TALLAHASSEE — Tampa attorney Charles Alexander Greene Jr. has been suspended following a Nov. 18 Florida Supreme Court order over an alleged inappropriate business relationship with his paralegal and a late appeal filed in a criminal case, according to a recent announcement by The Florida Bar.
"Greene hired Robert Sanchez, a nonlawyer, as an independent contractor paralegal at his law firm who would refer clients to Greene and draft paperwork without reasonable supervision from Greene," the state bar said in its Dec. 27 announcement of the discipline and the Supreme Court's order. "Greene also represented Sanchez in at least nine legal matters of varying nature from approximately 2009 to 2016 and would subtract monies owed from the legal representation from his payment for services rendered."
Over the four years that Greene represented Sanchez, Green allegedly "failed to consistently communicate about the case," the announcement said.
"In a separate count, Greene who was appointed by the court to represent a client in a criminal matter filed a late appeal, which was dismissed with an appellate court later affirming the decision," the announcement continued.
In its two-page order, the Supreme Court approved findings of fact and recommendation as to guilt in the referee's report filed in the matter but disapproved of the referee's recommended sanction that Greene received a public reprimand and a year of probation.
Instead, the court suspended Greene for 60 days, to be followed by a year of conditional probation and directed Greene to attend the state bar's ethics school.
Greene'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 high court's order. The court also ordered Green to pay almost $3,954 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 Greene's suspension.
Greene was admitted to the bar in Florida in 2002, according the referee's report.