High court suspends two lawyers
The state Supreme Court has suspended two Southern Nevada lawyers who have had their own run-ins with the law.
In separate orders filed Nov. 17, the high court suspended Las Vegas attorney Susana Ragos Chung and Henderson attorney Robert Weatherford.
According to Chung’s order, she failed to inform State Bar of Nevada counsel that she pleaded no contest in May in Alameda County, Calif., to two counts of false and fraudulent claims. The crime is a felony under California law.
Chung was sentenced to five years of probation and was required to place herself on inactive status with the California bar. She also was required to pay restitution in the amount of about $117,000 and to pay a fine of about $117,000.
Her convictions could be reduced to misdemeanors if she pays full restitution and completes one year of probation.
The Supreme Court referred the matter to the Southern Nevada Disciplinary Board for formal disciplinary proceedings. Chung has been licensed in Nevada since 2003.
According to Weatherford’s order, he pleaded guilty in April 2008 to a drunken driving charge and was accepted into the felony DUI court program. He was terminated from the program after pleading guilty to a second drunken driving charge in June 2009.
In October 2010, Weatherford was adjudged guilty of both the 2008 and the 2009 charges. A footnote in the order indicates that Weatherford pleaded guilty to a third drunken driving charge in January of this year.
Counsel for the State Bar of Nevada petitioned the Supreme Court to enter an order suspending Weatherford, who has been licensed in Nevada since 2002.
"We conclude that the petition conclusively establishes Weatherford’s convictions of serious crimes warranting temporary suspension," the order said.
The court referred the matter to the Southern Nevada Disciplinary Board for formal disciplinary proceedings.
Contact reporter Carri Geer Thevenot at cgeer@reviewjournal.com or 702-384-8710.
