TALLAHASSEE (Florida Record) — Port Orange attorney Michael Olshefski has been disbarred following a Feb. 8 Florida Supreme Court order over allegations he abandoned his law practice, according to a recent announcement by The Florida Bar.
"Olshefski abandoned his law practice without notice to clients and without taking steps to protect their interests," the state bar said in its March 27 announcement of the discipline and the Supreme Court's order. "He also failed to communicate with the bar’s investigative inquiries in the matter and failed to attend the final hearing."
In its two-page order, the high court approved an uncontested referee's report filed in the matter disbarring Olshefski and ordered him to pay almost $2,813 in costs.
Olshefski's already was suspended, so his disbarment was effective immediately, according to the state Supreme Court's order.
The state Supreme Court's order is not final until time to file a rehearing motion expires. Filing such a motion would not alter the effective date of the Olshefski's disbarment. Olshefski was admitted to the Florida bar Sept. 21, 2006, according to his profile at the state bar website.
Olshefski suspended until further order following a July 2016 state Supreme Court order after he was found in contempt for noncompliance and failing to respond to an official state bar inquiry into a complaint filed against him, according to the order and the state bar's petition for contempt and order to show cause.
In the referee's report filed prior to Olshefski's disbarment, Olshefsk was alleged to have "abandoned his clients' legal matters," the report said. "In addition, [Olshefski] failed to participate in a meaningful way at the outset of the first disciplinary case and has not participated since the formal complaint was filed. After the formal complaint was file, the bar's staff investigator attempted to contact [Olshefski] via telephone and email and [Olshefski] failed to respond."
Default was entered against Olshefski in the disciplinary proceeding in July, according to the referee's report. Olshefski did not appear at the final hearing in October "nor did he make any attempt to contact either the bar or the undersigned referee," the report said.