Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Supreme Court: Tougher penalties needed for Las Vegas lawyer

CARSON CITY – The Nevada Supreme Court says it wants to see tougher penalties imposed on a Las Vegas lawyer accused of mishandling close to $100,000.

The court has rejected the recommendation of the Southern Nevada Disciplinary Board that Philip Singer be disbarred for three years and repay $67,334 to eight clients. The board also said Singer must submit to binding arbitration on $32,200 in dispute.

Singer pleaded guilty to 14 counts of bar violations and admitted to 59 violations involving misappropriation of funds and failure to communicate with his clients.

He also pleaded guilty to lack of competence and diligence and lack of candor and cooperation with the State Bar.

The Supreme Court said, “We reject the conditional guilty plea agreement on grounds that the conditions imposed on Singer’s disbarment are inadequate to protect the public.”

It sent the case back to the disciplinary board saying Singer should be disbarred for five years and that he must complete 15 hours of education on ethics and pass the professional responsibility examination.

The court agreed with the other conditions of the conditional plea agreement by Singer that he must notify the bar association if he is working for an attorney to make sure there is adequate supervision and that he must pay the costs of the disciplinary proceedings.

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