On Friday, September 20, 2024, the Illinois Supreme Court suspended attorney Jeffery Mark Leving for five months, with the suspension stayed after 60 days in favor of a two-year period of conditional probation. This decision came after an agreement between Leving and the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (ARDC) regarding multiple instances of charging unreasonable legal fees to clients.
The case is entitled “In the Matter of Jeffery Mark Leving,” with case no. M.R.032333.
Leving has operated the Law Office of Jeffery M. Leving, Ltd. in Chicago, focusing on family law matters including child custody and divorce. The disciplinary actions stemmed from complaints involving eight clients over a seven-year period, during which Leving charged a total of $443,555.98 in legal fees but only collected $192,374.35 from those clients. The ARDC found that the fees charged were excessive compared to the legal services rendered.
The petition for discipline detailed several cases in which clients allegedly received inadequate representation relative to the fees charged. For instance, in the case of Joseph Leonard, Leving billed $3,900.26 for work related to a child support modification case, despite not filing any substantive motions on Leonard’s behalf during the three months of representation. Leonard had initially paid a retainer of $6,000.
Similarly, in the matter of Sindy Mejia, Leving charged $10,250 and sought an additional $7,659 after conducting minimal work on her custody case. Mejia’s legal representation did not yield any changes in her custody arrangement, leading to questions about the reasonableness of the fees.
The document also highlighted the case of Jeffrey Syre, who paid $59,000 in fees but received insufficient legal services. Syre’s case was particularly troubling as he appeared pro se in his divorce proceedings after the firm withdrew just days before a scheduled trial.
In other cases, clients like Arthur Reed and Nicholas Mergen made substantial payments without receiving satisfactory legal outcomes. Reed paid the firm $34,000 but did not achieve the desired resolution regarding child support arrears. Mergen paid $36,000 and was pursued for an additional $90,987.49, even though the firm failed to fulfill its promised services.
The ARDC noted Leving’s lack of prior disciplinary actions and acknowledged his long-standing contributions to the field of family law, including his involvement in drafting significant legislation related to custody and parental rights. However, the commission emphasized that Leving’s misconduct involved multiple clients and spanned several years, which warranted disciplinary action.
As part of the resolution, Leving agreed to implement changes to his firm’s billing practices, including adjustments to retainer agreements and improved communication regarding fees with clients. He also committed to making restitution to affected clients as determined by the Administrator’s expert.
The Illinois Supreme Court’s order includes several conditions for Leving during his probation period. He must complete a professionalism seminar, comply with the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct, and reimburse the commission for the costs of the disciplinary proceedings. Furthermore, he is required to submit quarterly reports concerning his compliance with the probation terms and notify the Administrator of any legal issues that arise during this time.
According to avvo.com, Mr. Leving is a marriage & pre-nuptials attorney in Chicago, Illinois. He attended the Chicago-Kent College of Law Illinois Institute of Technology, graduating in 1979. He acquired his law license in Illinois in the same year.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
