Famed Father's Rights Attorney Gets Law License Suspended For Charging Exorbitant Fees

CHICAGO — Prominent Chicago lawyer Jeffery Leving has been suspended from practicing law for charging exorbitant fees to clients, leaving some to represent themselves in court after emptying their accounts.

Though the famed fathers' rights attorney admitted under oath that his firm had charged unreasonable fees to clients and then failed to accomplish their goals, Leving then reportedly tried to stop a newspaper from publishing "any negative content" about him.

The Illinois Supreme Court issued a five-month suspension for Leving, who built a reputation advocating for fathers in custody battles, after an investigation by the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission, or ARDC, found that his firm’s billing practices caused significant harm to clients.

"[Leving's] conduct involved [his] Firm’s representation of eight clients over the course of approximately seven years and was not an isolated incident," according to the petition to discipline him, which he testified was correct.

"Moreover, [he] is an experienced practitioner with over 40 years of experience in the area of family law," it said. "Finally, the clients involved had time-sensitive matters involving the custody of children, divorce, parentage, and/or child support, and each client had limited means to pay for representation in those matters."

Leving’s firm routinely charged clients thousands of dollars for services that accomplished little, forcing some to drop out of legal proceedings altogether due to financial ruin.

In one instance, the firm billed one dad nearly $60,000 for just three months of work in a divorce case, then attempted to collect an additional $80,400 in fees.

The firm withdrew from representing the man just eight days before his trial, leaving him to represent himself because he could no longer afford a lawyer.

The ARDC’s petition noted that Leving’s firm had assigned eight attorneys, one legal assistant, four paralegals, and one private investigator to the man's case, inflating the legal fees far beyond what the work warranted.

In another case, a father sought help from Leving’s firm in modifying child support payments. After paying a $6,000 retainer, that man was billed an additional $3,900 despite the firm making no substantial progress on his case.

For three months of representation, the firm filed only an appearance and a motion to withdraw. Like other clients, he was left without legal representation after Leving’s firm withdrew from his case due to his inability to pay more.

Leving’s firm also reportedly charged excessive fees by billing in 18-minute increments for even the smallest tasks, including directing paralegals to convert documents.

In many cases, clients were made to attend meetings with four lawyers present — an intake attorney, a managing attorney, a mentor attorney, and a mentee attorney — each of whom billed separately for their time.

Adding to the controversy, Leving attempted to prevent the Chicago Sun-Times, where he frequently advertised his legal services and contributed op-ed articles, from publishing negative stories about him or his firm as part of an advertising agreement, according to a note from the paper's executive editor. It said his efforts were unsuccessful and the contract was never authorized.

According to the petition to impose discipline on him, Leving charged more than $443,000 in unreasonable legal fees to eight clients, though his firm was only able to collect about $192,000 from them.

A prolific advertiser who often appears on local broadcast media, Leving has been honored by three presidents, endorsed by an archbishop and recognized by state legislators for his work with divorced dads.

"In addition, [Leving] has taken responsibility for his misconduct by joining in this petition," it said.

Representatives of the firm did not respond to a request for an interview or written questions about the allegations that he tried to block the newspaper from reporting about him.

Leving’s five-month suspension is set to begin Friday, but it will be stayed after 60 days in favor of a two-year probationary period.

During this time, he is required to attend a professionalism seminar and reimburse clients for unearned fees, as well as comply with strict conditions set by the ARDC.

"[Leving] has also implemented changes to his firm’s retainer agreement," according to the petition, "and provided partial refunds to the eight clients involved."