Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
An Elkhart attorney already suspended from the practice of law in the state now faces a new interim suspension order from the Indiana Supreme Court.
The high court suspended Olubunmi Okanlami on Thursday after the attorney was found guilty of resisting law enforcement, a Level 6 felony.
The Elkhart attorney had been suspended in April for violating her probation in another disciplinary action.
Okanlami had resigned from the Indiana bar in January 2013 and petitioned for reinstatement in 2019. She was conditionally reinstated on Jan. 8, 2021, with the requirement of completing at least two years of probation with monitoring by the Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program.
But in January of this year, the Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission filed a motion to revoke Okanlami’s probation, citing her violations of the terms of her JLAP monitoring.
Okanlami also had multiple criminal cases initiated against her, including one with a guilty plea and others pending, that she did not report to JLAP as required, according to the commission.
Additionally, she pleaded guilty in January to misdemeanor disorderly conduct and was sentenced to 42 days in jail.
According to a Disciplinary Commission notice of finding of guilt, filed in August, on Jan. 24, Okanlami was charged in St. Joseph Superior Court 3 with one count of resisting law enforcement, a Level 6 felony, and one count of reckless driving, a Class C misdemeanor.
She was found guilty of both charges at a June jury trial.
Judge Jeffrey L. Sanford sentenced her to 365 days in jail, all suspended, for the resisting law enforcement charge and 60 days in jail, also suspended, for the reckless driving charge, with 32 days of credit for time served. The sentences were consecutive.
The Supreme Court disciplinary order issued Thursday suspended Okanlami from practicing law in Indiana, effective immediately.
Okanlami is ordered to fulfill the continuing duties of a suspended attorney under Admission and Discipline Rule 23(26).
The interim suspension will continue until further order of the high court or final resolution of any resulting disciplinary action, provided no other suspension is in effect.
Chief Justice Loretta Rush issued the order, with all justices concurring in In the Matter of: Olubunmi O. Okanlami, 23S-DI -211.
Please enable JavaScript to view this content.