On Friday, March 7, 2025, an Illinois Hearing Board Panel recommended that James Gregory Las Cola be suspended from practicing law for one year until further court order. The recommendation came following a hearing held via videoconference on February 18, 2025. The panel concluded that Las Cola’s actions warranted the suspension after reviewing a four-count complaint against him.
The case is entitled “In the Matter of James Gregory Las Cola,” with case no. 2024PR00025.
Las Cola faced allegations stemming from his handling of three client matters and his interactions with the disciplinary commission. In the first case, Las Cola agreed in November 2021 to prepare estate planning documents for Arthur and Rosie Coleman. The couple paid him $1,750 through their daughter, Beatrice Coleman, but Las Cola failed to complete the work, respond to their repeated inquiries, or refund their money. In a second matter, Brandon Robertson hired Las Cola in September 2022 to represent Resilient Realty Group in an eviction case. After paying $2,500 plus additional fees, Robertson terminated Las Cola’s services in December 2022 due to poor communication. Las Cola took minimal action on the case and did not return the unearned portion of the fee despite multiple requests.
The third incident involved Laurell Richey, who paid Las Cola $7,500 in October 2023 to represent her in a chancery lawsuit. Las Cola neither filed an appearance in court nor provided services, and he ignored Richey’s demands for a refund after she ended his representation in November 2023.
Additionally, the panel found that Las Cola made a false statement during a June 2023 sworn statement, claiming he had mailed Robertson an account statement—a claim contradicted by evidence—and failed to comply with subsequent requests for documentation from the commission.
The Hearing Board noted that Las Cola, who represented himself at the hearing, had been personally served with the initial complaint on May 2, 2024, and was granted an extension to respond to the amended complaint filed on July 31, 2024. However, he did not file an answer or adequately participate in the proceedings, leading to the allegations being deemed admitted on October 4, 2024.
With no prior misconduct as a mitigating factor, the panel highlighted Las Cola’s experience as a lawyer, his pattern of neglect across multiple cases, and his lack of remorse as aggravating factors. During the hearing, Las Cola defended his actions, stating he believed no harm was done to clients beyond their decisions to seek other representation.
The panel’s recommendation now awaits a final decision from the Illinois Supreme Court.
According to avvo.com, Mr. Las Cola is an elder law attorney in Chicago, Illinois. He attended the DePaul University College of Law, graduating in 1998. He acquired his law license in Illinois in 1998.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
