James Needles, Investigator for the Illinois Attorney Registration And Disciplinary Commission Is a Joke! ARDC stands for Attorney' Right to Defraud their Clients. My Former Attorney Violated the Attorney Client Privilege That Exists between us and James Needles Refused to Open an Investigation. Chicago Illinois
I filed a complaint against my former attorney with the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission(who I cannot name because he sued me for using his name on my website and I spent 3 years and a small fortune defending myself).
My complaint was for several things. My former attorney wrote a vile website about me. My former attorney not only slandered me in the website, wrote false statements about me but he also violated the attorney client privilege. My attorney also used information about me that he only knew due to his representing me and he made that information public in a way, other than the website he wrote about me. (I have to be careful about what I say or I will be sued again.) The person from the Illinois ARDC that apparently only glanced at my complaint was James Needles. I say glanced because James Needles certainly didn't investigate it. One would have to believe he didn't even read it in light of the fact that there was no investigation. Mr. Needles then informed me by letter that my former attorney DID NOTHING WRONG!!
After word getting out via the internet regarding the acts committed against me by my former attorney I received over 50 emails from attorneys from all over the U.S. that were in shock that the ARDC did nothing to my former attorney. Yes you read this correctly, other attorneys thought that my former attorney should have been disciplined.
I then sent a letter by FEDEX to the then head of the Illinois ARDC, Mary Robinson. Ms. Robinson did not even look at my issues and simply handed my letter over to James Needles. James Needles wrote me another letter telling me that they would not investigate my complaint.
The Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission is a joke! Why does it exist? It is lawyers policing lawyers. The Illinois ARDC only investigates 2% of the complaints it receives.
Victims of Illinois attorneys should log onto the website www.clr@clr.org. They are very helpful in asssisting you with complaints against lawyers.
I urge people to not give up when the Illinois ARDC does not do its job in protecting you from bad attorneys. Look for other avenues to bring attention to your matter.
Shellie
Chicago, Illinois
U.S.A.