The ARDC has filed a complaint alleging that a lawyer visited a client in the hospital and obtained her signature on a will. He then took the will back to the office and had two people affix their signatures as witnesses.
Under Illinois law, the testator and the witnesses have to be in the same room and see each other sign.
After the client died, the lawyer filed the will with the Probate Court. It was there that the fraud was discovered.
The ARDC likes these cases because they are easy to prove. I understand how a lawyer who is hurrying might make a mistake like this.
Edward X. Clinton, Jr.
Legal Ethics Lawyer 