S.C. Lawyer Suspended for Nine Months for False Billing and Travel Records
A South Carolina lawyer who admitted submitting false billing and travel records to his law firm has been suspended from law practice for nine months.
The South Carolina Supreme Court imposed the suspension on lawyer Glenn Oliver Gray after his former law firm filed a grievance claiming he padded his billing records and submitted false travel records, according to the opinion. The firm fired Gray when it discovered the discrepancies in 2004.
The firm, which was not identified in the opinion, said it reimbursed clients more than $14,000 due to the overbilling and paid Gray more than $600 for the phony travel invoices he filed. Gray admitted the misconduct.
The state Commission on Lawyer Conduct had recommended only a 180-day suspension, but the supreme court said Gray’s conduct warranted a stiffer sanction. The court also ordered Gray to continue psychological counseling and to appear before the Committee on Character and Fitness for an evaluation before his reinstatement.
Hat tip to Legal Profession Blog.
