Press Article: Ethical Violations Alleged in Legal Representation Case
Columbia, SC — In a striking legal controversy, attorney Joseph Pendarvis faces allegations of serious ethical violations related to his handling of a case involving client Steven Lewis. According to multiple advisory opinions from the South Carolina Bar Association, offering to pay clients’ demands from a law firm’s escrow account constitutes a severe breach of ethical conduct.
Ronnie Richter, one of the attorneys representing Lewis, emphasized the sanctity of escrow accounts, stating, "An escrow account is other people’s money… not to be touched for any reason." Richter and his co-counsel, Eric Bland, argue that Pendarvis not only violated ethical guidelines but also demonstrated a lack of seriousness in managing a significant case.
The allegations are supported by an affidavit from Michael Virzi, a law professor at the University of South Carolina and former chair of the South Carolina Bar Association’s Ethics Advisory Committee. Virzi found that Pendarvis breached his fiduciary duties to Lewis and fell below the expected standards of care for legal professionals in the state.
The underlying case involved Lewis accusing Dorchester County sheriff’s deputies of unlawful arrest during a custody dispute over his daughter. His claim alleges that the deputies arrested him without probable cause and exhibited negligence in handling the situation. Notably, the arrest occurred immediately upon Lewis’s voluntary return from a vacation with his daughter, without any prior inquiry into the custody arrangement.
While Lewis’s case was settled in November, concerns regarding his credibility persisted. As the situation develops, the scrutiny surrounding Pendarvis raises important questions about accountability and ethical compliance in the legal profession, spotlighting a case that underscores the critical nature of client representation and trust.
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