Jones in a Jam

Gregory D. Jones of Fayetteville, whose law license was placed on interim suspension last month, is in hot water again — no one can find him to answer questions.

Jones blew off a trial last month in which he was the defendant, and that resulted in an easy judgment against him for $870,500 — but more on that case later.

Jones apparently walked away from his practice and clients last summer as lawsuits were beginning to pile up against him. On Dec. 12, Arkansas’ Supreme Court disciplinary committee yanked his license because he “presently poses a substantial threat of serious harm to the public and to his clients if he continues to practice law,” the committee’s order of interim suspension said.

An interim suspension is relatively rare, with about only one a year in Arkansas.

The committee found Jones was being sued by clients over allegations “of financial improprieties involving client funds and fees.”

Stark Ligon, the committee’s executive director, said Jones’ disciplinary case is ongoing and he couldn’t comment on that.

On Dec. 21, Washington County Circuit Judge Chadd Mason appointed Ligon and his committee as receiver to deal with Jones’ client files. That marked the first time the committee has been appointed as receiver for an attorney’s case files.

Ligon said Jones had “several thousand” client files he will attempt to return to their owners in the coming months. Ligon also said he will be looking for Jones’ client trust account. It is unknown how much — if any — money is in that account.

It’s also unclear what claims are pending against the account.