Posted on 10/29/2005 7:25:30 AM PDT by csvset
Former delegate’s law license suspended
By MICHELLE WASHINGTON, The Virginian-Pilot
© October 29, 2005
Last updated: 1:07 AM
RICHMOND — Lawyer and former state delegate William P. Robinson Jr. cannot practice law for three years under a suspension imposed Friday by the disciplinary board of the Virginia State Bar.
The sanction takes effect immediately. Robinson’s attorney, Michael Rigsby, said he would consider an appeal. The punishment comes after the state bar imposed 30-day and 90-day suspensions on Robinson during the last year.
The state bar’s attorney, Paul Georgiadis, had asked the panel to revoke Robinson’s license, pointing to a history of disciplinary problems that included misrepresentations to the court and failure to file paperwork on time.
Robinson is a noted criminal defense lawyer and was the dean of Norfolk’s General Assembly delegation until his defeat in 2001 by a political newcomer.
Robinson came before the board Friday on charges that he mishandled two lawsuits he filed in 1998 on behalf of Nathaniel Langston and his wife . Nathaniel Langston, a former sailor and truck driver, testified that he and his wife were on their way to see Robinson about a case involving their son in November 1996 when they were involved in a three-car accident. Langston was stopped at a red light when another car ran the light, knocking a third car into Langston’s vehicle.
When Langston got to Robinson’s office, he apologized for arriving late to the appointment and explained about the accident. Robinson said his office handled personal injury complaints. Someone in Robinson’s office referred the Langstons to an orthopedist in Portsmouth for medical care.
Georgiadis argued that what followed was legal bungling so severe that Robinson should lose his license.
Robinson withdrew the lawsuits, failed to file new ones, failed to serve lawsuits on the correct parties, and failed to inform his clients of that, Georgiadis said. The panel found Robinson guilty of violating conduct rules on competence, diligence, communication with a client and proper withdrawal as counsel.
Nathaniel Langston testified that for years he believed Robinson continued to represent him in his lawsuit.
“I was concerned why it didn’t go, but, Mr. Robinson being my attorney, I was leaving it up to him,” Langston said.
Langston had moved to North Carolina, but scheduled an appointment to see Robinson on a Saturday. Robinson called to cancel when Langston was within a block of his office. Robinson said he was going to Norfolk State University’s homecoming activities, Langston said.
Eventually, Langston testified, the Portsmouth doctors sued the Langstons to pay for their medical care. Langston tried to reach Robinson.
“I couldn’t ever get ahold of him,” Langston testified. “The secretary told me he wasn’t in.”
Langston represented himself in court, and was ordered to pay judgments for himself and his wife.
He received a letter from Robinson in February 2004, saying that his lawsuits had been withdrawn – years after the fact. After he contacted the state bar earlier this year to file a complaint, a lawyer there advised Langston to call his insurance company himself to collect medical insurance from his automobile policy.
Larry Passwaters, an employee for Allstate Insurance, testified that the claims for the other man involved in the accident, who also carried Allstate, were completed within six months. That case was handled by another lawyer.
Georgiadis told members of the panel that Robinson’s history of discipline with the bar extended to 1978. Robinson’s explanations to Langston were inadequate, Georgiadis said, and were insulting to other lawyers.
“He does not deserve to be among us any more,” Georgiadis said.
He compared Robinson to a character from a Greek tragedy, who falls from grace after reaching great heights.
Robinson seemed tired and rubbed his eyes during the hearing. Before the board made its decision, Robinson said he did not know what he would do if he lost his license.
During his testimony, Robinson admitted to making mistakes in the Langstons’ lawsuits, and said they came during one of the busiest times in his life, when he was both a senior legislator and working full time at his law practice. He apologized to Langston.
However, he told the board, he felt he did not deserve to lose his license.
“I don’t want to sound egotistical, and I want to say this right,” Robinson said, and paused. “I am one of the best trial lawyers in the state.”
“We don’t doubt your claim,” said board Chairman Robert L. Freed. But he said Robinson’s apology came only after the panel’s finding of misconduct – too late. “So we come back to the tragedy.”
Robinson declined to comment after the hearing.
Reach Michelle Washington at (757) 446-2287 or michelle.washington@pilotonline.com.
Thank you Winsome Sears ! She defeated this clown and removed him from state politics. This article doesn't begin to tell the story of Robinson, he's a jackass.
Ping. Ol' Billy Robinson in trouble again.
Unfortunately, Ms. Sears opted not to run for a 2nd term (which would've been the only way to gauge whether the election of a Black Republican in a majority/plurality Black district was viable or a fluke), and the GOP failed to even field a candidate and it now is back in the hands of a plantation 'Rat. :-(
Agreed, re Sears' declining to run for reelection. Robinson is a jerk. Gone from politics, now suspended from practicing law, he'll have to come up with a new scam.
I did not see his party mentioned in the article, so I figured he HAD to be a DemocRAT.
Never a dull moment when Billy was in office. Here's a couple of links with some background info.
Delegate disputes Judge Edmonds' account of why he left the bench.
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