THESE NOTICES OF THE IMPOSITION OF DISCIPLINARY SANCTIONS AND ACTIONS are published pursuant to Rule 3.5(c) of the Washington Supreme Court Rules for Enforcement of Lawyer Conduct. Active links to directory listings, RPC definitions, and documents related to the disciplinary matter can be found at the links below or by looking up the respondent in the Discipline Notice Directory at https://mywsba.org/PersonifyEbusiness/DisciplineNoticeDirectory.
As some WSBA members share the same or similar names, please read all disciplinary notices carefully for names, cities, and bar numbers.
Find prior Discipline & Other Regulatory Notices here.
Disbarred
John A Cochran (WSBA No. 38909, admitted 2007) of Portland, OR, was disbarred, effective 4/08/2025, by order of the Washington Supreme Court imposing reciprocal discipline in accordance with an order of the Supreme Court of the State of Oregon. For more information, see https://www.
osbar.org/members/membersearch_display.asp?b=020022&s=1. Henry Cruz acted as disciplinary counsel. John A Cochran represented themselves.
Decision document: The Washington Supreme Court Order.
Nathan L McAllister (WSBA No. 37964, admitted 2006) of Bellingham, was disbarred, effective 3/11/2025, by order of the Washington Supreme Court. Erica Temple acted as disciplinary counsel. Nathan L McAllister represented themselves. Randolph O. Petgrave III was the hearing officer.
The lawyer’s conduct violated the following Rules of Professional Conduct: 1.3 (Diligence), 1.4 (Communication), 1.5 (Fees), 1.15A (Safeguarding Property), 8.4(b) (Criminal Act), 8.4(c) (Dishonesty, Fraud, Deceit or Misrepresentation), 8.4(i) (Moral Turpitude, Corruption or Disregard of Rule of Law) and 8.4(l) (ELC violation).
McAllister was found to have violated the Rules of Professional Conduct by: 1) failing to comply with a client’s reasonable requests for information about the funds respondent held on behalf of the client; 2) abandoning respondent’s practice without providing for the clients’ needs; 3) converting money belonging to a client; 4) failing to respond to ODC’s requests for a response related to clients’ grievance and failing to appear at ODC’s deposition in one of the grievances; 5) failing to comply with clients’ reasonable requests for information, and failing to take action on the clients’ probate matters and failing to appear at a relevant court proceeding; and 6) collecting a fee and then failing to perform the agreed upon work.
Decision documents: Hearing Officer’s Decision; Disciplinary Board Order Declining Sua Sponte Review and Adopting Hearing Officer’s Decision; and Washington Supreme Court Order.
Talwinder Singh (WSBA No. 56762, admitted 2020) of Renton, was disbarred, effective 4/07/2025, by order of the Washington Supreme Court. Henry Cruz acted as disciplinary counsel. Talwinder Singh represented themselves. Scott Martin Ellerby was the hearing officer.
The lawyer’s conduct violated the following Rules of Professional Conduct: 1.3 (Diligence), 1.4 (Communication), 1.5 (Fees), 1.15A (Safeguarding Property), 1.16 (Declining or Terminating Representation), 3.2 (Expediting Litigation).
Singh was found to have violated the Rules of Professional Conduct by: 1) failing to file any pleadings in a divorce matter; 2) failing to inform a client of a default order during the representation and after the termination of representation; 3) failing to refund unearned fees after the termination of representation; and 4) failing to deposit the client’s advance fees in a trust account.
Decision documents: Hearing Officer’s Decision; Disciplinary Board Order Declining Sua Sponte Review and Adopting Hearing Officer’s Decision; and Washington Supreme Court Order.
Paul Arnold Wallstrom (WSBA No. 8605, admitted 1978) of Seattle, was disbarred, effective 4/10/2025, by order of the Washington Supreme Court. Benjamin Attanasio acted as disciplinary counsel. Kurt M. Bulmer represented the respondent. Henry Edward Stiles II was the hearing officer. James D. Hicks was the settlement hearing officer.
The lawyer’s conduct violated the following Rules of Professional Conduct: 1.15A (Safeguarding Property), 1.15B (Required Trust Account Records), 8.4(b) (Criminal Act) and 8.4(c) (Dishonesty, Fraud, Deceit or Misrepresentation).
Wallstrom was found to have violated the Rules of Professional Conduct by: 1) using and converting client and third person funds; 2) failing to maintain client and third person funds in a trust account; 3) disbursing more funds than clients had on deposit and by using one client’s funds on behalf of another; 4) failing to promptly pay and/or deliver funds that clients and third persons were entitled to receive; 5) failing to maintain a check register or equivalent for each trust account, including entries for all receipts, disbursements, and transfers, and containing at least the detail required by RPC 1.15B(a)(l)(i) through (v), and individual client ledger records containing either a separate page for each client or an equivalent electronic record showing individual receipts, disbursements, or transfers, and containing the detail required by RPC 1.15B(a)(2)(i) through (v); and 6) failing to reconcile respondent’s trust account check register to the bank statements and by failing to reconcile the trust account check register to the client ledgers.
Decision documents: Hearing Officer’s Amended Decision; Disciplinary Board Order Adopting Hearing Officer’s Decision; and Washington Supreme Court Order.
Resigned in Lieu of Discipline
Kenneth Richard Zigler Jr. (WSBA No. 41723, admitted 2009) of Spokane, resigned in lieu of discipline, effective 2/24/2025. The lawyer agrees that they are aware of the alleged misconduct in disciplinary counsel’s Statement of Alleged Misconduct and rather than defend against the allegations, they wish to permanently resign from membership in the Association. Erica Temple acted as disciplinary counsel. Kenneth Richard Zigler Jr. represented themselves.
The Statement of Alleged Misconduct reflects the following violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct: 1.3 (Diligence), 1.4 (Communication), 1.5 (Fees), 1.15A (Safeguarding Property), 1.16 (Declining or Terminating Representation), 8.4(b) (Criminal Act), 8.4(c) (Dishonesty, Fraud, Deceit or Misrepresentation), 8.4(i) (Moral Turpitude, Corruption or Disregard of Rule of Law) and 8.4(n) (Unfitness to Practice Law).
Zigler’s alleged misconduct includes: 1) converting and exerting unauthorized control over funds belonging to multiple clients; 2) failing to perform legal services as agreed for the clients; 3) failing to act with diligence and failing to adequately communicate with the clients; and 4) abandoning respondent’s law practice without refunding unearned fees to clients or providing them with their client files.
Decision document: Resignation Form of Kenneth Richard Zigler Jr ELC 9.3(b).
Suspended
Thomas Michael Geiger (WSBA No. 6885, admitted 1976) of Spokane, was suspended for 30 days, effective 3/05/2025, by order of the Washington Supreme Court. Henry Cruz acted as disciplinary counsel. Thomas Michael Geiger represented themselves. Seth Aaron Fine was the hearing officer. Henry E. Farber was the settlement hearing officer.
The lawyer’s conduct violated the following Rules of Professional Conduct: 1.1 (Competence), 1.3 (Diligence), 1.4 (Communication), 1.16 (Declining or Terminating Representation), and 3.2 (Expediting Litigation).
Geiger stipulated to suspension for: 1) providing legal representation in a probate matter where respondent had no experience and/or no legal knowledge handling the material aspects of the matter; 2) failing to promptly withdraw from the probate matter where respondent was unable to provide competent representation; 3) failing to take the necessary steps to promptly resolve the probate matter; and 4) failing to keep the client reasonably informed about the status and specific details of the probate matter.
Decision documents: Disciplinary Board Order Approving Stipulation; Stipulation to Suspension; and Washington Supreme Court Order.
Philip Saint John Wakefield (WSBA No. 22599, admitted 1993) of Everett, was suspended for eight months, effective 3/3/2025, by order of the Washington Supreme Court. Kathy Jo Blake acted as disciplinary counsel. Kevin M. Bank represented the respondent. Seth Aaron Fine was the hearing officer. Kenneth B. Gorton was the settlement hearing officer.
The lawyer’s conduct violated the following Rules of Professional Conduct: 1.3 (Diligence), 1.15A (Safeguarding Property), and 1.15B (Required Trust Account Records).
Wakefield stipulated to suspension for: 1) failing to maintain client and/or third person funds in a trust account; 2) failing to promptly deliver to clients and/or third persons funds they were entitled to receive; 3) disbursing more funds than clients had on deposit and/or by using one client’s funds on behalf of another; 4) failing to maintain client ledgers and a complete, accurate, and/or current check register; and 5) failing to reconcile a trust account check register to the bank statements and failing to reconcile a trust account check register to the sum of the client ledgers.
Decision documents: Disciplinary Board Order Approving Stipulation; Stipulation to Suspension; and Washington Supreme Court Order.
Admonished
Travis Richard Walker (WSBA No. 50110 admitted 2015) of Port St Lucie, FL, was admonished, effective 3/12/2025, by order of the Washington Supreme Court imposing reciprocal discipline in accordance with an order of the Supreme Court of the State of Florida. For more information, see https://www.floridabar.org/public/acap/disc-docs/?icn
=202330391&member=36693. Henry Cruz acted as disciplinary counsel. Travis Richard Walker represented themselves.
Decision document: The Washington Supreme Court Order.
Interim Suspension
Christopher Jason Paul Hendry (WSBA No. 55445, admitted 2019) of Tacoma, is suspended from the practice of law in the state of Washington pending the outcome of disciplinary proceedings, effective 4/03/2025, by order of the Washington Supreme Court. This is not a disciplinary sanction.