Court Opinion

ID: 9961274
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2024-04-18 15:10:48.602613+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T08:20:31.178664
License: Public Domain

TO BE PUBLISHED

              Supreme Court of Kentucky
                               2024-SC-0052-KB

IN RE: BRIAN ALLEN LOGAN

                             IN SUPREME COURT

                            OPINION AND ORDER

      Pursuant to SCR 3.165(1)(a) and (b), the Inquiry Commission of the

Kentucky Bar Association (KBA) has petitioned this Court to enter an order

temporarily suspending Respondent, Brian Allen Logan, from the practice of

law in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Logan was admitted to the practice of

law in Kentucky on May 1, 2000. His KBA number is 88228 and his bar roster

address is 14 Ryswick Lane, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601.

      The Inquiry Commission seeks the temporary suspension of Logan’s

license because there is probable cause to believe Logan is or has been

misappropriating funds he held for others to his own use. The Inquiry

Commission further asserts there is probable cause to believe his conduct

poses a substantial threat of harm to his clients or the public. Logan has

responded to the petition in partial opposition to the temporary suspension.

      In its petition, the Inquiry Commission set forth the facts underlying its

request for a temporary suspension. On July 29, 2018, Jack Estes executed

his will which Logan had drafted. Logan was named as the executor of Estes’s
future estate. Estes died on September 17, 2018, and Logan promptly filed to

probate the will, estimating the value of the Estate at $425,000. Divorced and

leaving no children, Estes’s will made a few personal bequests to friends and

caregivers, but the bulk of his estate was to be divided among three charities.

      Beginning in early October 2018, Logan made the first of thirteen

transfers by phone call from the Estate’s checking account to his own personal

account. By July 23, 2019, Logan had transferred himself $70,500 of the

Estate’s funds. The following month, Logan began using a phone app to

accomplish the transfers. Using that method, he ultimately completed thirty-

nine transactions totaling $170,600. Logan’s law firm was paid $36,630 by the

Estate between October 2018 and September 2020, but subsequent

investigation revealed the Estate should have only been billed $6,255 for

Logan’s services as executor, leaving $30,375 in overcharged fees. At some

point, Logan transferred a piece of real property valued at $145,000 from the

Estate to himself for no consideration. Although he may have collected rent on

the property, no payments of same were made to the Estate. In total, Logan

misappropriated $416,475 of the Estate’s assets. While he was acting as

executor, Logan failed to file an estate inventory, periodic settlements, or tax

returns, resulting in a loss to the Estate of an additional $30,000. Between

May 2020 and March 2023, Logan made nine payments of varying amounts to

the Estate for a total repayment of $10,029.17.

      Logan resigned as executor of the Estate on August 28, 2023, and the

Public Administrator was appointed to serve as executor of the Estate. That

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same day, Logan, through counsel, self-reported to the KBA his improper

conversion of Estate funds to his personal use. His former law firm also

reported the misconduct to the KBA. Based on the information received, on

October 11, 2023, the Inquiry Commission issued a three count complaint for

violations of SCR 3.130(1.15) (safekeeping property), SCR 3.130(8.4)(b)

(misconduct), and SCR 3.130(8.4)(c) (misconduct). Logan filed a response

acknowledging his conduct violated the relevant rules. He subsequently

cashed out his retirement account and made a restitution payment of $75,000

to the Estate. An inventory was prepared by the Public Administrator listing all

transfers, bequests, assets, and liabilities of the Estate which revealed

approximately $275,000 of misappropriated funds remained to be repaid.

      The Inquiry Commission subsequently filed the instant petition, alleging

Logan is or has been misappropriating funds he held for others to his own use

or has otherwise been improperly dealing with those funds, and that his

conduct poses a substantial threat of harm to his clients or the public. Logan

filed a response wherein he accepts responsibility for his actions, acknowledges

wrongdoing, and presents mitigating circumstances. Logan concedes a

temporary suspension is likely warranted under SCR 3.165(1)(a). However, he

argues a suspension under SCR 3.165(1)(b) is improper because he does not

pose a substantial threat of harm to his clients or the public as is he currently

not practicing law, has no prior disciplinary history, and has not previously

engaged in a similar pattern of conduct to that at issue in this matter.

      SCR 3.165(1)(a) permits the temporary suspension of an attorney if “[i]t

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appears that probable cause exists to believe that an attorney is or has been

misappropriating funds the attorney holds for others to his/her own use or has

been otherwise improperly dealing with said funds[.]” Further, SCR 3.165(1)(b)

permits the Inquiry Commission to petition this Court for an order of

temporary suspension if “[i]t appears that probable cause exists to believe that

an attorney’s conduct poses a substantial threat of harm to his clients or to the

public[.]” The Inquiry Commission believes the facts set forth above are

sufficient to meet this burden in requesting Logan be suspended pending the

outcome of the disciplinary proceedings currently underway.

         This Court has reviewed the allegations of the Inquiry Commission and

agrees that probable cause exists to believe Logan is or has been

misappropriating funds or has been otherwise improperly dealing with said

funds as required by SCR 3.165(1)(a). Despite Logan’s protestations to the

contrary, we further agree a reasonable basis exists to believe his conduct

poses a substantial threat of harm to his clients or to the public as required by

SCR 3.165(1)(b). Consequently, we conclude his license to practice law should

be temporarily suspended pursuant to SCR 3.165(1).

         ACCORDINGLY, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED as follows:

         1.   Brian Allen Logan is temporarily suspended from the practice of

law in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, effective upon the date of entry of this

order;

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      2.     The temporary suspension shall persist for a period of 180 days

unless otherwise extended or dissolved by subsequent order of this Court;

      3.     Disciplinary proceedings against Logan may be initiated by the

Inquiry Commission pursuant to SCR 3.160, unless already begun or unless

Logan resigns under terms of disbarment;

      4.     Pursuant to SCR 3.165(4), Logan may request dissolution or

amendment of the temporary suspension. In the event any such a request is

filed, the Inquiry Commission shall file its response with utmost speed, and the

matter shall then be heard and determined as expeditiously as the ends of

justice require;

      5.     No later than 30 days prior to the expiration of the period of

temporary suspension, the parties shall each file a status update regarding the

progress of any disciplinary proceedings and setting forth their respective

positions on whether the term of suspension should be extended, dissolved, or

amended;

      6.     Pursuant to SCR 3.165(5), Logan shall, within twenty (20) days

from the date of the entry of this Opinion and Order, notify in writing all clients

of his inability to provide further legal services and furnish the Director of the

Kentucky Bar Association with copies of all such letters;

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      7.    Pursuant to SCR 3.165(6), Logan shall immediately, to the extent

reasonably possible, cancel and cease any advertising activities in which he is

engaged.

      All sitting. All concur.

      ENTERED: April 18, 2024.

                                       _______________________________________
                                       CHIEF JUSTICE

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