High court gives lawyer six-month suspension

A Las Vegas lawyer faces a six-month suspension for violating three rules of professional conduct.

According to an order issued Friday by the Nevada Supreme Court, attorney Randolph Anderson III may apply for reinstatement after three months.

In issuing the order of suspension, the high court followed the recommendation of a hearing panel from the State Bar of Nevada's Southern Nevada Disciplinary Board.

Anderson, 45, received his license to practice law in Nevada in 2001. He could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

The order notes that the suspension "is separate from and in addition to" Anderson's previous suspension by the State Bar for nonpayment of dues and Anderson's previous suspension by the Supreme Court for failure to comply with the rules regarding continuing legal education.

Although the State Bar's Web site lists Anderson as "CLE suspended," bar spokesman Phil Pattee said Anderson "has no prior public discipline."

According to the most recent order of suspension, Anderson refused to honor a workers compensation insurance company's lien asserted against proceeds from a personal injury action he instituted on behalf of a client.

"He endorsed the settlement check on behalf of the insurance company without its authorization and did not pay the company's lien in full until after the insurance company filed a grievance with the state bar," according to the order. "In addition, at the disciplinary hearing Anderson testified that he failed to keep proper records and that he commingled client trust funds with earned fees, keeping them together in his trust account."

Contact reporter Carri Geer Thevenot at cgeer@reviewjournal.com or 702-384-8710.