Tampa attorney Mayowa F. Odusanya has been suspended for six months following a Dec. 14 Florida Supreme Court order over numerous professional misconduct allegations, including those arising from his traffic-related arrest last year, according to a recent announcement by the Florida Bar.
Odusanya's suspension was effective 30 days from the date of the Supreme Court's two-page order. The allegations against Odusanya were broad, according to the Florida Bar's Jan. 29 announcement of the discipline and the Supreme Court's order.
"In numerous instances, Odusanya failed to competently represent clients after being retained," the state bar's announcement said. "He often failed to perform services, failed to communicate and failed to return unearned fees. In a motion, Odusanya made derogatory and disparaging remarks about a client, bar counsel and other current and former bar employees."
Odusanya was directed to attend ethics school and a trust accounting workshop, and to undergo a mental health evaluation prior to being reinstated, according to the order. Odusanya also was ordered to pay about $4,455 in costs.
In Florida court orders are not final until the time to file a rehearing motion expires. Filing such a motion would not alter the effective date of the Odusanya's suspension.
Odusanya admitted to dozens of professional conduct rules violations, including those referring to attorney competence, diligence, communication and declining or terminating representation, according to the consent judgment filed with the court. The judgment also includes Odusanya's conditional guilty plea.
One matter pending against Odusanya stemmed from his March 2017 arrest for failing to appear in traffic court for citations he received for not having a valid driver's license, the consent judgment said. Odusanya pled no contest the following month to two second degree misdemeanors, according to the judgment. Odusanya said he did not report to matter to the state bar because he had not yet paid the associated costs and fines "and was waiting until everything had been resolved." the judgment said.
"He further believed the arrests stemmed from the clerk's office incorrectly [sending] notices about the original citations to his former address in Miami although he informed the court of his current address in Tampa," the judgment said. "However, [Odusanya]'s address on his driver's license was not changed, which added to the confusion."