Attorney Bernard Olson II of Galesburg, IL; thief, forgery

The state of Illinois presented Barney Olson II with a law license in 1980 after he graduated from Chicago-Kent College of Law Illinois Institute of Technology School of Law.

The Disciplinary Commission found Bernie guilty of the following misconduct.

• Misappropriated $4,850.68 [stole] from his client's share of joint property in a dissolution of marriage case to his personal use
• Did not inform his client when he received the checks and signed her endorsement on them without her authority or knowledge
• Failed to promptly notify client of receipt of funds owing to client
• Engaged in conduct involving fraud, deceit, dishonesty or misrepresentation
• Lied to client that he was holding her proceeds of the sale of the excavator for her
• Filed to advise client he had received funds from sale of client’s trailer
• Signed [forged] client’s name on two checks

As a direct consequence of his misconduct, the cheerleaders for Attorney Misfits sitting on the Illinois Supreme Court punished Bernie by gifting him with a complimentary 6-month suspension effective June 14, 2018.

Because Attorney Misfits in Illinois are held to a much lower standard of conduct then everyone else Bernie was never criminally charged with grand theft or forgery.

As we speak (September 2018), Bernie will be resuming his practice in December 2018 at 68 South Prairie Street in Galesburg, Illinois.