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Filed August 12,2013

BEFORE THE HEARING BOARD OF THE ILLINOIS ATTORNEY REGISTRATION AND DISCIPLINARY COMMISSION In the Matter of: KATHLEEN IRENE NIEW, Commission No. 2012PR00162 Attorney-Respondent, No. 6180449. REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE HEARING BOARD

DEFAULT PROCEEDING The hearing in this matter was held on June 27,2013, at the Chicago offices ofthe Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission, before a Hearing Board Panel consisting of Kenn Brotman, Chair, Carrie A. Durkin, and Audrey Hauser. Lea S. Gutierrez appeared on behalf of the Administrator. Rita Greggio, a law school graduate, also appeared on behalf of the Administrator pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 71l(c). Respondent was not present and no counsel appeared on her behalf. At the conclusion of the Administrator's presentation, counsel for the Administrator recommended that Respondent be disbarred. We have considered the Administrator's two-count Complaint, a copy of which is attached as Exhibit 1, the order entered on April 19,2013, deeming the allegations of the Complaint admitted, attached as Exhibit 2, and the evidence presented by the Administrator at the hearing. The Administrator submitted seventeen exhibits, which included communications to and from Respondent regarding her clients' funds (Adm. Exs. 2, 6); bank statements and ledgers pertaining to client funds (Adm. Exs. 3, 4, 5); complaints filed against Respondent by former PAGE 2: clients (Adm. Exs. 7, 12); court documents pertaining to a lawsuit filed against Respondent's former clients as a result of Respondent's conduct (Adm. Ex. 9); documents regarding the revocation of Respondent's insurance producer license (Adm. Ex. 13); Illinois Supreme Court orders regarding Respondent's prior
discipline and interim suspension (Adm. Exs. 14, 15, 16); and descriptions of Respondent's background and

practice posted on her law firm website (Adm. Ex. 17). The Administrator also presented the testimony of

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Jamal Khoury, Leda Khoury, and Lester Trilla in aggravation of Respondent's misconduct. Pursuant to the Chair's order of June 27,2013, and Supreme Court Rule 277, the Administrator submitted a report regarding prior discipline imposed against Respondent in In re Niew and Zitzka, 87 CH 153, M.R. 5576 (May 25, 1989), and In re Niew, 98 CH 113, M.R. 17491 (July 7, 2001). Respondent did not respond to the Administrator's report. Accordingly, 1. Service of the Administrator's Complaint was made upon Respondent on January 4,2013. 2. This Panel finds by clear and convincing evidence that Respondent engaged in the acts alleged and committed the misconduct as charged in the Complaint. 3. Given Respondent's misconduct, the aggravating evidence, and the relevant case law submitted by the Administrator, we recommend that Respondent, Kathleen Irene Niew, be disbarred. 4. The Panel has concluded that this form will adequately communicate its recommendation to the Court. PAGE 2: Respectfully Submitted, Kenn Brotman Carrie A. Durkin Audrey Hauser CERTIFICATION I, Kenneth G. Jablonski, Clerk of the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois and keeper of the records, hereby certifies that the foregoing is a true copy of the Report and Recommendation of the Hearing Board, approved by each Panel member, entered in the above entitled cause of record filed in my office on August 12, 2013. Kenneth G. Jablonski, Clerk of the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois

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