TALLAHASSEE (Florida Record) — Boca Raton attorney Lori Kathryn Kovacs has been disbarred following a May 15 Florida Supreme Court order after she failed to respond to an inquiry, according to a recent announcement by The Florida Bar.
"Kovacs was found in contempt for failing to appear and testify before a grievance committee, after being served a subpoena by regular and certified mail," the state bar said in its July 31 announcement of the discipline and the Supreme Court's order. "Kovacs also failed to respond to bar inquiries regarding questionable financial matters. In one instance, a trust account check was returned for insufficient funds."
The state Supreme Court issued its two-page order disbarring Kovacs after granting a petition for contempt and order to show cause filed by the state bar. Kovacs' disbarment was effective 30 days from the date of the court's order to allow her time to close her practice and protect her existing clients' interests, according to the high court's order.
Florida court orders are not final until after time to file a rehearing motion expires. Filing such a motion does not alter the effective date of Kovacs' disbarment.
Attorneys disbarred in the state generally may not reapply for admission for five years. Even then they must pass an extensive process that includes a rigorous background check and retaking the bar exam.
Kovacs was admitted to the bar in Florida on Oct. 4, 1991, according to her profile at the state bar website. No prior discipline before the state bar is listed on Kovacs's state bar profile.
In its inquiry, the grievance committee looked into whether Kovacs endorsed a check made payable to the former employer of her husband, Gary W. Kovacs, that was deposited into the operating account of her own law firm, whether she signed a response to the grievance and a trust account check that was returned for insufficient funds. Lori Kovacs provided little response, according to the state bar's petition. "The cumulative nature of [Mrs. Kovacs'] contemptuous conduct makes it evident that the [Mrs. Kovacs] does not value her privilege to practice law," the petition said.
Gary Kovacs was voluntarily disbarred in February following his former employer's allegations of theft.