Court to decide if area attorney will be suspended

YOUNGSTOWN -- The Ohio Supreme Court will decide whether a local attorney should be temporarily prohibited from practicing law.
An Ohio Supreme Court hearing panel heard the complaint of the Mahoning County Bar Association against Richard Olivito on July 28. Atty. Ronald F. Slipski represented the bar association at the hearing.
The panel then made its recommendation to the high court's board of commissioners on grievances and discipline.
The board of commissioners issued its findings of fact, conclusions of law and recommendation Oct. 7.
The panel's recommendation was that Olivito be suspended from the practice of law for one year with six months of that time stayed.
Board recommendation
The board's recommendation, however, is that Olivito be suspended from the practice of law for two years, with one year of the sanction stayed.
The bar association accused Olivito of violating disciplinary rules during his representation of Catherine and Michael Accola in a Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2003.
According to the Oct. 7 report, Olivito's "misrepresentations and various attempts to cover up and excuse his neglect have built a strong record of unacceptable conduct."
The report stated Olivito did not file bankruptcy proceedings until five to seven months after the Accola's retained him, and that he admitted that he "forged the clients' signatures in three places on the petition before filing it."