division of Lawyer Regulation are charged with administering a statewide disciplinary system to enforce Supreme Court rules of professional conduct for the more than 115,000 members of The Florida Bar. Key discipline case files that are public record are posted to attorneys’ individual online Florida Bar profiles. To view discipline documents, follow these steps. Information on the discipline system and how to file a complaint are available at www.floridabar.org/attorneydiscipline.

Court orders are not final until time expires to file a rehearing motion and, if filed, determined. The filing of such a motion does not alter the effective date of the discipline. Disbarred lawyers may not re-apply for admission for five years. They are required to go through an extensive process that includes a rigorous background check and retaking the bar exam. Attorneys suspended for periods of 91 days and longer must undergo a rigorous process to regain their law licenses including proving rehabilitation. Disciplinary revocation is tantamount to disbarment.

Dawn M. Aufenanger, 8361 SW 27th Pl., Davie, suspended for one year effective 30 days following a January 22 court order. (Admitted to Practice: 2003) Aufenanger neglected several of her clients’ cases, failed to keep the clients reasonably informed about the status of their cases and failed to diligently progress some of her clients’ legal matters. (Case No. SC2025-1539)

Noam Jay Cohen, 11900 Biscayne Blvd., Suite 502, Miami, suspended for 90 days effective January 15. (Admitted to Practice: 2000) Cohen, in collection proceedings, conducted himself in an aggressive manner during a hearing against a pro se individual, prompting the court to disconnect the virtual hearing. Thereafter, he negligently filed a motion for final judgment seeking garnishment on debtor’s wages without regard to previous court’s order granting debtor’s claims of exemption, having failed to review the court’s written order. (Case No. SC2025-1998)

David William Davich, 350 North Lake Destiny Rd. Maitland, suspended for 90 days and completion of Ethics School and Professionalism Workshop effective 30 days following a January 22 court order. (Admitted to Practice: 2011) Davich represented a homeowner seeking roof repairs in a claim against an insurer. The roofing contractor that recommended the firm to the homeowner was a long-time client of Davich. Davich did not explain the potential conflict of interest nor the fee agreement providing for an alternative fee to the contingency to the client. The contingency fee agreement was not signed by an attorney for the firm. Davich negotiated a settlement with the insurer and asked for the roofing contractor to be included on the settlement check, to which the client objected. Davich also charged a fee higher than the contingency fee amount without explaining the reason to the client. (Case No. SC2024-1363)

Scott N. Faden, 1342 Colonial Blvd., Suite C17, Fort Myers, suspended for three years, restitution and payment of the Bar’s disciplinary costs, effective 30 days following a January 22 court order. (Admitted to Practice: 2006) Faden was disciplined for his conduct spanning 17 client matters. In many of the matters, Faden was retained and paid, but failed to act with diligence or maintain consistent communication and failed to return unused portions of fees and costs. Faden also made discourteous comments to one opposing party, failed to hold a filing fee in his trust account, and failed to respond to several of the Bar’s requests for information. (Case No. SC2026-0027)

Kelly Brook Hampton, 1015 Atlantic Blvd., 159, Atlantic Beach, suspended for two years and ordered to pay restitution, effective one month following a January 15 court order. (Admitted to Practice: 2004) Hampton engaged in five separate acts of misconduct. In the first matter, he failed to file any pleadings on the client’s behalf in a criminal matter resulting in the client filing a motion to dismiss counsel. In the second matter, he made misrepresentations to the client regarding the status of his modification action and failed to communicate with the client. In the third matter, he failed to do any substantive work on the client’s civil matter and failed to respond to the Bar. In the fourth matter, he failed to respond to official Bar inquiries. In the fifth matter, he made multiple misrepresentations to the clients about the status of their case and failed to respond to the Bar. (Case No. SC2025-0661)

Zachary A. Harrington, 1203 E. New Orleans Ave., Suite B, Tampa, disbarred, restitution and payment of the Bar’s disciplinary costs effective immediately following a January 15 court order. (Admitted to Practice: 2007) Harrington misappropriated $14,000 in settlement funds owed to his client. He deposited the funds into his trust account and subsequently spent the money without disbursing any of the funds to or on behalf of his client. Harrington also failed to respond to the Bar’s repeated requests for information. (Case No. SC2025-0990)

William Gautier Kitchen, 1865 Brown St., Tallahassee, suspended for 60 days and completion of professionalism workshop effective 30 days following a January 22 court order. (Admitted to Practice: 2003) In one matter, Kitchen failed to communicate with the trustee and his client in a bankruptcy case, failed to diligently pursue the bankruptcy, and failed to appear at two hearings. In another matter, Kitchen failed to adequately communicate with his client in an employment discrimination case. (Case No. SC2025-0775)

Nadia Mary Metroka, 400 SW 1st Ave., Unit 784, Ocala, disbarred effective 30 days following a January 22 court order. (Admitted to Practice: 2014) The Bar filed a four-count formal complaint against Metroka alleging a pattern of misconduct over a four-year span. The first count was connected to Metroka’s multiple arrests, and the second concerned misconduct involving communications in a civil lawsuit Metroka brought against an arresting agency and others. The third count relates to Metroka’s failure to abide by court orders, thereby causing a mistrial. Following the mistrial, arbitration was ordered. Finally, Metroka failed to timely comply with court orders, including impugning the integrity of the arbitrator and other misconduct. Metroka filed motions in the Bar proceeding but failed to file an answer to the formal complaint, despite being given a second opportunity to file. Consequently, a default order was entered. (Case No. SC2024-1794)

Les Schneiderman, 6431 Pebble Creek Way, Boynton Beach, disbarred effective immediately following a January 15 court order. (Admitted to Practice: 1991) Schneiderman was hired in October 2017 to represent a client in a child custody matter. Although Schneiderman filed two motions and a petition in the custody matter, he never set the motions for hearing, took no further action in the case and failed to properly communicate with the client. Schneiderman failed to respond to Bar despite having actual notice of the proceedings. (Case No. SC2025-0658)

Nah-Deh E W Simmons, P.O. Box 41083, Jacksonville, felony suspension effective immediately following a January 22 court order. (Admitted to Practice: 2007) On January 14, 2026, Simmons pled guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Commit Perjury. He was sentenced to a two-year probation with conditions. (Case No. SC2026-0097)

Timothy Wayne Terry, 501 North Magnolia Ave., Orlando, disbarred effective 30 days following a December 23 court order. (Admitted to Practice: 1981) Terry engaged in an ongoing course of conduct where he took legal fees to represent clients in domestic relations cases then failed to handle their legal matters in a diligent and competent manner, failed to provide the clients with meaningful responses to their inquiries, and generally treated his clients in an unprofessional and discourteous manner. (Case No. SC2025-0363)

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