Thursday, November 11, 2004
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

JANE ANN MORRISON: Attorney's problems could go deeper than clients' missing $350,000

Las Vegas attorney Lawrence Davidson appears to have emerged as the new poster boy for rotten medical malpractice attorneys.

He stands accused of stealing nearly $350,000 from two of his clients, forging documents and signatures and walking out on his family and his law practice.

Wednesday was a new low point for the low-down Davidson.

The Nevada Supreme Court granted the wish of the State Bar of Nevada and temporarily suspended his law license, agreeing with the bar that the 38-year-old attorney is a threat to the public. Also, a federal grand jury indicted him for twice forging the signature of U.S. District Judge Robert Clive Jones, who was a bankruptcy judge at the time the signatures were forged in 2001 and 2002.

Doctors who see medical malpractice attorneys as "the enemy" will surely delight in Davidson's downfall, which seems to have started with his attempt to hide his own malpractice in a court case and snowballed from there.

Documents an inch-thick filed by the State Bar with the Nevada Supreme Court detailed the allegations and Davidson's denials, then admissions.

The file includes two notes Davidson left for his wife Jill before disappearing Oct. 15.

He wrote: "I have done some very bad things to many people and if I stuck around, not only would I lose my license and probably go to prison, but I would not be able to ensure that (the children) are taken care of. The second option is to commit suicide, but frankly I've never been that interested in quitting. The only real option is for me to leave, but this way when the commotion has died down, I will be able to reach you somehow to set up (the children) for their future."

He warned his wife she would hear "some really bad things about me in the coming weeks."

"I'm sorry for what this is going to do to all of you, but at this point, it's just too late for other options. Please try to help the kids understand. I will always love you."

Davidson also asked his wife: "Make sure my Dad knows this had nothing to do with his matter."

Davidson's dad is Don Davidson, former vice president of Triple Five Development and "his matter" is that he has been investigated by the FBI as part of it's ongoing political corruption probe involving developers. No charges have been filed against the father.

One year ago, I reported sources said the FBI was investigating whether $200,000 allegedly paid to former Clark County Commissioner Erin Kenny went through Lawrence Davidson's client trust account. At that time, Lawrence Davidson confirmed the FBI subpoenaed records from him but told me he had not been informed that he was either a grand jury target or subject.

The forgery indictment returned Wednesday by the federal grand jury says nothing about the corruption probe, but originated from the State Bar probe.

The State Bar began looking into Davidson in May 2003, when District Judge Sally Loehrer wrote the bar, saying documents had surfaced showing that she approved a $1.5 million judgment in a malpractice case. She had not.

At first, Davidson said his client made up the documents.

Then in February 2004, Davidson admitted that was a lie and he made up the pleadings to cover up his own malpractice.

The bar filed a formal complaint against him in May.

Between May and Oct. 15, when Davidson reportedly absconded with nearly $350,000 from two clients' trust accounts, the attorney was "maintaining an appearance of full cooperation and remorse," according to the bar.

Davidson has since returned to the state to enter a mental health program. After an arrest warrant was issued, he voluntarily surrendered to federal authorities and was arraigned on a federal complaint Nov. 1.

His attorney Steve Stein said it was premature to comment on the indictment or the bar complaint.

Davidson was described as a "nice guy" by one co-worker.

But based on the documents accompanying the State Bar's complaint, he's anything but.

His side has yet to be told, but the unanswered question is: What caused Davidson's decline into an abyss of lies, forgery and betrayal of his clients and, even worse, his family?

Jane Ann Morrison's column appears Monday, Thursday and Saturday. E-mail her at jane@reviewjournal.com or call 383-0275.