Attorney Mark M. Venetos of Phoenix was disbarred from the State Bar of Arizona after receiving clients’ personal injury settlement checks and keeping unwarranted sums.
Venetos did not appear at a hearing that was held on Nov. 18, 2016 before the Presiding Disciplinary Judge of the Arizona Supreme Court and a hearing panel, which resulted in the admission of all exhibits listed in a prehearing statement and led to his disbarment on Dec. 2, 2016.
In late 2011, Venetos was hired to represent a married couple in a personal injury suit stemming from an auto accident. He settled the case, but failed to timely inform his clients of the settlement and failed to timely disburse the settlement funds. Venetos failed to satisfy outstanding liens held against the couple by Zenith Administrators and Foothills Physical Therapy in the amount of $6,010.23. After agreeing to remit payment to both providers, he knowingly failed to follow through and kept the money for himself.
After a review of his trust account, it was determined that Venetos misappropriated client funds by over-disbursing earned fees to himself and by using the client’s funds to pay the debts of other clients. He spent the client’s settlement money before informing the client of the settlement and transferred money from his personal account to cover the disbursements to his client.
During an interim suspension hearing with the State Bar of Arizona, Venetos testified that all debts had been satisfied, knowing it was untrue.
Mark M. Venetos’ disbarment was effective Dec. 2, 2016. He was ordered to pay $10,407.70 to his client and must pay $4,000 to the State Bar of Arizona for the costs and expenses associated with his disciplinary proceedings.