September 1, 2021 Disciplinary Actions
The Florida Supreme Court in recent court orders disciplined 10 attorneys, disbarring two, suspending two, and reprimanding five. One attorney was admonished.
Francine Blair Bogumil, 8950 Della Scala Cir., Orlando, disbarred effective immediately following a July 29 court order. (Admitted to practice: 2006) On January 26 Bogumil pled no contest to three felonies and four misdemeanors in the Circuit Court in Orange County. On March 25, in a second criminal matter, Bogumil pled no contest to three felonies. (Case Nos: SC21-150 and SC21-481)
Sonya Charmaine Davis, 6356 Cypress Gardens Blvd., Winter Haven, public reprimand and directed to attend The Florida Bar’s Ethics School effective immediately following a July 15 court order. (Admitted to practice: 2001) In two separate child custody modification matters, Davis failed to diligently pursue her clients’ objectives or effectively communicate with them. (Case No: SC21-437)
Catherine Rose Faughnan, 12 Ardsley Rd., Binghamton, NY, disbarred effective immediately following a July 22 court order. (Admitted to practice: 2007) Faughnan was held in contempt of the court’s order (Case No: SC20-1042) dated August 31, 2020, for once again failing to respond to the court’s previous order and for failing to notify clients, opposing counsel, and tribunals of her suspension. (Case No: SC21-848)
Robert Laurence Pelletier, 233 E. Bay St., Suite 1020, Jacksonville, public reprimand effective immediately following a July 29 court order. (Admitted to practice: 2012) Pelletier had an advertising campaign that listed him as “Pitbull Lawyer” in print, social media, and a boat wrap. Bar counsel advised him to remove it, but he failed to comply as of late April 2021. Pelletier, however, did finally comply and has removed that advertising campaign. (Case No: SC21-316)
Pamela Randle, 20331 56th St., Live Oak, public reprimand effective immediately following a July 1 court order. (Admitted to practice: 2006) Randle failed to adequately manage her caseload and supervise her employees while she was away from the office for an extended period of time due to health concerns. Upon return, Randle discovered that her employees provided inadequate legal assistance to her clients, and, in a limited manner, engaged in the unlicensed practice of law. Ultimately, it was discovered that no clients were harmed. (Case No: SC21-76)
Simon Rosin, 2109 26th Street West, Unit 415, Bradenton, public reprimand effective immediately following a July 15 court order. (Admitted to practice 1968) Rosin represented a client and friend in a foreclosure litigation matter. During the representation, Rosin filed a motion with the court wherein he humiliated and disparaged opposing counsel and opposing counsel’s firm. Further, Rosin attached to the motion an email from opposing counsel that was inadvertently sent to Rosin and contained attorney-client privileged communication. (Case No: SC19-2126)
Mario Serralta, 7900 Oak Lane, Suite 301, Miami Lakes, public reprimand effective immediately following a July 1 court order. (Admitted to practice: 1999) Serralta failed to protect a charging lien of another attorney for the previous representation of a mutual client. He also failed to supervise his nonlawyer assistant responsible for gathering all costs on the file, including liens and referral fees. (Case No: SC20-1736)
Bradley Stuart Sherman, 105 E. Church Street, Deland, suspended for one year effective 30 days following a July 22 court order. (Admitted to practice: 1997) Sherman engaged in a consensual sexual relationship with a client resulting in the birth of a child and then later impermissibly used and revealed the information he obtained during the representation to disadvantage the client in a paternity action. Sherman also engaged in deceptive conduct by pretending to be the client to send messages to the opposing party that was represented by counsel. Finally, he drafted a motion for the client while the client was acting pro se and failed to put the parties on notice that the motion was prepared with the assistance of counsel. (Case No: SC20-1550)
Jacob Aaron Weil, 2307 N. Andrews Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, suspended for 30 days and held in contempt effective 30 days following a July 15 court order. (Admitted to practice: 2018) Weil failed to respond to any inquiries from The Florida Bar. The Bar filed a Petition for Contempt and Order to Show Cause. Weil failed to file a response to said Order to Show Cause. (Case No: SC21-842)
John Parquette White, 1575 Pine Ridge Rd., Suite 10, Naples, admonished effective immediately following a July 1 court order. (Admitted to practice: 1973) White failed to act with reasonable diligence and failed to communicate with his client in connection with a real estate closing. (Case No: SC21-880)
As an official arm of 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 109,000 members of The Florida Bar. Key discipline case files that are public record are posted to attorneys’ individual online Florida Bar profiles. 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.
