Chapel Hill attorney reprimanded (May 2022) 

Attorney: Michelle L. English 

Location: Chapel Hill 

Bar membership: Member since 2011 

Disciplinary action: Reprimanded on April 19 

Background: English undertook to serve as sponsoring local lawyer for Donnya Banks, an Illinois lawyer who undertook to represent plaintiffs in multiple claims in Wake County Superior Court and before the N.C. Industrial Commission (NCIC) arising from a prison riot (collectively “the actions”). The Disciplinary Hearing Commission found that English did not educate herself about the responsibilities of a lawyer who sponsors pro hac vice admission. Pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. § 84-4.1(5), as sponsoring attorney English was required to appear at all court proceedings in all cases and required to ensure that the pro hac vice requirements, including filing the registration statements and paying required fees, were satisfied. English and Banks filed pleadings in the Wake County actions alleging negligence by the state. Jurisdiction over such claims is exclusively in the Industrial Commission. English did not initially appear at hearings in any of the proceedings.  

Previous Discipline: none