Office of the Presiding Disciplinary Judge

People v. DeFranco.

No. 24PDJ093. 12/23/2024. Reciprocal Discipline.

February 5, 2025

The Presiding Disciplinary Judge approved the parties’ stipulation to discipline, imposed reciprocal discipline, and disbarred Leonard S. DeFranco (attorney registration number 17329). The disbarment was effective on December 23, 2024.

This reciprocal discipline case arose out of discipline imposed on DeFranco by the Supreme Court of Illinois. That tribunal disbarred DeFranco on March 19, 2024, after a review board recommended the sanction. The recommendation was premised on the board’s finding that DeFranco dishonestly converted client funds for his own use and borrowed money from another client without complying with the required safeguards to protect that client’s interests. DeFranco’s Illinois case number is 2022PR00040.

DeFranco thus engaged in conduct constituting grounds for reciprocal discipline under CRCP 242.21, which calls for imposition of the same discipline as that imposed in Illinois.

Official Office of the Presiding Disciplinary Judge proceedings can be found at the Office of the Presiding Disciplinary Judge website.

Back to the From the Courts Page