On November 1, 2023, the Indiana Supreme Court suspended attorney John J. Coomes for a period of 45 days. The disciplinary action comes in response to Coomes’ misrepresentations on his bar admission application and the subsequent investigation.
The case is entitled “In the Matter of John J. Coomes” with case number 21S-DI-17.
According to the filing, Coomes violated the following Indiana Professional Conduct Rules:
8.1(a): Knowingly making a false statement of material fact to the Board of Law Examiners in connection with a bar admission application.
8.1(b): Failing to disclose a fact necessary to correct a misapprehension known by the person to have arisen in an admissions matter.
Coomes, licensed to practice law in Ohio, had applied for a provisional license in Indiana in 2018. During the application process, he failed to disclose his involvement in a marital dissolution case in Ohio. This omission came to light after he was admitted to practice law in Indiana, causing concerns regarding the accuracy of his application.
Furthermore, Coomes inaccurately stated that he had practiced in excess of 1,000 hours annually since his Ohio bar admission in 2010 when responding to inquiries from the Board of Law Examiners.
Consequently, the Indiana Supreme Court, after due consideration, agreed to a disciplinary action that includes a 45-day suspension, beginning December 12, 2023, with automatic reinstatement, provided there are no other suspensions in effect. Coomes will be required to fulfill all the duties of a suspended attorney during his suspension period. The costs of the disciplinary proceeding will be assessed against Coomes.
According to Avvo, Mr. Comess has been practicing as an employment and labor attorney in Milford, Ohio for 12 years. He acquired his law license in Indiana in 2018.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
