On Friday, March 13, 2026, the Illinois Supreme Court imposed reciprocal discipline, disbarring attorney Tyler Eugene Brown. The action stems from Brown’s disbarment in Kansas following his acknowledgment of misappropriating funds from the Boilermakers Union.
The Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (ARDC) filed a petition requesting the Illinois Supreme Court to impose reciprocal discipline, citing Illinois Supreme Court Rule 763, which allows for similar disciplinary actions against attorneys in Illinois who have been disciplined in other jurisdictions.
According to the ARDC’s petition, the Supreme Court of Kansas disbarred Brown on January 7, 2025. This action was a consequence of Brown’s misappropriation of funds from the Boilermakers Union, an international labor union. The ARDC’s petition also detailed federal criminal proceedings against Brown in Kansas.
On May 16, 2024, the United States Attorney’s Office in the District of Kansas filed an information charging Brown with one count of racketeering conspiracy, violating Title 18, United States Code, Section 1962(d). The case, United States of America v. Tyler Eugene Brown, was assigned to Judge Theresa J. James.
The information alleged that from January 2013 to October 2022, Brown held various positions within the Boilermakers Union, including Executive Director of Industrial Sector Operations, Chief of Staff, and Special Assistant to the International President. It further alleged that Brown and others conspired to control the Boilermakers Union through theft.
On May 23, 2024, Brown entered a plea agreement, agreeing to plead guilty to racketeering conspiracy. He pled guilty in open court on the same day, and Judge James entered an order reflecting his guilty plea. However, as of the ARDC’s petition filing, Brown had not been sentenced.
The ARDC argued that Brown’s conduct was comparable to other cases where Illinois attorneys faced disbarment for similar criminal conduct. The Illinois Supreme Court agreed, leading to Brown’s disbarment in Illinois.
Brown was admitted to practice law in Kansas on June 13, 2022, and in Illinois on August 16, 2022. At the time of his disbarment, he was registered as retired in Illinois.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
