Helga Kahr, formerly a Seattle-based attorney, has been disbarred in both Illinois and Washington following a conviction for stealing over $280,000 from a vulnerable client to pay her delinquent mortgage. The Washington State Supreme Court’s decision for reciprocal discipline came after the Illinois Supreme Court deemed such a necessity.
The Supreme Court of Washington concurred with the Supreme Court of Illinois in its judgment, concluding that Kahr’s conduct had adversely reflected upon her reliability as a lawyer. She was found to have committed actions of misconduct, further fueling the justification for her disbarment.
The Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of the Illinois Supreme Court took note of Kahr’s culpability in the exploitation of a particularly susceptible person, her dishonest and selfish motives, as well as her failure to participate in this proceedings, aggravating the misconduct considerably.
The formal court order describes the full extent of Kahr’s transgressions and the complete rationale behind the disbarments.