Two Florida men have been caught running a few different illegal law firms and misrepresenting clients. The two men recruited lawyers on CraigsList and used bar numbers from lawyers that they recruited to file documents in court cases. The two men were representing homeowners in various lawsuits and cases when they were caught.
Acting Falsely
The Florida Attorney General’s office is seeking an injunction in order to prevent the two men from representing homeowners in legal cases. The men, Joseph Anton Hilton and Joseph Starr have been accused of practicing law without a license. Remember, that these individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
When the lawyers that Starr and Hilton recruited through Craigslist figured out that something was awry, the two men would allegedly move onto the next lawyer.
Eventually, Hilton and Starr’s scam was discovered. Now, the two are facing a court for representing clients using bar numbers that did not belong to them. The clients were told that they were being represented by the owners of those bar numbers, but the lawyers that the numbers belonged to did not know anything about the clients - or that the clients existed.
Additional Names
The two men used various law groups and company names including Heritage Law Group, Liberty Law Group, Consumer Legal Resources, Consumer Legal Advocates, Legal Referral Services, Galler Lehman Law and Selective Housing Solutions. Additional names may be uncovered at a later time.
Unfortunately, those consumers that did hire the men related to these law firms were told to stop making mortgage payments. The homeowners, believing that their lawyers had their best interests at heart, stopped making payments to the mortgage companies. Instead, the homeowners were asked to send payments to the law firm(s).
Since the two men did not have any legal right to act as lawyers, those people that stopped making their mortgage payments are going to find themselves with much higher arrearage balances. Hopefully, the mortgage companies and mortgage servicers will be understanding. Yeah Right!
At the Dellutri Law Group, we want to make sure that you are protected when it comes to scams like this one. This is why we urge you to make sure that you know who you’re dealing with when you hire any lawyer to represent you or your company. Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us with your questions. Also, if you need help finding a qualified attorney, please feel free to reach out to us. Let us help you. This is our promise to you.
As you know, you can always contact us today for true legal help that you can depend on!
