Attorney Ward Merdes of Fairbanks, AK; cheating fraudster

The state of Alaska provided Ward M. Merdes with a law license in 1989 after he graduated from the University of Alaska School of Law.

The Office of Disciplinary Counsel found Ward guilty of the following misconduct.

• On same day Ward’s long-existing law firm was ordered to return over $643,000 to a former client, the attorney closed that firm and began transferring its assets to a recently formed law firm and to himself
• Ward then told the former client that the old law firm did not have sufficient assets to return the $643,000 in funds
• In subsequent civil litigation between Ward and the former client, the superior court found Ward and his firm liable under a consumer protection statute for nearly $2 million in damages
• Ward intended to defraud his former client by transferring the old firm’s assets to the new firm and to himself and had misrepresented his old firm’s ability to pay
• Engaged in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation
• Failed to maintain personal integrity
• Committed a criminal act adversely reflecting on Ward’s honesty, trustworthiness, or  fitness  as  a  lawyer

As a direct consequence of his misconduct, the cheerleaders for Attorney Misfits sitting on the Alaska Supreme Court punished Randy by gifting him with a complimentary 1-year suspension of his law license and assessed investigative costs of $3,000.00.

As we speak (ca. June 2023), Ward practices his so-called brand of law with the Merdes Law Office PC in Fairbanks, Alaska.