Point Harbor attorney suspended

Attorney: Phillip H. Hayes Jr.

Location: Point Harbor

Bar membership: Member since 1992

Disciplinary action: Suspended from the practice of law for five years on Aug. 13. After four years Hayes may apply for a stay of the remaining portion of the suspension.

Background: In January 2017 Hayes accepted three grams of cocaine from a client in exchange for crediting $300 to an unpaid legal fee. That same day, Hayes was arrested on charges of felony possession of a schedule II controlled substance and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia based on the cocaine he received. In August 2017, Hayes pleaded guilty to the felony charge, and the misdemeanor charge was dismissed. A judge deferred further proceedings and placed Hayes on supervised probation for 24 months. Should Hayes comply with all provisions of probation, the charges will likely be dismissed pursuant to a deferred prosecution agreement.

Previous discipline: Hayes was previously admonished for accepting a client matter that he was not competent to accept and for filing frivolous pleadings therein.