High court suspends Reno lawyer Dickerson

The Nevada Supreme Court on Monday ordered Reno lawyer Jeffrey Dickerson’s license suspended for 18 months.

The State Bar brought three counts against Dickerson, including his “conduct in federal district court that led to Dickerson being sanctioned over $1 million.” That charge states that Dickerson filed 15 actions in the same litigation and engaged in inappropriate practices.

The second count charges that he failed to properly disburse a settlement and address a conflict between his clients over that distribution.

Finally, he failed to file a client’s appeal to the 9th Circuit Court on time and didn’t explain to his client the reason for the appeal’s failure.

“We conclude that clear and convincing evidence supports the panel’s findings,” the court wrote.

The justices approved the 18-month suspension and ordered that, before reinstatement, Dickerson must pass the Professional Responsibility and Attorney Ethics portion of the State Bar Exam.

Justice Nancy Saitta was the only dissenting vote, arguing a one-year suspension with added conditions would be more appropriate. She said Dickerson should pay all outstanding federal sanctions, take an ethics class and be supervised by a mentor attorney once he resumes practice.

Dickerson wasn’t the only lawyer sanctioned by the high court Monday. All seven justices agreed with the recommendation that C. Andrew Wariner of Las Vegas be disbarred and ordered to pay $119,421 in restitution.

The order said Wariner is the subject of 18 different grievances, 17 of which involved mishandled bankruptcy proceedings.

He didn’t participate in the disciplinary proceedings and didn’t respond to the State Bar complaint against him.

Finally, the court adopted the California Bar’s decision disbarring William H. Bullis from practicing law in that state, banning him from legal work in Nevada as well. He was charged with abandoning a bankruptcy client, failing to pursue the case or respond to the client’s status inquiries and failing to provide an accounting, return unearned fees or the client’s files.