On June 27, 2023, the New Jersey Supreme Court censured attorney Steven H. Schefers for failing to repay a loan from his client for nearly five years and attempting to prevent his client from filing a grievance.
The case is entitled ‘In the Matter of Steven H. Shchefers,’ and was brought by the Disciplinary Review Board, under case no. DRB 22-163.
The charges cited RPC 8.1(a) (conflict of interest).
According to court filings, Shchefers represented his client Mr. Patrick Colgan between 2006 and October 2018 in a matrimonial matter and later prepared a last will and testament for him. In July 2017, while the matrimonial matter was ongoing, Colgan agreed to provide Shchefers with a $50,000 loan to complete the construction of his personal residence. However, Shchefers failed to repay the loan for nearly five years, prompting Colgan to file an ethics grievance and a lawsuit.
Based on a disciplinary agreement, the Disciplinary Review Board decided that Schefers had a conflict of interest when he did a business deal with his client that was not fair. The Board sent its decision to the New Jersey Supreme Court. The Court agreed with the Board and ordered that Steven H. Schefers should be censured for breaking RPC 8.1(a).
The Disposition states:
“It is ORDERED that Steven H. Schefers is hereby censured; and it is further
ORDERED that the entire record of this matter be made a permanent part of respondent’s file as an attorney at law of this State; and it is further
ORDERED that respondent reimburse the Disciplinary Oversight Committee for appropriate administrative costs and actual expenses incurred in the prosecution of this matter, as provided in Rule 1:20-17.”
Mr. Shchefers practices in Ramsey, New Jersey. He is licensed in New Jersey with license no. 0045219.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
