On Tuesday, September 27, 2022, the Hearing Board of the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission ruled on the one-count complaint against charges for attorney discipline against Chicago attorney David Kyle Cooper.
The case, titled In the Matter of David Kyle Cooper, was brought by the Administrator of the Ilinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission. Case #2021PR00082.
The charges cited Coopers’s violation of Rule 1.15(a), 1.15(d), and 8.4(c) of the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct.
The complaint alleges the Respondent has placed his client’s signature on a $50,000 settlement check and a settlement release without the client’s knowledge or permission. Respondent then used $36,641.39 of the settlement funds without authorization, concealed his use of the funds, and failed to deliver all of the settlement proceeds the client was entitled to receive.
Respondent filed his Answer where he admitted some of the factual allegations but denied engaging in misconduct. He asserted that he was entitled to the funds as fees for his services.
The Administrator asked the Board to recommend the disbarment of Respondent but the Hearing Panel upon considering the seriousness of the misconduct, the significant aggravating factors as well as the minimal mitigating factors, recommended that Respondent be suspended for three years and until further order of the Court.
The dispositive portion of the Report and Recommendation of the Hearing Board reads:
“We determine that a suspension of three years and until further order of the Court is consistent with discipline imposed in similar cases and will protect the public and the profession by requiring Respondent to demonstrate his ability to conform his conduct to ethical rules before he may resume practice. Accordingly, we recommend that Respondent, David Kyle Cooper, be suspended for three years and until further order of the Court.”
Mr. Cooper has practiced in Plano, Illinois and he has been licensed in Illinois, license #6277289. He is no longer listed in his former law firm. His info can be found online on this lawyer.com link.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
