Reported Ethics Violations And Legal Misconduct Committed By Attorney Lynda Laing

#3082

Complaint 1:  Listed: Dec 17, 1997  Case Number: K97-318.  This complaint filed by Thomas Livermore, Pro Se.  Att. Laing represented Metropolitan Prop. & Liab. Ins. in an action against Mr. Livermore.  Mr. Livermore served written interrogatories to Metropolitan on 5-8-97 and both Att. Laing and Metropolitan refused to answer or respond to repeated requests for an answer.  On or about 7-21-97, Mr. Livermore filed a motion to compel and a motion for sanctions.  In a highly unusual ruling for RI courts, Mr. Livermore's motion was granted and Metropolitan answered the interrogatories.

Complaint two: November 20, 2006  Mr. John Palangio  R.I. Attorney General¹s Office  Consumer Protection Unit  150 South Main Street  Providence, R.I. 02903

Dear Mr. Palangio,

We are filing a formal complaint against Attorney Lynda Laing who filed a suit on behalf of a company named Portfolio Recovery ³Services². Attorney Laing claims that she is an agent for Portfolio Recovery Services. There is no company named Portfolio Recovery Services registered in either the Commonwealth of Virginia or the State of Rhode Island as Ms. Laing claims.

Ms. Laing claimed in her lawsuit that Mr. Ryan had a contract with Sears National Bank and that Portfolio Recovery Services had been assigned by Sears National Bank to collect a debt of more than $7,000.00 from Mr. Ryan and that he is indebted to Portfolio Recovery Services for that debt.  Although Attorney Laing has submitted sworn statements in the form of affidavits to support her claims, Attorney Laing has since admitted in open court that no contract existed between Sears National Bank and Mr. Ryan.  Ms. Laing also admitted to the Court that Portfolio Recovery Services has never received an assignment by Sears National Bank to collect this so called debt.

One individual claimed in a swown statement that Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC is the full name of the company and is located at 140 Corporate Blvd., Norfolk, Va. (Interrogatory Answer) It appears by the signature that the same individual later claimed in an affidavit that Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC address is 120 Corporate Blvd. in Norfolk Va. (Affidavit)

We have received verification that there is no business in the name of Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC registered with the Commissioner of the Revenue of Norfolk, Virginia at either 140 Corporate Bvd. or 120 Corporate Bvld., Norfolk, Virginia. (Letter of Commissioner of Revenues, Norfolk Virginia)

There is a corporation listed with the Virginia State Corporations Commission, but its address is registered at 1025 Downshire, Virginia Beach, Virginia. According to the Commissioner of the Revenues in Virginia Beach, Va., there is no company registered in the name of Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC in Virginia Beach. A corporation in the name of Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC had been previously listed with the Commissioner of the Revenues in Virginia Beach, but it has been inactive since 2004 and its location is not the same as its stated address registered with the State Corporations Commission.

The registered agent listed with the Virginia State Corporations Commission is Judith S. Scott and states that she is a member of the Virginia Bar. The Virginia Bar has verified that the name of Judith Scott is not a member of the Virignia Bar.  Also, no corporation exists in the name of Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC. in the State of Rhode Island. (Secretary of State's Office Certfication)

I have reviewed the R.I. Superior Court files and found that approximately sixty seven (67) complaints have been filed by Attorney Lynda Laing in the name of Portfolio Recovery ³Services². On numerous complaints filed by Ms. Laing, she files an almost generic complaint form which claims that the individual has a particular contract with a company. She claims that the companies assigned the debts to Portfolio Recovery Services and that Portfolio has a right to the debt. The following cases found in R.I.  Superior Court were filed in the name of Portfolio Recovery Services:

One complaint filed in R.I. Superior Court, PC 04-6084, claims the defendant is indebted to Portfolio Recovery Services for $61,000.00.  Portfolio Recovery Service claims that the defendant is indebted to them by an original amount of $32,000.00 debt which had been written off by a company, plus an additional $29,000.00 in interest for approximately the period of one year (from the time the debt had been written off in 2003 to 2004 when Portfolio filed the lawasuit)!

Numerous other lawsuits have been filed by Attorney Laing in the R.I. Superior Court in the name of Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC. Also, numerous cases have been filed in the R.I. District Court under both names.  I do not know the legitimacy of the existence of debts of any of these cases. What I do know is that something is seriously awry and that Portfolio Recovery Services is not a corporation as they claim. I have witnessed a number of citizens be subjected to Attorney Laing¹s intimidation.
Respectfully,
Thomas Ryan and Mary Ryan