TALLAHASSEE — Davie attorney Cory Scott Robins has been voluntarily disbarred following a Feb. 14 Florida Supreme Court order over allegations involving his client trust account, according to a recent announcement by The Florida Bar.
"Robins improperly disbursed funds from his trust account," the state bar said in its March 29 announcement of the discipline and the Supreme Court's order.
In its two-page order, the Supreme Court granted Robins' uncontested petition for disciplinary revocation, tantamount to disbarment, with leave to seek readmission after five years.
Robins agreed to cease practicing law in Florida 90 days of tendering his petition for disciplinary revocation, according to the high court's order. Robins signed the petition Dec. 7. The court granted Robins the additional time to close out his practice and protect his existing clients' interests, according to the high court's order.
The court also ordered Robins to pay $3,905 in costs.
Florida court orders are not final until time to file a rehearing motion expires. Filing such a motion does not alter the effective date of Robins' disbarment.
Attorneys disbarred in Florida generally cannot reapply for admission for five years and must pass an extensive process that includes a rigorous background check and retaking the bar exam.
Robins was admitted to the bar in Florida on Sept. 30, 1997, according to his profile at the state bar website. Robins has no prior history of discipline and has never been the subject of criminal proceedings, according to his petition.
Disciplinary charges pending against him resulted from "his having followed the instructions of his client, that resulted in the alleged misappropriation by that client of funds that [Robins] subsequently learned may have belonged to a third party," the petition said.
The state bar alleged Robins "wrongfully followed the directions of his client" and that even though Robins "at no time received directives by the third party owners of the funds," he should have asked about it before giving the funds to the client, the petition said.
"This resulted in the alleged improper disbursement of the funds," the petition said.
Robins and the third party have since "settled all claims regarding the funds at issue," the petition said.