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People v. Lucette Brenna Laffoon
In March 2021, a client hired Lucette Laffoon to file an I-130 petition to help the client’s family member obtain lawful permanent residency. Laffoon took more than 14 months to complete the petition, even though the petition was not exceptionally complicated. Laffoon also withdrew her client’s funds from her trust account before earning them. In June 2023, her trust account should have held at least $3,200 of the client’s funds, but the account’s balance was only $1,117.45. After Laffoon submitted the petition, she didn’t timely respond to a request for evidence from immigration authorities, nor did she inform her client that she didn’t respond. In August 2023, the client requested an update about her case from Laffoon’s office but never received a response.
In another matter, in 2017, Laffoon failed to timely file an asylum application for a client and the client’s son. During the representation, Laffoon transferred her client’s funds from her trust account to her operating account before earning them in full.
In a third matter, Laffoon indicated on a client’s asylum application that the client sought asylum based on membership in a particular social group but didn’t file a brief that the immigration court required for such applications. In addition, Laffoon waited to file a prehearing brief until just two days before the hearing on her client’s application, even though the brief and other prehearing materials were due 60 days before the hearing. Though Laffoon had agreed to charge the client a $10,000 flat fee to complete the asylum application and perform related services, the client ultimately paid her $14,440. Laffoon never communicated to the client in writing any changes in the basis or rate of her fee. During the representation, she transferred portions of her client’s funds from her trust account to her operating account before filing the client’s application or attending the hearing on the application’s merits.
In each matter, Laffoon failed to maintain a ledger or other recordkeeping system related to the clients’ funds. She also failed to timely surrender the clients’ files in each case to successor counsel.
The presiding disciplinary judge approved Laffoon’s stipulation to discipline and suspended Laffoon for two years. The suspension takes effect June 6. To be reinstated to the practice of law in Colorado after her suspension, Laffoon must prove by clear and convincing evidence that she has been rehabilitated, has complied with all disciplinary orders and rules and is fit to practice law.
People v. Lucette Brenna Laffoon
The presiding disciplinary judge approved the parties’ stipulation to revoke Lucette Laffoon’s two-year period of probation, lift the stay on her one-year-and-one-day period of suspension and suspend her for one year and one day. The suspension takes effect June 6. To be reinstated to the practice of law in Colorado after her suspension, Laffoon must prove by clear and convincing evidence that she has been rehabilitated, has complied with all disciplinary orders and rules and is fit to practice law.
In 2023, Laffoon was suspended from the practice of law for one year and one day, all to be stayed upon the successful completion of a two-year period of probation. Laffoon violated the conditions of her probation by engaging in additional misconduct. In case number 25PDJ42, Laffoon stipulated to a separate two-year suspension for the additional misconduct and for earlier instances of misconduct.