Disciplinary board: Elyria lawyer's license should be indefinitely suspended

A disciplinary panel has recommended the Ohio Supreme Court suspend the license of an Elyria attorney convicted of felony drug charges in federal court in 2020. The Ohio Board of Professional Conduct recommended that James Terry Robinson's law license be suspended for an indefinite period, with credit for time already served on a current, interim suspension dating back to January 2023. It is up to the Ohio Supreme Court to accept, reject or modify the board's recommendation, which was made Friday, Feb. 2. Objections to the board's findings are due to the Ohio Supreme Court by Feb. 26, according to court documents. If the Ohio Supreme Court suspends Robinson's license indefinitely, it would be the second time it has done so since 2009. A message seeking comment was left for Robinson on Wednesday. Following a hearing in November 2023, the Board of Professional Conduct determined that Robinson violated two of the Ohio Rules of Professional Conduct for attorneys. He failed to self-report his April 2022 felony conviction within the 10 days required by rule and "engaged in conduct (substance abuse) that adversely reflects on his fitness to practice law," according to board documents. Robinson first began working as an attorney in 1997, according to board documents. His license was suspended indefinitely in 2009 after he mishandled cases for four clients; engaged in neglect, fraud and dishonesty; and failed to cooperate with disciplinary proceedings, according to the board. Following that suspension, Robinson worked in human resources at Lorain County Community College, as a hospital chaplain, for the U.S. Census Bureau and as a volunteer minister at an Elyria church, according to board documents. It wasn't until when Robinson tried to have his indefinite license suspension from 2009 lifted in December 2022 that the April 2022 criminal conviction was revealed to the disciplinary board, according to its findings. Robinson has since paid all his fines, gotten substance abuse treatment, is "clean from narcotics" and cooperated with disciplinary proceedings, according to the board. A further condition of Robinson getting his license back is to prove his participation in substance abuse treatment, the board wrote. Federal authorities charged Robinson in 2020 after an investigation revealed that crack cocaine was being used and distributed out of his home on Briarwood Drive in Elyria. Robinson admitted to buying and using cocaine at his home from early 2018 through mid-2020. He pleaded guilty to maintaining drug-involved premises and was sentenced to three years probation by U.S. District Judge Patricia Gaughan in 2022. Eight other defendants charged in the federal drug case received sentences ranging from six months to 12 years in federal prison. A ninth defendant got probation.Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com.