AUSTIN — The State Bar of Texas has released its disciplinary actions report for November, showing that three attorneys have received suspensions while several others resigned in lieu of discipline.
On Sept. 22, Paul Lucas Purtha of Garland received a three-year active suspension. An evidentiary panel found that he was hired in July 2013 to represent a client in a personal injury case. During the representation, Purtha helped the client enter into two agreements permitting a pre-settlement financing firm to hold an interest in the settlement proceeds.
After the case was settled in August 2017, Purtha repeatedly failed to pay the pre-settlement financing firm its share of the proceeds, and the matter went into arbitration. The resulting arbitration award ordered Purtha and his law firm to pay the pre-settlement financing firm $12,003. Purtha never paid the pre-settlement financing firm any of the funds it was owed.
Purtha received multiple notices and copies of the complaint but failed to respond to the complaint. He was ordered to pay $12,003 in restitution and $2,650 in attorney’s fees and direct expenses.
On Sept. 25, Cynthia L. Williams of Bedford received a nine-month fully probated suspension. An evidentiary panel found that the complainant hired Williams and paid $5,000 to represent him in a probate matter. Thereafter, Williams failed to promptly comply with reasonable requests for information, neglected the legal matter entrusted to her by doing little or no work after the filing, and failed to refund unearned fees upon termination of representation.
Furthermore, Williams failed to respond to the notice of the complaint. She was ordered to pay $4,000 in restitution and $2,205 in attorney’s fees and direct expenses.
On June 24, Jennifer Ann Zarka of Jacksonville, Florida, accepted a three-year fully probated suspension. An evidentiary panel found that Zarka failed to keep her client reasonably informed or comply with reasonable requests for information, failed to properly safeguard client property, and failed to protect a client’s interests upon termination of the representation.
Zarka agreed to pay $2,000 in attorney fees and direct expenses.
