TALLAHASSEE — Brooksville attorney Osa Jackson Harp IV was disbarred by the Florida Supreme Court of Florida after an investigation into multiple complaints revealed that Harp had accepted fees and failed to properly represent the clients thereafter.
The 36-page complaint released by the state Supreme Court details the charges against the attorney, which began in February 2015.
In April 2015, Harp was hired to represent a man in his divorce proceedings for a fee of $1,500 plus $411 for the filing fee. After the funds were provided, Harp allegedly failed to respond to his client for months or work on the case. The client fired Harp and sued him in small claims court, according to court documents. The client was granted the claim because Harp failed to file a response.
Harp was hired in July 2015 by a couple whose son was charged with a felony. They paid the attorney $3,000 of the quoted $5,000 the day they hired him. After receiving the funds, the attorney allegedly missed client meetings and failed to communicate with the couple. He was eventually fired and returned $1,400 to the couple.
In August 2015, Harp was hired for a custody matter for a fee of $1,000, and $500 was paid the day the attorney was hired. Harp informed his client that he would “discuss the matter with opposing counsel” but failed to do so, court documents state. Harp also allegedly failed to properly communicate with his client, reportedly taking their meetings as an opportunity to discuss his personal life rather than the client’s divorce proceedings. The client later learned that Harp’s attorney for his own divorce matter was the attorney representing the client’s wife. The client fired Harp for failing to provide services and demanded a refund, which the attorney agreed to but allegedly never paid.
The court also outlines five more instances of similar misconduct ranging from February 2015 to November 2015. Harp was found culpable in all matters.
Harp was admitted to the Florida Bar in 2006 the same year he graduated from the Florida Coastal School of Law. He had no prior record of discipline in the state.