Attorney Could Be Disbarred State Board Votes 10-1 That Haskell Lose License

The state’s legal disciplinary board has voted 10 to 1 to recommend disbarring a Spokane attorney accused of misusing money and falsely billing clients.

The Washington State Bar Association’s decision leaves attorney Stephen Haskell, 44, one step short of losing his license.

The disbarment recommendation goes to the state Supreme Court - the only body that has the power to rescind or suspend an attorney’s license.

Haskell said Thursday he will appeal the recommendation.

He plans to ask the court to let him continue practicing law while he pursues his appeal, a process that’s expected to take eight to 10 months.

If the court determines he poses no risk, Haskell can continue representing clients, said his attorney, Kurt Bulmer of Seattle.

Haskell is currently a partner with Spokane attorney Stephen Eugster.

The vote to recommend disbarment was announced Monday by the 12-person disciplinary board.

The process has consumed nearly four years and thousands of pages of affidavits, depositions and hearings records.

A former partner of Haskell’s, Richard Hayes, said he wishes the process was speedier.

“These things take an inordinately long time to get done,” Hayes said. “It’s unfair to everyone involved, including the person whose career is being affected.”

Bulmer said Haskell will challenge the accuracy of the allegations made against him as well as the severity of the proposed discipline.

If Haskell is disbarred, he could not practice law for a minimum of five years.

Resuming practice takes a series of steps, including petitioning the bar association for reinstatement and retaking the bar exam.

The bar association began reviewing complaints against Haskell in 1994 after his former partners filed a complaint.

He had been a partner in the Spokane firm of Chase, Haskell, Hayes and Kalamon. Haskell was fired from the firm in 1993.

His former partners claim Haskell falsely billed clients, misused company funds and misrepresented work done by other attorneys as his own.

Among more than a dozen allegations, they said he billed insurance firms for air fares they thought were coach but were really first-class.

During a January hearing on those accusations, Haskell denied defrauding his former clients.

But Hayes said Haskell’s billing practices could have led to criminal prosecution for possible theft of company funds.

Hayes said he doesn’t know whether county prosecutors will pursue criminal charges against Haskell.

The single vote against disbarring Haskell came from board member Pio DeCano II. DeCano said he regarded Haskell’s conduct “egregious and deserving of discipline.

“But it does not rise to the disbarment level,” he wrote.

One member abstained from voting. The disciplinary board is made up of eight attorneys and four lay citizens.

, DataTimes