Case Title: Toledo Bar Assn. v. Abreu

Citation: 2016-Ohio-2972

Docket Number: 2015-1955

State: ohio

Court: Ohio Supreme Court

Date: 2016-05-17T00:00:00Z

Document:
[Until this opinion appears in the Ohio Official Reports advance sheets, it may be cited as 
Toledo Bar Assn. v. Abreu, Slip Opinion No. 2016-Ohio-2972.] 
 
 
 
NOTICE 
This slip opinion is subject to formal revision before it is published in an 
advance sheet of the Ohio Official Reports.  Readers are requested to 
promptly notify the Reporter of Decisions, Supreme Court of Ohio, 65 
South Front Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215, of any typographical or other 
formal errors in the opinion, in order that corrections may be made before 
the opinion is published. 
 
 
SLIP OPINION NO. 2016-OHIO-2972 
TOLEDO BAR ASSOCIATION v. ABREU. 
[Until this opinion appears in the Ohio Official Reports advance sheets, it 
may be cited as Toledo Bar Assn. v. Abreu, Slip Opinion No. 2016-Ohio-2972.] 
Unauthorized practice of law—Offering to provide advice on meeting Medicaid 
eligibility requirements—Consent decree approved—Injunction issued. 
(No. 2015-1955—Submitted January 6, 2016—Decided May 17, 2016.) 
ON FINAL REPORT by the Board on the Unauthorized Practice of Law 
of the Supreme Court, No. UPL 14-01. 
_______________________ 
Per Curiam. 
{¶ 1} Pursuant to Gov.Bar R. VII(5b), the Board on the Unauthorized 
Practice of Law has recommended that we approve a consent decree proposed by 
relator, Toledo Bar Association, and respondent, Raye-Lynn Abreu.  We accept the 
board’s recommendation and approve the proposed consent decree as submitted by 
the parties as follows: 
 
SUPREME COURT OF OHIO 
 
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1. 
Toledo Bar Association (“TBA”), the Relator, is 
authorized to bring this action by Supreme Court Rules, Gov. Bar 
Rule VII. 
2. 
The Supreme Court of Ohio, Board on the Unauthorized 
Practice of Law, has the jurisdiction to hear and decide this matter. 
3. 
Relator and Respondent waive the right to notice and 
appearance before the hearing panel of the Board, pursuant to Gov. 
Bar Rule VII(7)(H). 
4. 
Respondent, Raye-Lynn Abreu, is a natural person who 
is not licensed or authorized to practice law in the state of Ohio. 
5. 
At all times relevant hereto Respondent is or was doing 
business under the trade name of * * * “A.I.M.S.”, an acronym for 
“All Inclusive Medicaid Specialists”, or “Personalized Long Term 
Consulting & Medicaid Applications” or “Medicaid Solutions”. 
6. 
On or about February 28, 2012, Susan Heasley executed 
a Contract of Services with Respondent and paid Respondent an 
application fee in the amount of $7,975.00. 
7. 
On or about September 8, 2012, Howard Williamson, 
Jr., as [power of attorney] for his sister, executed a Contract of 
Services with Respondent and mailed to Respondent an application 
fee in the amount of $8,975.00.  (When Mr. Williamson elected to 
terminate the relationship, Respondent returned his check.) 
8. 
In exchange for the fees referenced in paragraphs 6 and 
7 above, Respondent represented that she would provide 
“Personalized Medicaid Strategies and Asset Protection” [and] 
“create a strategy specific to your family’s needs”, and that “the 
strategy will define the exact amount of resources you will be able 
to retain and the date Medicaid eligibility will exist”.  Respondent 
January Term, 2016 
 
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further represented that Ms. Heasley and Mr. Williamson, Jr., would 
“be informed not only of the amount of assets you will be keeping, 
but the appropriate way to reduce your resources.” 
9. 
Respondent admits that she engaged in the unauthorized 
practice of law when she marketed and represented to Susan Heasley 
and Howard Williamson, Jr., that she was a Medicaid specialist who 
could create a strategy for the appropriate way to reduce resources 
in order to become Medicaid eligible. 
10. Respondent further admits that she engaged in the 
unauthorized practice of law when she either provided or offered to 
provide Susan Heasley and Howard Williamson, Jr., with Medicaid 
planning which involved creating a strategy for the appropriate way 
to reduce resources in order to achieve Medicaid. 
11. Respondent shall cease all activities that constitute the 
unauthorized practice of law, and shall take the following specific 
steps within the time specified: 
(i) Respondent shall immediately cease to conduct and 
market herself as a Medicaid specialist who can 
provide a strategy for the appropriate way to reduce 
resources in order to achieve Medicaid, and shall 
cease to conduct and market herself as a Medicaid 
specialist who can provide a strategy for spending 
down and arranging assets and income to meet 
Medicaid eligibility requirements. 
(ii) All websites, advertisements, brochures, contracts, 
business cards, and any other marketing material that 
reflects Respondent is a Medicaid specialist who can 
provide a strategy for the appropriate way to reduce 
SUPREME COURT OF OHIO 
 
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resources in order to achieve Medicaid, or that reflect 
that Respondent is a Medicaid specialist who can 
provide a strategy for spending down and arranging 
assets and income to meet Medicaid eligibility 
requirements, shall be immediately revised with said 
representations being deleted. 
(iii) Respondent, individually or as a business, shall not, 
in the future, represent that she is a Medicaid 
specialist who can provide a strategy for the 
appropriate way to reduce resources in order to 
achieve Medicaid, or that she is a Medicaid specialist 
who can provide a strategy for spending down and 
arranging assets and income to meet Medicaid 
eligibility requirements. 
12. Relator does not recommend imposition of civil 
penalties pursuant to Gov. Bar Rule VII(8)(B). 
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED: 
A. Respondent is enjoined from all activities that constitute 
the unauthorized practice of law, including: 
(i) Rendering advice or providing a strategy for the 
appropriate way to reduce resources in order to 
achieve Medicaid, including rendering advice or 
providing strategy for spending down and arranging 
assets and income to meet Medicaid eligibility 
requirements; 
(ii) Marketing or advertising in any fashion that 
Respondent will provide advice or strategy for the 
appropriate way to reduce resources in order to 
January Term, 2016 
 
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achieve 
Medicaid, 
including 
marketing 
or 
advertising in any fashion the Respondent will 
provide advice or strategy for spending down and 
arranging assets and income to meet Medicaid 
eligibility requirements. 
B. Respondent shall make restitution to Susan Heasley in 
the amount of $7,275.00 by December 15, 2014. 
C. Respondent shall be assessed all costs of this matter 
pursuant to Gov. Bar Rule VII(8)(A). 
 
(Boldface sic.) 
So ordered. 
O’CONNOR, C.J., and PFEIFER, O’DONNELL, LANZINGER, KENNEDY, 
FRENCH, and O’NEILL, JJ., concur. 
_________________ 
Michael A. Bonfiglio and Gregory B. Denny, for relator. 
Laura J. Avery, for respondent. 
_________________