Court moves to disbar former Center Township solicitor for misconduct
CENTER TWP. — After reviewing the conduct of a Beaver County lawyer, the Disciplinary Board of Pennsylvania's Supreme Court has decided to disbar a former township solicitor from practicing law in the state.
According to documents filed by the state's disciplinary board on Wednesday, it has moved to disbar Nicholas Urick and will prevent the Center Township-based lawyer from practicing law in the state as of Sept. 9, 2022. In its filings, the board describes multiple instances of unprofessional conduct from Urick throughout several local civil court cases.
Urick had previously served as township solicitor for Center Township Supervisors, with them announcing and approving his resignation during their May 17 meeting.
The original filing against Urick was entered by the disciplinary board on March 2. In its charges, the board describes multiple instances where the former solicitor broke professional conduct with his clients during five different civil cases, including cases for automotive accidents, an enforcement notice, a divorce and a personal injury.
Throughout these five cases, the board describes situations where Urick was not acting professionally or within the best interests of his clients. Some of these instances include not properly notifying clients of motions or the status of cases, not disclosing his professional fees and rates when hired, failing to provide prompt responses to requests for information and engaging in conduct that is prejudicial to the administration of justice.
According to the disciplinary board, a response to these client matters was originally requested from Urick by mail on Dec. 20, 2021. In this letter from the board, they indicated that Urick was to send a response to these claims within 10 days of signing for the mail. Urick did not send a response as of the March 2 filing, nor did he indicate a cause for his failure to respond to the board.
Court documents indicate Urick voluntarily resigned from the bar on July 13 to cooperate with the investigation.
This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Pennsylvania moves to disbar former Center Township solicitor
