The Virginian-Pilot
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VIRGINIA BEACH
A Virginia State Bar subcommittee has publicly reprimanded a Virginia Beach attorney for misconduct, according to a news release sent out Thursday.
The subcommittee found that Robert Charles Neeley Jr. violated State Bar rules governing diligence and communication with a client.
In May 2009, Willie Dollison, an inmate at Red Onion State Prison, wrote Neeley a letter, asked him to represent him, and included two $250 money orders, according to bar documents. Neeley deposited the money in an escrow account, then wrote Dollison and asked the inmate to contact him.
Dollison wrote Neeley four letters about his case, according to bar documents. Neeley did not communicate with the inmate again until the inmate filed a complaint with the State Bar.
Neeley agreed with the State Bar that he should receive a public reprimand, according to the bar's news release. A message left at his Virginia Beach office Thursday was not returned.
Neeley will also have to buy case management software specific to law practices as part of the reprimand.
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Welcome to the 2 class system
Welcome to the 2 class system. You take funds and provide nothing in return you're charged with theft of some sort. They take funds, they buy some software to remind them they stole from someone. We see this every day. You run over someone you get charged with manslaughter. For them they're not responsible at all and it's the victims fault. You take funds from your employer you get fired and charged with embezzlement. They keep their job and no wrongdoing occurred. Once you get in tight with those running the show you're set. There's always been 2 classes and the divide is getting more visible and open every day.
Two Sides to Every Story
Mr. Neeley has been handling a complicated case for me for some time. He did have some issues in 2009 with timeliness and response that were resolved when there was a change of office assistant staffing. Immediately following that change his response and timeliness were drastically improved. What he was perhaps too polite or embarrassed to say when he agreed he deserved his reprimand was that he put trust in the people he employed to do their job and they did not.
Everyone makes mistakes. There are worse ones than trusting your employees to do their job. {Heck, the City of Norfolk can't figure out no one's showing UP to their job for 12+ years!!!}
I doubt the Pilot will dig up more on this than honest error-he's a good guy and I'm sure he will do what he can to make things right for the inmate who needed his help.
Attorney reprimand
Shame on attorneys who think they are GOD! He should have been reprimanded. That was stealing on his part from a potential client and he should have refunded the potential clients money back to him immediately. Attorney John Hooker in Virginia Beach did the same to me in 1999. He took $500 from me to represent me on a rent-to-own home from Remax Realty and he got $100 a minute from me (5 minutes in court) after demanding I pay him in a money order and did absolutely NOTHING to help me. He pocketed the money and ran!!! I see why he takes no checks or credit cards/debit cards. That would leave a paper trail and he may have to account to someone. I cringe when I think I may have to have legal representation because you will still be on your own! Lawyers are ALL crooks.. Sharon Barish EMTBarish@aol.com
Mr.Neeley is still an excellent attorney.
I have known Robert Neeley for ten years and he has always conducted himself very professionally. This is certainly out of character for him. I would recommend him to anyone that needs an experienced criminal defense attorney in Hampton Roads.
Retainer ??
I wonder what the consequences would be if a contractor in the home-improvement business had taken a deposit and then ignored the customer and did nothing....Of course, there is no "Bar Association" to look out for them. This clown should have been arrested and charged with larceny. He knew there was little the inmate could do about it, and took advantage of the situation. Put him in jail a few months...that will be far more a deterrant than a "reprimand" by other lawyers who are known for doing the same thing.
Consequences For An Attorney?
The consequence would be bars for anyone else my friend, for a long time. Attorney's are special, with no consequences. It's time to put an end to their "special rights" too! Attornies are the biggest bunch of Criminals that will ever walk the face of this earth!
Fees
Hopefully he was also ordered to refund the fees and to include interest and a great big gift. He should have been fined, but no I will agree to a lesser penalty and walk away only to be able to do it again. Remember Shakespeare.
I didn't expect anything less, it's a whitewash
The State Bar rules? They only protect members of the Bar. We really need an overhaul of these Colonial era rules. There is too much of these so call "Enquires" stealing money from innocent people. I should say I dislike lawyers because they only produce paperwork and misery for the common folk and hide under the law statues. The Bar protects the dishonest "Bar" members on a constant basis, it makes me sick. They really are the mosquitoes of today’s society. I have never met a private practice attorney that was honest, my son wanted to be an attorney before I hit him in the mouth, he’s now a successful IT professional. This guy really is typical of lawyers in Virginia. However, I do love their commercials.
Short Shrift. Short Shrift. Short Shrift. Say it really fast.
I must admit that I've always liked this phrase.
That's it?
I agree, VB attorneys are VERY notorious for this behavior. When reading this article, a few names sprang to mind immediately.
There's no one to appeal to; are you going to hire a lawyer to sue a lawyer? I bothered to write the Bar in my case. They called the attorney's lack of response a "case tactic" and would not pursue the matter.
When my fries are cold, I can summon a manager and get immediate satisfaction. When my serious crises in court are handled poorly, I've got nowhere to turn to.