Nevada high court reprimands Las Vegas attorney

By Cy Ryan

Friday, Sept. 10, 2010 | 1:50 a.m.

CARSON CITY – The Nevada Supreme Court on Thursday issued a public reprimand of Las Vegas lawyer Thomas C. Michaelides for failure to represent his client in an appeal to the court.

Michaelides failed twice to file a required document in an appeal despite warnings. The court conditionally imposed a $500 fine in April 2008, but said the penalty would be vacated if he filed the document within seven days.

Michaelides paid with a bum check, the court said. It was six months later that Michaelides submitted the required docketing statement.

The court dismissed the appeal and sent the case to the State Bar because of his repeated procedural failures.

The Southern Nevada Disciplinary Board of the Bar heard the case. Michaelides said one of his crucial employees had fallen ill and required out-of-state treatment, and that was the reason for his failure to submit the documents to the court.

But the board found Michaelides guilty of violating court rules.

In 2003, Michaelides received a private reprimand for violating two rules of professional conduct. He again received a private reprimand for violating two rules of professional conduct in 2004.

The court said there was clear and convincing evidence that Michaelides was guilty of misconduct in the current case.

In addition to the public reprimand, the court ordered Michaelides to complete 10 hours of training in ethics within a year; be required to hire an attorney at his own expense to audit his law practice and report all findings to the Nevada Bar and to pay the costs of the disciplinary proceedings within 30 days.

The court also noted that Michaelides has paid only $250 of the $500 fine imposed in 2008, although he maintains he covered the full amount.