Thomas Lyons Jr. was barred from working as an attorney for at least one year after the Minnesota Supreme Court recently determined he tried to fool other lawyers into believing a dead client was still alive while negotiating a settlement of the case.
Oddly enough, the Vadnais Heights lawyer was hired by the man after a credit reporting agency mistakenly claimed he was dead. The man actually died a month after the suit was filed.
After the credit agency agreed to settle the case for $19,000, the man's wife signed the papers, prompting the company to ask if her husband was dead. Lyons responded, "Yes – HOW IRONIC."
Since 1998, Lyons has been disciplined seven other times. He can seek reinstatement in one year.
