TALLAHASSEE (Florida Record) — Naples attorney Eric Robert Stanco was briefly suspended earlier this month and faces probation following a June 20 Florida Supreme Court order after failing to pay a fee and practicing while delinquent, according to a recent announcement by The Florida Bar.
"Stanco became delinquent in his bar membership for failing to pay his diversion fee," the state bar said in its July 26 announcement of the discipline and the court's order. "He initially was unaware of the delinquency and continued to practice law. He incorrectly stated on his petition to reinstate his license that he had not practiced law during his delinquency."
In its two-page order, the Supreme Court approved the consent judgment reached between Stanco and the state bar, suspended him for 10 days and ordered him to pay more than $1,421 in costs. After completing his suspension, Stanco will be on conditional probation for about a year, according to the court's order.
The consent judgment also includes Stanco's conditional guilty plea
Stanco's suspension was effective 30 days from the date of the court's order to allow him time to close his practice and protect his existing clients' interests, according to the state high court's order. 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 Stanco's suspension.
Stanco was admitted to the bar in Florida on Nov. 20, 2006, according to his profile at the state bar website. No prior discipline before the state bar is listed on his state bar profile.
One period of delinquency described in the consent judgment began in November 2016 when Stanco's state bar membership became delinquent after he failed to pay the costs of a diversion to the state bar's ethics school, according to the consent judgment.
Stanco alleges he initially was aware of his delinquency status and continued to practice law until he discovered the status in January of the following year, according to the consent judgment.
"Upon learning of his delinquency, [Stanco] ceased practicing law and notified his then-current clients," the consent judgment said.