Orlando attorney Amy Lynn Perez has been suspended for 18 months and ordered to pay restitution to a client following a Nov. 30 Florida Supreme Court order over allegations arising from two separate bankruptcy matters.
Perez's suspension was effective 30 days from the date of the high court's two-page order. She also was ordered to pay $1,300 in restitution to one client and almost $1,807 in costs.
In Florida, court orders are not final until after the time to file a rehearing motion expires. Filing such a motion would not alter the effective date of the Perez's suspension.
The allegations arose from two separate bankruptcy matters.
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The Florida State Bar announced the discipline and the Supreme Court's order on Dec. 28.
In both bankruptcy cases, Perez failed to diligently represent her clients after she was retained, according to the state bar's announcement. "In both cases, she failed to adequately communicate with the clients," the announcement said. "Even after the clients filed complaints, Perez failed to work on their cases and she failed to respond to Florida Bar inquiries regarding the matters."
Perez was admitted to the bar in Florida on Sept. 21, 2006, according to her profile at the state bar website.
Perez, who represented herself in the state bar's proceedings against her, admitted she failed to respond to the state bar's formal complaint and the referee in the matter entered a default order in July, according to the consent judgment filed with the court. The judgment also includes Perez's conditional guilty plea.
Perez did not display a dishonest or selfish motive but was experiencing "personal problems at the time the misconduct occurred and was unable to meet the demands of a solo law practice," the consent judgment said.
In a prior discipline, Perez was admonished for similar misconduct, according to the consent judgment, following a November 2016 state Supreme Court order. She also was required to pay $885 in restitution to one client and pay about $1,440 in costs, according to that order.