The Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission recommended on December 27, 2023, that attorney Nichole Elizabeth Tuliszewski be suspended for six months.
The case is entitled “In the Matter of Nichole Elizabeth Tuliszewski,” with case no. 2023PR00049.
According to the disciplinary complaint filed against Tuliszewski on August 8, 2023, she was removed from the roll of licensed Illinois attorneys on January 6, 2012, for failing to meet continuing legal education requirements. However, in 2018, while residing and working in Texas under the name Nichole Humes, Tuliszewski told her employer Dorothy Lawrence that she was authorized to practice law in Illinois.
Based on Tuliszewski’s misrepresentation, Lawrence filed a pro hac vice admission motion for Tuliszewski in a Texas family law case. Further, on December 2, 2022, in response to an inquiry from the Texas bar, Tuliszewski signed a declaration under penalty of perjury falsely stating she was indefinitely registered as an out-of-state attorney with the Illinois bar.
Tuliszewski did not respond to multiple letters from the ARDC in October and December 2022 or January 2023 requesting information about her conduct. She also failed to appear for a sworn statement on February 28, 2023, after being subpoenaed. As a result, an order was entered on October 16, 2023, deeming the allegations against Tuliszewski admitted.
On December 13, 2023, an ARDC hearing board found Tuliszewski committed misconduct violating Illinois ethics rules regarding dishonestly, false statements, and failure to cooperate with a disciplinary investigation. Considering her offenses and lack of participation, the board recommended a six-month suspension and being reinstated only by order of the Illinois Supreme Court.
The report and recommendation states:
“We have considered in mitigation that Respondent has no prior discipline. However, her failure to participate in these proceedings significantly aggravates her misconduct and leaves us unable to assess her fitness to practice law. Therefore, we agree with the Administrator that she should be suspended until further order of the Court.”
According to lawyersjustia.com, Ms. Tuliszewski is an attorney in Park Ridge, Illinois.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
