Approximately one million years ago — that is, January 2020 — we first told you about the hot water former Vedder Price partner Robert Hankes was in, seeing as he was facing a disciplinary complaint by the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission.
Hankes, a one-time member of Vedder Price’s transportation finance team, faked invoices for more than $100,000 in fraudulent payments to client. Hankes was allegedly terminated by Vedder Price on Oct. 2, 2019 over the scheme, which had begun in January of 2018. Hankes was home grown at Vedder Price, he began working there in 2005 as a summer associate, and was made partner in 2014. Before joining the firm, Hankes, also a CPA, was auditor at Arthur Andersen and a financial analyst with Winston & Strawn.
Now according to a January 20th order, Hankes won’t be a lawyer — at least for the next three years. The Illinois Supreme Court has suspended him, what with the double-billing and faked expense reports.
ABA Journal reported on the scheme:
The double billing stemmed from Hankes’ representation of a financial institution in financing and leasing matters involving other companies. The financial institution’s agreements with the customer companies allowed them to be billed directly for legal services in certain circumstances.
Hankes billed the financial institution and its customers for the same legal work, wrongly collecting nearly $109,000 that he applied to the reactivated account, the review board…
