For those wondering who Scott Anderson is, join the club. We have been asking that question too. He has “signed” hundreds of mortgage documents (if not tens of thousands) as a Vice President of MERS, the infamous Mortgage Electronic Registrations Systems, Inc. Several people, potential clients and readers of this blog have documents “signed” by Mr. Anderson. One astute person, however, realized that Mr. Anderson’s signature varies greatly. Same with the notary’s signature. (We have not compared the signatures but have absolutely no reason to disbelieve the information we have received.)

Last year, the rage was “robo-signing” by MERS and others, including some well known lenders. Robosigning occurs when a person signes hundreds or thousands of documents a day attesting that he has read each and is familiar with the transaction. That one person can be familiar with tens of thousands of mortgage files and can attest that each is accurate is a farce.

If robo-signing is bad, forgery is worse. We have been seeing and hearing of many cases where critical mortgage documents were not signed by the people who said they signed them. In other words, they are forgeries.  That a banker would forge a mortgage document is terrible. But notaries too? Apparently.

We have even seen mortgage documents signed by lawyers for the bank.  The forgeries and improperly signed documents are just starting to surface as more people become aware of the problem and more foreclosures proceed through court.

Forgery is a crime.  The banks and their lawyers might argue that it was done for “convenience” but it is still against the law. If bankers, lawyers and even notaries can freely forge documents there can be no integrity in the system.  If you are aware of forged documents that were used against you, let us know.  We are currently investigating several cases against several large lenders and foreclosure mills (law firms that represent lenders) including Bank of New York, Bank of America, Wells Fargo and Blommer Peterman. [An investigation does not mean that we have concluded any wrong doing by any party named in this post.]

And if anyone knows Scott Anderson, let him know we would love to meet him (or them).

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Mahany & Ertl is a full service law firm. As a general rule, we do not handle foreclosure defense work. Instead, we sue lenders and loan servicers in state and federal court for their wrongful and illegal conduct.  Presently we have the largest federal false claims act case in the United States against a lender - HUD’s $2.4 billion fraud case against Allied Home Mortgage.

If you think you have a case that meets our criteria and feel that you have been denied justice, give us a call.  For a confidential consultation, contact attorney Anthony Dietz at adietz@mahanyertl.com. For immediate assistance, contact attorney Brian Mahany at brian@mahanyertl.com or by telephone at (414) 704-6731 (direct).

Mahany & Ertl - Giving Homeowners a Voice. Offices in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Detroit, Michigan; Portland, Maine & Minneapolis, Minnesota.  Services available in many states.

We are not big fans of the large mortgage lenders and servicers. MERS (Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems Inc.) is pretty far down on our list too. But besides from being overworked and often not returning calls for weeks, we don’t have too many bad things to say about the law firms that represent banks in foreclosure actions. We may not like their clients but understand that the lawyers are often simply following the orders of those clients. Lately, however, some of the law firms have been getting a black eye too.

According to reports from Reuters, Stephen J. Baum, P.C. has agreed to pay $4 million to settle accusations that it improperly verified and notarized foreclosure complaints. (The Baum firm reportedly handled 100,000 foreclosure cases in New York.) The money is being paid to the New York Attorney General’s Office.

Apparently, this isn’t the first time the firm has been in trouble. Last year they reportedly paid $2 million to settle a parallel federal probe. That settlement was in early October. A few weeks later the New York Times ran a picture of a Halloween party at the firm in which were employees were dressed as homeless men and women.

Reuters says the firm closed its doors in December after Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac barred lenders from referring cases to the firm. In addition to the fines, the founder and managing partner each agreed to not represent any more lenders in foreclosure actions for the next two years.

This report comes just months after a Florida judge barred another law firm specializing in foreclosures from filing any more cases.

Actions against law firms are highly unusual. Apparently some firms became notorious “foreclosure mills” and let their quality standards drop. We recently ran into a case where the lawyer - not the lender - signed affidavits on behalf of the bank. That’s forgery and its not only wrong, its a crime.

We welcome hearing from lawyers or staff that worked for a “foreclosure mill” and know of widespread wrongdoing. Of course, we are interested in hearing from aggrieved homeowners too.

The anti-fraud lawyers at Mahany & Ertl concentrate on helping victims of fraud. Whether legal malpractice, mortgage fraud or some other type of lender liability, we may be able to help. Currently we are handling the largest false claims act case in the nation against a mortgage lender - HUD’s $2.4 billion claim against Allied Home Mortgage.

For more information, contact attorney Brian Mahany at (414) 704-6731 (direct) or by email at brian@mahanyertl.com

Mahany & Ertl - America’s Fraud Lawyers. Giving homeowners and victims a voice from our offices in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Detroit, Michigan; Portland, Maine & Minneapolis, Minnesota. Services available in many jurisdictions.

Several months ago (November 9th, to be exact), I wrote a post about Marcus Evans. For those not familiar with the company, it is a global provider of conferences and summits. According to their website and CEO, the company employs 3000 people and puts out about 2000 events per year.

I was incredibly skeptical at first. Their prices seemed to be sky high compared to similar offerings, or so I thought. The misinformation floating around the Internet painted a terrible picture too. Let me be the first to say that I was wrong.

Boy, was I wrong.

Initially I was swayed by some rather disturbing information from purported ex-employees floating around on the web. I say “purported” because we all know how easy it is to make up a profile and post junk on various rating sites.

Shortly after making my post - you can read it here - I received a call from the CEO of the company. Rather than threatening me about the post, he simply asked if I would travel to Florida at their cost and view one of his events geared towards lawyers. How could I say no? The only thing asked of me was to come down, keep an open mind and observe.

The Chief Litigation Officer Summit sponsored by the Marcus Evans organization was earlier this week. Within 5 minutes I realized it wasn’t a scam. Within 24 hours  I signed up for the next 2 events (and am paying full price).

The company has been running the summits for about 8 years. According to one of their on-site customer service representatives they have an 80% retention rate. I believe it.

Most of the lawyers I talked to have been attending 5, 6 and 7 years. In other words, once they go they become lifers. Lest you think the company will take anyone’s money, the event was sold out.

For those not familiar with the “summit,” the company matches law firms with the chief legal officers from large Fortune 100 and international companies. I was skeptical until I met the general counsels from one of the largest insurance companies, a huge steel company, an automobile manufacturer… you get the picture.

As a small law firm, I would never get to meet any of these folks. Even if I could, it would take thousands of dollars and months of flying around the country to do what the company does in 3 days. It’s like speed dating but with people from top law firms and billion dollar companies.

The cost is very high but everybody I spoke with says the contacts and work they found made the price well worth it. Factor in the time value of money and the opportunity to meet with the top companies from all over the world and the price seems very reasonable.

One lawyer I met, we will call him “AJ,” said he found that conference so beneficial that when his firm wouldn’t pay he started shelling out the $50,000 attendance fee from his own pocket. How many people can say they like something so much that they will pay $50,ooo?

Lest anyone think that I have become a cheerleader for the company, I haven’t. The posts from the purported ex-employees still disturb me. (The employees I spoke with all seemed genuinely happy, however.) A few attendees told of me of others that went and didn’t get the meetings they anticipated or never received work. There are no guarantees, obviously, so $50,000 is a great deal of money to spend if you get nothing out of the process.

The “veterans” I spoke with all say that you have to be really good to land work with Fortune 100 companies. If your team can’t handle the work or isn’t ready to deliver their A game, don’t go. No amount of money can help you get work if you can’t make a good impression.

This is the first time since blogging (600 posts later) that I have delivered a mea culpa - The product from Marcus Evans and their staff is outstanding.

If anyone wants more information, feel free to call me.

Brian Mahany

(414) 704-6731 (direct)

Buried in today’s newspaper was a small headline, “Brookfield Lawyer Pleads Guilty to Fraud.” Whether local or out-of-town, I hate reading those headlines. When public officials, lawyers or cops steal, everyone suffers - not just their victims.

In today’s case Thomas Bielinski pleaded guilty to felony theft by fraud. According to press reports, Bielinski combed court records looking for unclaimed property. Much of the money was left over from foreclosed homes. Instead of the money going to the rightful owner, Bielinski posed as the lawyer for the owners. Apparently using phony documents and notary seals, Bielinski claimed the refunds on behalf of his “clients.”

Prosecutors say he bilked victims out of more than half a million dollars before getting caught. His plan unraveled when a relative of one of the victims went to the courthouse looking to claim their unclaimed property. Instead they learned that Bielinski had already claimed the money.

When cops raided Bielinski’s home they found not only evidence of the forged court and client documents but also the clerk’s own files. By stealing the original file perhaps Bielinski thought he could avoid arrest. He was wrong.

Originally released on a signature bond, Bielinski now remains behind bars in lieu of $1 million cash bail. Judge J.D. Watts set the high bail last year after Bielinski failed to appear.

Prosecutors hope to get restitution for his victims, although collection remains doubtful. According to a WISN story aired last summer at the time of his arrest, Bielinski told investigators he had no real clients.  The state bar’s website shows that his license is in “resignation pending” status.

The state bar maintains a small fund for clients who funds are stolen. Whether the fund can pay in this case is in question as his victims were never really clients - Bielinski forged their names in order to access the funds. Malpractice insurance usually does not include intentional acts such as theft either, assuming he even bothered to purchase insurance.

Luckily, problems like these are rare.

If you are the victim of fraud or malpractice by a lawyer or financial professional, give us a call. Most cases can be handled on a contingent fee basis meaning no legal fees are due unless we collect money for you. Our malpractice and professional negligence lawyers have represented victims in Michigan, Illinois, Texas, Virginia, Maryland and Wisconsin. Wherever fraud occurs - we want to help you get back your hard earned money.

For more information, contact attorney Brian Mahany at (414) 704-6731 (direct) or by email at brian@mahanyertl.com. All inquiries are kept in strict confidence.

Mahany & Ertl - America’s Fraud Lawyers. Offices in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Detroit, Michigan; Portland, Maine & Minneapolis, Minnesota. Services available in certain other jurisdictions.

Mortgage net branches - they are everywhere. If set up properly they help people get into the mortgage business with low start up costs. The benefits include access to a national network, more products and more lending lines. Customers get better rates while independents can enter the business without millions in start up costs.

There is a dark side, however.

HUD and the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) have strict rules designed to insure that loans guaranteed by taxpayers are good loans. Taxpayers shouldn’t be asked to shoulder the toxic debt created by unscrupulous mortgage companies. To insure that the mortgage company itself has some “skin in the game,” they must insure that their agents are well supervised and not shouldering the costs of the branch.

It’s the mortgage company, not the branch manager of the net branch, that must bear certain branch costs such as rent. If the costs are simply forced down on branch managers and employees there is a greatly increased risk that these folks will cut corners in order to remain profitable.

When lenders force branch managers to absorb rent, equipment leases and the like the risks increase for the branch managers, branch employees and borrowers.

We have prepared this checklist of things to watch for, although the list is certainly not exhaustive.

Signs and Symptoms for Branch Managers:

1. Ability or willingness of lender/broker to withhold payment of commissions for “convenience” or tax purposes;
2. Operating expenses of any kind being “reimbursed”;
3. Advance payment for anything (build out, security deposit on lease, etc).
4. Broker lender requiring branch to pay costs of lawsuits or attorney fees for mortgage related problems;
5. “Upcharging” of any kind (lender refusal to provide support services at cost); and
6. Any kind of sublease for an office or branch.

If you are an employee or branch manager of a net branch and think there is a violation of HUD rules, give us a call. We represent mortgage company employees who have been denied commissions or reimbursement and also represent whistlblowers (net branch employees) in claims brought on behalf of the U.S. government.

Presently we are partnered with HUD in the largest federal false claims act case in the nation against a mortgage company - our $2.4 billion claim against Allied Home Mortgage. Whistleblower are entitled to a sizeable percentage of any recovery.

Think you have a claim? Contact attorney Brian Mahany at (414) 704-6731 (direct) or by email at brian@mahanyertl.com.  All inquiries are confidential.

Mahany & Ertl - America’s Fraud Lawyers. Offices in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Detroit, Michigan; Portland, Maine & Minneapolis, Minnesota. Services available in many other jurisdictions.

Many serious cases of fraud are not readily discernable. That should come as no surprise - those perpetrating the fraud spend much time and energy concealing it and convincing their victims that all is right with the world. Sometimes it is as hard to see, as is another planet in another galaxy light years away. Example - the recent insider trading cases involving sophisticated computer trading, only detected by using recordings of conversations. Others, like Bernie Madoff’s pyramid scheme, are hidden right out in the open, too incredible to be recognized for what it was. Thus, understanding the symptoms of fraud is critical since it can’t always be detected with the naked eye.

We have developed a sense for a certain kind of fraud involving mortgage brokers and banks and are always on the lookout for certain symptoms when consulted by our clients.

Whether you are an employee, a loan officer, a branch manager, a loan applicant or someone else working in the industry, you can be brutalized financially. Consider the various HUD and FHA rules the brokers and banks are required to certify they comply with in order to write loans backed by the FHA or HUD mortgage insurance, making the loans more valuable and saleable [and hence more desirable to make]. To insure that the broker is invested in the process and financially able to support market fluctuations and insure compliance with underwriting standards which help to eliminate risky loans, HUD and the FHA have created rules and regulations that are designed to require the broker or lender take on the risk of the business of brokering loans. The idea is to prevent the branch managers and employees from being the financial support for the operation as this allows for the business to be established with virtually no investment and consequently no monitoring or sense of responsibility for the loans that are made. This leads to loan defaults and government insurance claims for bad loans.

Some symptoms include the existence of subleases, intended by the broker or lender to limit their liability for long term lease rent associated with a typical 5 year commercial lease for a brokerage office. This is a sign that the lender may have a “cut and run” approach to the business, intending to abandon the employees and loan applicants if the mortgage market declines. Any lender with a lease to in the name of the branch manager or any person or entity other than the lender is suspect. The same is true for other branch operation infrastructure costs like copy machines, computers, telephones, etc.

Another typical symptom that can get past the most experienced mortgage professional is size of the lender’s cut. Some brokers and lenders lure experienced mortgage professionals into their trap by offering very low “house” fees, making it appear the branch will garner more of the profits. Be wary. The old adage that, “if it seems like too much a good deal it is probably not true” is often the case. If there is not enough in the lender’s cut of the mortgage loan to cover all the operational costs, then the lender or broker often resorts to “up charging” the expenses they charge the branch for leads and other costs, perhaps HR management fees. These costs can be hidden in the accounting statements. The house needs a fair % to make the process work and support the branch. Look for house fee rates that are low in comparison to other brokers and lenders. If they are too low the house is probably taking it in some other fashion.

Consider the size of the branch network-how many small branches exist as opposed to a real brick and mortar office? While branch offices are not illegal and are often the only way to provide mortgage brokerage or lending services, having too many branches that are of minimal size is a temptation for a lender/broker to close offices as quickly as they were opened. If the operations are spread thin, so is the commitment to the operations.

Also consider the firms reimbursement policy for expenses and the branch account management structure. Are there ambiguous standards for what is repaid? Is there a lack of a firm policy as to when and expense must be repaid? These are not good signs. The ability to hold onto the funds of employees is a temptation for a desperate broker or lender. Are the accounts separate, or must the broker and manager have access to and use a common account? If the lender/broker does not immediately pay all the loan commissions and profits to the employees at each pay period, beware. What may seem like a convenience or even a generous offer to let you hold back income until you really need it is likely a trap, allowing the lender/broker to withhold payment and sometimes avoid ever paying it. The existence of a so-called “draw account” is another tell tale symptom of fraud.

In summary, there are many signs that are indicative of fraud inside a mortgage brokerage of mortgage lender. Employees are most susceptible because a broker/lender is financially motivated to treat a branch like a separate franchise instead of part of the operation. As testified to by Jim Hodge, infamous mortgage broker “pirate” and CEO of Allied Home Mortgage Capital Management, we got into the business because my son told me that is where the big profits were in the mortgage business. Testimony from Allied v Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, US DC Southern District of Texas. Look for these signs or symptoms. They are the signs and symptoms we look for in selecting case that we can successfully prosecute for our clients.

If you think you have a mortgage fraud claim, give us a call. The fraud lawyers at Mahany & Ertl have helped people across the U.S. in a wide variety of fraud cases - including the largest federal false claims case in the U.S. against a mortgage broker - our $2.4 billion case against Allied Home Mortgage.

For more information, contact attorney Brian Mahany at (414) 704-6731 (direct) or by email at brian@mahanyertl.com. You may also contact the author directly at jbird@mahanyertl.com. All inquiries are confidential.

Mahany & Ertl - America’s Fraud Lawyers. Offices in Detroit, Michigan; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Portland, Maine & Minneapolis, Minnesota. Services available in many other jurisdictions.

Insider trading cases have been quite the buzz on Wall Street in recent years. Several well known traders and hedge fund managers have gone to prison after being caught using inside information to trade securities. When an “insider” has access to information ahead of the market, they have an advantage that allows them to profit while other investors suffer.

The threat of jail is a powerful deterrent to keep most people from trading on inside information, however greed often overpowers common sense. The SEC announced earlier this month that it would compensate whistleblowers who provided information in SEC v Mark Anthony Longoria. That case involved insider trading charges against many individuals.

The bigger picture is SEC’s willingness to pay whistleblowers - usually insiders who report other insiders for doing something illegal or wrong.

In several of the well known insider trading cases, employees at technology or other companies “leaked” information about new products or earnings reports before that information was made public. They were paid or bribed by traders or hedge fund operators who in turn used the information to buy or sell stock in those companies in advance of the information becoming public.  The insider made money. The trader made money. The losers, however, were common investors like you and me.

The FBI can investigate and put those breaking securities laws in jail but only when the crime is reported or discovered. That’s where whistleblowers are a big help. If someone you know is selling inside information or bragging on how they “made a killing” on the market using inside information, contact us. If your information leads to an award you may receive significant compensation.

The federal government and most states have powerful whistleblower protection and anti-retaliation laws that can often be brought to bear if the whistleblower is fired for coming forward.

For more information, contact attorney Brian Mahany at (414) 704-6731 (direct) or by email at brian@mahanyertl.com. All inquiries are kept confidential.

Mahany & Ertl - America’s Fraud Lawyers. Offices in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Detroit, Michigan; Portland, Maine & Minneapolis, Minnesota. Services available in many jurisdictions.

Who says creativity and ingenuity are dead? Don’t tell John Goodman of Palm Beach, Florida. In what has to be one of the most bizarre and brazen attempts to avoid creditors, Goodman adopted his 42 year old girlfriend making her his daughter. Why? Ah, that’s the best part of the story.

While some might initially think that Goodman and his daughter are just freaks, Goodman is accused of running a stop sign in 2010 and killing a young man. The man’s estate sued Goodman for the crash.

According to published reports, Goodman already had a trust created prior to the crash. (Trusts and other asset protection moves after a crash, lawsuit or claim are often considered fraudulent conveyances and usually void.)  The trust was set up to protect and preserve assets for Goodman’s children.  Lawyers argue that by adopting his 42 year old girlfriend, she gets control of the assets and he can effectively enjoy them while leaving his creditors with nothing.

The entire mess is now before a Florida circuit court judge.  According to a story in the Palm Beach Sun Sentinel, Judge Glenn Kelley said this, “The Court cannot ignore reality or the practical impact of what Mr. Goodman has now done. The Defendant has effectively diverted a significant portion of the assets of the children’s trust to a person with whom he is intimately involved at a time when his personal assets are largely at risk in this case.”

Hopefully the court will make quick work of this blatant attempt to defraud creditors. We are interested to know if he had some help from a lawyer in this hairbrained scheme too.

While the family of the young man has much at stake in this case, the end result may mean little to Goodman. Prosecutors say he was drunk at the time of the crash. According to published reports he is facing up to 30 years in prison if convicted for vehicular manslaughter.

Acceptance of responsibility is weighed heavily by judges at sentencing - trying to defraud the young victim’s family of any compensation will likely not meet with approval.

If you are the victim of fraud, let us help you get your money back. Many lawyers can litigate a fraud case but few have specialized asset recovery skills.  Our fraud lawyers have helped many people recover their hard earned money. For more information contact attorney Brian Mahany at (414) 704-6731 (direct) or by email at brian@mahanyertl.com.

Mahany & Ertl - America’s Fraud Lawyers.  Offices in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Detroit, Michigan; Portland, Maine & Minneapolis, Minnesota.  Services available in many other locations.

Yesterday the Wisconsin Supreme Court suspended St. Croix Falls lawyer Walsh Brandt’s license to practice law. He is ineligible to practice for the next four months. Afterwards, he must undergo any necessary monitoring and treatment for alcohol dependency. Everyone in society can suffer from alcoholism -  we have seen lawyers, doctors, police officers and even judges who are alcoholics.  The news isn’t the suspension of Walsh Bradley, it’s the system’s slow process in protecting the public.

The story regarding attorney Bradley didn’t begin and end yesterday in a Madison courtroom. It began almost two decades ago and involved multiple warnings and red flags.

According to the court’s opinion, Bradley was first reprimanded in 1994 for two ethics violations. Neither appear to be substance abuse related, although chemical dependency often leads to impaired  judgment.

Nine years later, Brandt was reprimanded again for a series of ethical violations.

A year later in 2004 he was slapped yet again for “failure to provide competent representation” to a client.

If that’s not enough,  in 2009 he was reprimanded for not reviewing his trust account records. Although not accused of stealing any money, by not checking the accounts another employee was able to steal $104,000 of client funds from his account. He was also reprimanded for a 3rd and 4th drunk driving conviction.

Brandt received a chemical dependency assessment that listed a diagnosis of “alcohol dependency in remission.”  Apparently his drinking problems did not remain in remission for long. According to the court, 4 months later he was charged with felony drunk driving in Minnesota. That charge 2 years ago ultimately resulted in yesterday’s suspension.

Brandt’s past has finally caught up with him and hopefully the 4 months suspension will get his attention. (The Supreme Court’s decision to only reprimand him back in 2009 was not unanimous. Back then Justice Bradley sought to suspend his license instead of yet another reprimand.)

Brandt cooperated with the investigation and admits his problems with alcohol. We in no way make light of that admission and wish him the best. Our fear, however, is that for perhaps a decade or more Brandt may have been impaired and may have provided client’s with poor legal representation. His record certainly suggests that. He is not alone.

We are aware of one attorney locally who was arrested for driving to court drunk. That same attorney was also reportedly observed by someone passed out drunk under his desk.

Everyone knows that alcohol and driving don’t mix. Neither do alcohol and medicine, alcohol and firearms and alcohol and law. Hopefully, the Wisconsin Supreme Court can find away to speed up the disciplinary process while still protecting the rights of the accused lawyer. Clients have rights too and those rights aren’t properly served when the disciplinary process involves countless reprimands with no consequences.

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The law firm of Mahany & Ertl represents victims of legal and accounting malpractice and many other types of fraud. If you believe you are the victim of professional malpractice or negligence, give us a call. Our fraud recovery lawyers have helped people across Wisconsin and the United States. For more information, contact attorney Brian Mahany at (414) 704-6731 (direct) or by email at brian@mahanyertl.com

Mahany & Ertl - America’s Fraud Lawyers.  Offices in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Detroit, Michigan; Portland, Maine & Minneapolis, Minnesota. Services available in many jurisdictions.

Stories of sleazy lawyers are far too common. Whether truly sleazy or just plain incompetent, both the clients and the profession suffers when these folks are allowed to practice.  For many years, California attorney Steven Shaw advertised that he was both a lawyer and CPA. His speciality? Helping clients hide assets from creditors. Today, Shaw needs to worry about hiding his own assets.

The first signs of trouble occurred 5 years ago when the OCWeekly published a feature story about Shaw.  According to the article, Shaw had managed to have 4 women and 8 children, all living in separate houses within 4 miles of one another and none of them knowing about the others.  In addition to the obvious philandering, one of the woman, Nevine Carmelle, said that Shaw savagely beat her when she refused to sign over the deed to her home. According to the article, she took him to court (as did others).

The story is already bad enough as is but there is more. Much more.

Just a few years later in 2007, another client would sue both Shaw and the girlfriend, Carmelle. Apparently she was a victim, a girlfriend and also an employee. The former client accused Shaw of ripping him off for $15,000 and providing substandard legal work.

Several years later, the State Bar of California finally disbarred Shaw after charging him with 15 counts of professional misconduct. To his credit, Shaw cooperated with the Bar and saved his other victims from having to testify and relive their experiences.

Even though disbarred and out-of-business, Shaw still didn’t get the message. It was reported last week that Shaw was arrested and jailed for contempt of court.

The scary part of this story is that Shaw had been practicing law since 1989 before losing his law license in 2010.  During that 21 year period he had no formal disciplinary complaints. He may have been sued by a client and charged for beating one of his girlfriends but the State Bar says his record was clean. Not once was he the subject of a sanction, suspension or reprimand. That means that a clean bar record is no guaranty that the attorney you hire is honest or competent.

Part of the message in this story is that anyone that tries to sell you an off-the- shelf asset protection plan and suggests it is “bullet proof” is not being honest. Helping clients set up asset protection plans after they have been sued or are in trouble is just asking for trouble.

Humans are inherently greedy and we want to believe that there are easy fixes for all of life’s problems. Often there are not. Many of us seek legal counsel when worried about lawsuits or “losing everything.” Fortunately, most attorneys are both honest and competent. If you find one of the few bad ones, however, don’t give up on the legal profession. Consult with a lawyer experienced in legal and professional malpractice and fraud recovery work.

For more information or to discuss a potential case, contact attorney Brian Mahany at (414) 704-6731 (direct) or by email at brian@mahanyertl.com. All inquiries are confidential.

Mahany & Ertl - America’s Fraud Lawyers.  Offices in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Detroit, Michigan; Portland, Maine & Minneapolis, Minnesota. Services may be available in other jurisdictions.