WARSAW — Former local attorney Scott Lennox, 51, Warsaw, has been suspended from practicing law after noncooperation in regards to pending allegations of professional and criminal misconduct.

According to a court document filed Nov. 13 and signed by Loretta H. Rush, Chief Justice of Indiana, pursuant to Indiana Admission and Discipline Rule 23(10.1)(c)(1), Lennox has been petitioned to “show cause why he should not be suspended immediately from the practice of law in Indiana due to failure to cooperate with the Commission’s investigation of a grievance filed against him by failing to submit written responses to pending allegations of professional misconduct against him.”

On April 9, Lennox was charged with eight felony criminal charges, including two counts of fraud on a financial institution and six counts of theft. 

According to an affidavit of probable cause, on Nov. 27, 2018, an officer with the Warsaw Police Department met with attorney Matthew Buehler, who is partners with Joseph Sobek and Scott Lennox. Buehler said that Lennox had illegally taken money from three trust accounts and that he had also taken money from the business operating account of Lennox, Sobek and Buehler, LLC.

On Oct. 30, 2018, Buehler discovered that Lennox was removing money from the law firm’s trust account for personal use. Buehler removed Lennox from the trust account on Nov. 15, 2018, so that Buehler was the only person authorized to access the trust account funds.

Buehler also said he was notified by the law firm’s bookkeeper that Lennox made a cash withdrawal on Oct. 30, 2018, of $5,500 from the trust account. Similar incidents occurred on Nov. 7, 2018, with a cash withdrawal of $3,500 from the trust account and a $3,000 deposit into the business account; and on Nov. 8, 2018, with a cash withdrawal of $4,000 from the trust account, with $3,500 being deposited into the business account.

On Nov. 29, 2018, a WPD officer spoke with the law firm’s bookkeeper. According to the bookkeeper, she wrote checks at Lennox’s discretion for $7,000 to Bowers Jewelry and $6,000 to The Car Company. Lennox signed both checks. Neither companies were clients of the law firm. The Bowers Jewelry check was for an engagement ring, and The Car Company check was for payment for Lennox’s son’s vehicle.

On April 15, acting upon anonymous information, Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Deputies located Lennox at a motel in West Lansing, Mich. He was then extradited to Kosciusko County Jail. Lennox posted a $250 cash bond on April 23.

Lennox has demanded a jury trial in regards to this case. A date and time for the trial has not been scheduled. The trial will take place in Marshall County.