Area attorneys disciplined by Florida Supreme Court

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Pam Huff

Director of News Operations- Tampa Bay Business Journal

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Four out of 32 attorneys recently disciplined by the Florida Supreme Court are from Tampa Bay .

The Florida Bar announced the Florida Supreme Court's recent court orders disciplining 32 attorneys; disbarring eight, revoking the license of one, suspending 14 and publicly reprimanding nine. Three attorneys received more than one form of discipline, one was ordered to pay restitution and two were placed on probation, according to the statement.

Locally, here are the attorneys disciplined:

• Thomas Theodore Clifford, Tampa: Clifford was suspended for 91 days, effective 30 days from a Sept. 8 court order. His probationary period ended and he is required to complete a trust accounting workshop prior to petitioning for reinstatement. Clifford, admitted to practice in 1990, was found in contempt for failing to comply with the terms of a March 14 suspension order.
• Marcia Vestylena Forsett, Frostproof: Forsett was suspended until further order, effective 30 days from a Sept. 4 court order. Admitted to practice in 2007, Forsett was found in contempt for failing to comply with the terms of a 2013 Supreme Court order in which she was reprimanded and ordered to attend and complete ethics school. She failed to attend ethics school after being scheduled by the Bar, according to the statement.
• Frances Grace Jaynal, Pinellas Park: Jaynal was disbarred effective immediately, following an Aug. 21 court order. Jaynal was admitted to practice in 2004. An audit of her bank records showed a misappropriation of funds from her trust account from the estates of three clients totaling more than $132,000, according to the statement.
• William J. Rinaldo, Lakeland: Rinaldo has been disbarred effective immediately, following an Aug. 28 court order. Admitted to practice in 2000, Rinaldo accepted legal fees from clients to file bankruptcy petitions and failed to communicate or file the petitions in some instances, and abandoned other cases, according to the statement.

Pam Huff is Director of News Operations for the Tampa Bay Business Journal.