ELLSWORTH, Maine — Editor's note: The above video aired Dec. 1, 2021.
The Maine Supreme Judicial Court on Thursday suspended the law license of an Ellsworth attorney, citing multiple violations of rules of professional conduct.
According to a court order, the court found the violations by Christopher J. Whalley "posed imminent injury to clients, the public, and the administration of justice."
According to the Maine Board of Overseers of the Bar, violations include misuse of client funds, failure to respond to bar counsel investigation, and dishonesty.
Two complaints were filed in the summer of 2019 about Whalley's work as a personal representative of the estate of a deceased client, according to the court order. The order described the will as "straightforward" and "not a complex matter."
In the months after the complaint, according to the order, Whalley repeatedly told the board the estate was due to close, then failed to respond to inquiries and requests for files and other documents.
On Feb. 7, 2022, in response to a subpoena, a bank provided records to the bar indicating "suspect withdrawals" from the estate account deposited directly into Whalley's office and trust accounts totaling nearly $190,000, the order says.
Deposits totaling $90,000 of an estate valued at more than $375,000 were made into the estate account, according to the order.
The bar alleges "misuse of, or embezzlement of estate funds" and claims Whalley made false statements.
Whalley's license was previously suspended three times, twice in 2003 and 2007 for ethical misconduct and in 2021 for dishonest behavior.