The Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association has filed a complaint with the Supreme Court of Ohio’s Board of Professional Conduct against Attorney Brian Matthew Taubman. The complaint, filed on Tuesday, October 24, 2023, alleges Attorney Taubman engaged in misconduct related to accepting fees from a court-assigned case.

The case is entitled “In the Matter of  Brian Matthew Taubman,” with case number 2023-033.

According to the complaint, Attorney Taubman was assigned by the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas to represent Donald Keaton in two criminal cases. After the assignment, Attorney Taubman accepted $650 in unsolicited payments from Keaton.

The complaint states that on August 16, 2022, Attorney Taubman submitted an attorney fee bill to the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas for both of Keaton’s cases, indicating he had not received any payment and requesting full payment of $2,340. The fee bill contained language certifying Attorney Taubman had received no other compensation related to the cases. On August 19, 2022, the court approved payment of the $2,340 fee to Taubman.

The bar association alleges Attorney Taubman violated Professional Conduct Rule 3-3(a) by making a false statement to the court that he had not received any compensation. It was not until after the bar association initiated an investigation and questioned Attorney Taubman about the payments that he returned the $650 to Keaton.

The Bar Association is requesting that the Supreme Court discipline Attorney Taubman for the alleged misconduct. The Bar Association’s Certified Grievance Committee has determined that there is reasonable cause to believe that Attorney Taubman has engaged in misconduct and that a hearing is warranted.

The charge reads:

“Wherefore, pursuant to Gov. Bar R. V, and the Ohio Rules of Professional Conduct, Relator alleges that Respondent is chargeable with misconduct. Therefore, Relator prays that Respondent be disciplined pursuant to Rule V of the Rules for the Government of the Bar of Ohio.”

According to Avvo, Attorney Brian Matthew Taubman is a civil rights attorney based in Cleveland, Ohio. He attended Capital University and acquired his law license in Ohio in 2008.

A copy of the original filing can be found here.