TALLAHASSEE — Fern Park attorney Brian Kozlowski has been briefly suspended following a Dec. 27 Florida Supreme Court order over allegations arising from two client matters, according to a recent announcement by the Florida Bar.
"Kozlowski neglected two separate client matters and failed to timely respond to The Florida Bar's inquiries regarding his conduct," the state bar said in its Jan. 31 announcement of the discipline and the Supreme Court's order.
In its single-page order, the high court approved the uncontested referee's report filed in the matter before suspending Kozlowski for ten days and ordering him to pay about $2.600 in costs. Kozlowski's suspension was effective 30 days from the date of the court's order to allow him time to close out his practice and protect his existing clients' interests, according to the order.
Florida court orders are not final until time to file a rehearing motion expires. Filing such a motion does not have altered the effective date of Kozlowski's suspension.
Kozlowski was admitted to the bar in Florida on Sept. 21, 2011, according to his profile at the state bar website. No prior discipline before the state bar is listed on Kozlowski's state bar profile.
Kozlowski represented himself throughout the proceedings against him, according to the consent judgment filed with the court. The consent judgment also includes Kozlowski's conditional guilty plea.
Kozlowski was accused violating professional conduct rules, including those regarding diligence, abiding by a client's decisions, keeping a client informed and protecting a client's interests after termination of representation. Kozlowski "was experiencing serious personal problems during the time the misconduct took place" and he expressed remorse for his misconduct, both of which was considered in mitigation, the consent judgment said.
Kozlowski admitted failing to respond in a timely matter to the state bar's in inquiries into both former clients' complaints, according to the consent judgment.