Dear Readers;

Today, someone sent me the IARDC announcement of lawyers disciplined for the Sept. 2013 term.  Ken’s name was not on there, but his litigation is not over.  Somehow, Mr. Amu’s is, but apparently he has an interrim suspension.

Mr. Amu accused about 4 Cook County Circuit judges of being corrupt.  When you look into the matter you do see some quite fishy things–a large Summary Judgement motion filed and Mr. Amu given 7 days to respond with some snotty statements made.  Then when you look at public records you begin to question what the heck is going on that the IARDC and authorities don’t see.

In any case, if the article were accurate, it would at least say that Mr. Amu did not just “make false statements”, rather he accused 4 Circuit Court judges of being corrupt, making unfair and biased rulings and that HE was required to prove the statements were true in order to keep his law license and not the other way around, as set forth in the Rules for Professional Conduct/Discipline which makes it clear that it is the Petitioner’s obligation to prove a rule violation by clear and convincing evidence.

It is interesting that all that is skipped in the below snippet:

(from http://iln.isba.org/blog/2013/09/25/illinois-supreme-court-disbars-6-suspends-31-latest-disciplinary-filing, search “amu”)

The following orders were entered by the court prior to the September 2013 term but were not included in any previous release.

• Lanre O. Amu, Chicago

Mr. Amu, who was licensed in 1996, was suspended on an interim basis and until further order of the Court. He made false statements of material fact to tribunals and also made false statements concerning the qualifications or integrity of judges. The ARDC Hearing Board has recommended that he be suspended for three years and until further order of the Court.

from the editor:

so, for unbiased reporting, you heard it here and you can see the pleadings and transcripts yourself on Mr. Amu’s website.

So my questions are:  1) why isn’t it mentioned that 4 judges were accused of corruption by Mr. Amu; 2) what was the basis for him making these statements; and 3) why wasn’t the IARDC required to bring in witnesses and prove that the statements were false by clear and convincing evidence and 4) all the IARDC did say in its opinion was that judges are always right, judges are always perfect and anyone accusing them of being corrupt always is wrong.

Of course, and unfortunately, what Mr. Amu didn’t know is that he would have to bring in his clients, one by one and have THEM tell the Tribunal why THEY felt their cases were before a corrupt court.

Now why don’t they tell us these things in CLE?

You have to admit that it is most interesting that the announcement is that Mr. Amu made false and misleading statements; however, the announcement is quite the entire story either.

JoAnne