Dec 1, 2005 8:17 am US/Central
Former Alderman's Law License Suspended
Illinois Supreme Court Orders 30 Day Suspension
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) ―
The Illinois Supreme Court has suspended attorney Edward Vrdolyak's law license for 30 days for overbilling clients he represented in a sexual harassment lawsuit.
The suspension takes effect Dec. 13, said James Grogan, chief counsel of the court's Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission. Vrdolyak had agreed to the suspension.
Vrdolyak, a former Cook County Democratic Party chairman and Chicago alderman, allegedly told a federal judge he was getting $412,000 for his work in a class-action lawsuit against Ford Motor Co., but he did not say he would bill clients an additional $150,000.
In the decision announced last week, the court said Vrdolyak "omitted and misrepresented information regarding his intent to collect contingent fees from his clients in addition to collecting court-awarded fees from a settlement fund established by the defendant."
Vrdolyak, 67, said in a petition submitted to the commission that he regretted his conduct. His attorney, William Harte, has said Vrdolyak repaid the $150,000 with interest.
The commission censured Vrdolyak in 2000 for improperly advancing cash to his clients and in 1990 for representing Chicago city employees in workers compensation cases while he still was on the City Council.
(© 2005 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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