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Friday, March 26, 2010

Ind. Courts - "Sent Truckin'! Court Shifts Celadon General Counsel's Career Into 'Neutral'"

Updating this ILB entry from March 24th, Sue Reisinger of Corporate Counsel reports about the Indiana Supreme Court's ruling March 12, 2010 in the case of State ex rel. Ind. Sup. Ct. Disc. Comm'n v. Core. Some quotes:

The Indiana Supreme Court has ordered the general counsel of Indianapolis-based Celadon Group, Inc. to stop practicing law in Indiana, where he is not a licensed attorney.

The court ruled March 12 that Kenneth Core, who used the title vice president of risk management and general counsel at the trucking company, "is not and never has been licensed to practice law in Indiana." Under a settlement reached with the state disciplinary committee, Core admitted to liability for the unauthorized practice of law.

Core did not immediately return messages for comment. But Paul Will, Celadon's chief financial officer, told an Indianapolis newspaper that Core's mistake was a "misunderstanding," and that he would take the steps to become licensed in Indiana.

Will also said that an individual who had a dispute with the company ratted out Core and filed the state bar complaint. Core's superiors at Celadon were aware that he was not licensed in Indiana, the court said.

The court order states that Core was formerly licensed in Iowa where he practiced law between 1975 and 1993. In 1993 his Iowa law license was suspended for failure to pay Iowa's annual license fee and/or for failure to comply with Iowa's continuing legal education requirements, and wasn't renewed.

The court said Core could still work but he cannot suggest he is a licensed attorney, and he cannot provide legal advice or legal services to any person or entity "unless and until such time as he obtains a license to practice law in Indiana."

Posted by Marcia Oddi on March 26, 2010 08:53 AM
Posted to Indiana Courts