February 1, 2023 Disciplinary Actions
The Florida Supreme Court in recent court orders disciplined five attorneys, suspending four and reprimanding one.
Jean Berry, 1001 S. Myrtle Avenue, Suite 11, Clearwater, suspended effective 30 days following a January 5 court order. (Admitted to practice: 2002) Berry failed to respond to Florida Bar File No. 2023-10, 176 (6A). The Florida Bar filed its Petition for Contempt and Order to Show Cause on November 3, 2022, and the Florida Supreme Court ordered Berry to show cause by November 21, 2022. Berry failed to file a response to the court’s Order to Show Cause. Berry is ordered suspended until she has responded in writing to the official Bar inquiries, and until further order of the court. (Case No: SC22-1499)
Anton Aggrey Gammons, P.O. Box 682048, Orlando, suspended for six months, effective immediately. (Admitted to practice: 2011) Gammons engaged in sexual conduct with a client he was representing in a dependency court matter. (Case No: SC22-1667)
Bert Edward Moore, P.O. Box 1622, Crestview, suspended for one year, effective 30 days following a January 26 court order. (Admitted to practice: 1980) Moore was retained to file a claim on behalf of a client who alleged that sexually explicit photos were posted on the internet without her knowledge or consent. Moore filed the claim timely but miscalculated the 30-day deadline for filing the complaint in probate court, thereby resulting in the dismissal of the client’s probate complaint. He also failed to properly communicate with his client throughout his representation in probate court. In an attempt to rectify his mistake, Moore paid the client $15,000 over the period of a year before any Bar complaint was filed. The client then demanded another $3,000 and harassed Moore for several months with texts threatening to file a complaint, which she did after Moore refused to pay the additional funds. (Case No: SC21-1132)
Heather Brooke Quick, 8771 Perimeter Park Court, Suite 101, Jacksonville, public reprimand and ordered to attend ethics school, effective within six months of a January 16 court order. (Admitted to practice: 2001) Quick’s firm was retained to represent a client in a divorce matter. The associate assigned to the case resigned from the firm. As a result, the client terminated the firm’s services and demanded a refund of attorney fees paid. Quick returned a portion of the retainer and indicated the delay was due to a breakdown in her firm’s policies and procedures. The Bar’s auditor reviewed Quick’s trust account and determined the delay in processing the refund was an unintentional error. (Case No: SC22-1672)
Hanna Mary Renna, P.O. Box 188, Elmira, NY, suspended for 90 days and ordered to attend ethics school and a professionalism workshop, effective 30 days following a January 4 court order. (Admitted to practice: 2010) Renna, during the representation of a criminal defendant, conducted a deposition of a minor witness who had previously identified her client from a photo pack as the perpetrator. Prior to the deposition, Renna printed copies of the photo pack and renumbered them. Unbeknownst to the state and the witness, Renna used a photograph of a different person than who was identified by the witness when questioning the witness about identification. Renna then relied in part on identification made during the deposition to file a motion to suppress. (Case No: SC22-1484)
The Florida Supreme Court, The Florida Bar, and its Department of Lawyer Regulation are charged with administering a statewide disciplinary system to enforce Supreme Court rules of professional conduct for the more than 110,000 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 reapply 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.
