DENVER - May 2, 2007 - A Denver attorney who admitted five weeks ago to overbilling his clients and submitting false expenses to his firm has been quickly disbarred by the Colorado Supreme Court, LAW WEEK COLORADO reports.
Frank W. Sledge agreed to the disbarment, said Denver defense attorney Larry Pozner, who represents him. "Frank voluntarily cooperated in the disciplinary process and stipulated to his own disbarment."
Sledge was suspended March 26, the court's Presiding Disciplinary Judge revealed in papers made public Wednesday. Sledge's disbarment was effective April 17. Sledge most recently practiced at Denver's Holland & Hart, the region's largest law firm, but the overbilling and expense-padding is said to have occurred at his previous firm, White & Steele.
"Respondent knowingly submitted false expense reports and engaged in improper billing practices on multiple occasions over several years as a shareholder with his previous law firm," the judge's order noted. The extent of the overbilling isn't known.
Sledge's misconduct constituted "grounds for the imposition of discipline" pursuant to both the Colorado Rules of Civil Procedure and the Colorado Rules of Professional Conduct, the judge wrote.