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Iowa lawyer’s license is suspended amid audit of client trust account

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Iowa lawyer’s license is suspended amid audit of client trust account

Jul 04, 2022 | 12:00 pm ET
By Clark Kauffman
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Iowa lawyer’s license is suspended amid audit of client trust account
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The Iowa Supreme Court has suspended the license of an Iowa City lawyer for refusing to cooperate with an audit of his client trust account. (Photo by Getty Images.)

The Iowa Supreme Court has indefinitely suspended the license of an Iowa City lawyer for refusing to cooperate with an audit of his client trust account.

On April 18, the state’s Client Security Commission requested trust account information from attorney Randy E. Trca to complete a financial audit. Trca allegedly failed to provide the information requested by the commission.

On May 16, the commission notified Trca that his license to practice law would be suspended unless he provided the information or filed a request for a hearing to show cause as to why his license should remain in effect.

After 15 days passed, Trca had neither provided the information nor requested a hearing. As a result, the Iowa Supreme Court has temporarily suspended Trca’s license and ordered him to comply with commission’s request for trust account information.

The suspension will continue until the commission certifies that Trca has fully complied with its request for information and the court enters an order reinstating his license to practice. If it becomes necessary, the commission or the Iowa Attorney Disciplinary Board can request that a trustee be appointed to protect the interests of Trca’s clients.

Iowa lawyers who accept or hold money on behalf of clients – typically involving money collected as advance payment toward legal fees – must have a trust account established to hold those funds.

The Client Security Commission is authorized to perform audits of those accounts and lawyers are required to cooperate with the commission’s work.

The commission’s stated goal is to conduct unannounced, periodic audits of every lawyer trust account at least once every three to four years.