On Thursday, September 14, 2023, the Florida Bar filed an Amended Formal Complaint against Attorney Brittany D. O’Diam. The complaint seeks disciplinary action against O’Diam based on misconduct allegations originating in Ohio.
The case is entitled “The Florida Bar v. Brittany D. O’Diam,”
The complaint alleges that upon her Ohio admission, O’Diam worked at her father Thomas O’Diam’s law firm practicing estate planning, trust, and probate law. In August 2013, Thomas O’Diam became the sole probate court judge in Greene County, Ohio while O’Diam continued at the firm.
The complaint focuses on O’Diam’s conduct as counsel for the executor in the Estate of Carolee Buccalo, who died on January 1, 2018. One beneficiary, David Buccalo, consulted an attorney who advised him not to sign certain estate documents. Despite David’s legal right to refuse, O’Diam and her paralegal blamed only David for delays and additional legal fees.
On May 23, 2019, David publicly complained about Judge O’Diam presiding over cases involving his daughter. The judge then improperly ordered David and the beneficiaries to a June 6 status conference where the judge and O’Diam aggressively questioned David without counsel for an hour.
The complaint alleges O’Diam violated rules of professional conduct by humiliating David at the hearing and retaliating against David by sending an inaccurate February 11, 2020 letter triggering an improper criminal investigation of David.
On April 6, 2023, the Ohio Supreme Court imposed a six-month conditionally stayed suspension on O’Diam based on a Board of Professional Conduct recommendation finding O’Diam violated rules of professional conduct. The Florida Bar complaint seeks reciprocal discipline of O’Diam in Florida.
The request states:
“WHEREFORE, The Florida Bar prays respondent will be appropriately disciplined in accordance with the provisions of the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar as amended.”
According to Avvo, Ms. O’Diam is an elder law attorney in Centerville, Ohio. She attended the University of Akron School of Law, graduating in 2010. She has been a member of The Florida Bar since April 19, 2011, and was previously admitted to the Ohio State Bar on November 8, 2010.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
