Helping his disbarred dad see his incarcerated mom got a Central Florida attorney disbarred.
The state Supreme Court’s action on Aug. 6 ended the family’s legal episode as well as the law career of Longwood personal injury lawyer Larry Powers III. He’d been admitted to the Florida Bar in September 2018.
In January 2025, the court approved the disciplinary revocation application of his father, personal injury lawyer Larry Powers Jr., who was accused of using clients’ money to fund his own life before turning it over to them.
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Disciplinary revocation is “tantamount to disbarment,” says the state Supreme Court’s general language on the approval of such applications.
Under disciplinary revocation, the lawyer is disbarred for five years, sometimes with the possibility of being readmitted. In return, the Bar discipline cases against him go away. This has no effect on any criminal or civil cases arising from the attorney’s actions.
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Details of the case
According to the report by case referee Judge James Yancey, Larry Powers III’s mother had been arrested so he and Larry Powers Jr. went to see her at the Orange County Booking and Release Center on Jan. 13, 2025.
They “indicated they were representing the mother in a legal capacity,” the referee’s report said.
But Powers Jr.’s disciplinary revocation application had been approved on Jan. 2, 2025, so only one of those Larry Powers was still able to say he was there as her attorney. Powers III showed his driver’s license and Florida Bar card. Powers Jr. showed only his driver’s license. The son was allowed into the client-lawyer area and the father wasn’t.
“Shortly thereafter, Powers Jr. again asked for assistance in locating the client-lawyer meeting area at a different location at the facility,” the referee’s report said. “The sheriff’s deputy on duty asked Powers Jr. to produce identification.”
This time, Powers Jr. pulled out a Bar card and driver’s license. But the deputy found the names didn’t match — the Bar card was that of Powers III.
“Thereafter, both [Powers III] and Powers Jr. were removed from the premises,” the referee’s report said.
Powers III didn’t respond to the Florida Bar throughout the discipline process.
Yancey recommended that Powers III be disbarred and found guilty of misconduct and minor misconduct; violating the rules of professional conduct; misconduct by dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation; misconduct prejudicial to the administration of justice; and misconduct by failure to respond in writing to the grievance.
Miami Herald
Since 1989, David J. Neal’s domain at the Miami Herald has expanded to include writing about Panthers (NHL and FIU), Dolphins, old school animation, food safety, fraud, naughty lawyers, bad doctors and all manner of breaking news. He drinks coladas whole. He does not work Indianapolis 500 Race Day.