Stuart Attorney Udell disbarred
October 30th, 2009 by Daphne DuretSTUART — Stuart Defense Attorney Robert Udell has been disbarred after agreeing to surrender his ability to practice law amid allegations he committed ethical and possibly criminal violations and fraudulently billed the state’s Justice Administrative Commission.
Defense attorney Robert Udell (right) leans onto the shoulder of Nathaniel Brazill after the verdict in Brazill's murder trial in May 2001. Brazill shot and killed teacher Barry Grunow on the last day of school in May 2000. Brazill, 14, was convicted of second-degree murder murder in the slaying. Photo by Lannis Waters/ The Palm Beach Post.
Udell, whose long list of high-profile clients includes Nathaniel Brazill and convicted serial killer Eugene McWatters, agreed to the disbarment as part of a plea, according to Florida Bar officials.
Eugene McWatters, left, and his attorney Bob Udell, listen during the penalty phase the murder trial Tuesday. McWatters was found guilty of killing three women in 2004. Staff photo by Vada Mossavat/The Palm Beach Post.
In a motion filed by Udell’s attorney Richard Kibbey, said Udell’s decision to voluntarily withdraw from the bar was “made for personal reasons after carefully weighing and considering his various legal options and defenses.”
Udell through Kibbey admits that on two occasions between 2005 and 2008, he submitted several fee affidavits to the state’s Justice Administrative Commission with false information on behalf of at least two clients.
In another case, according to court records, Udell took 50,000 from a client for representation during a trial and possible appeal, though he failed to leave the $15,000 fee for a potential appeal in a trust as promised.
The motion does not name any of the clients involved, but in December 2008 records show a family friend of first-degree murder suspect Travis Goble filed a bar complaint against Udell on allegations he submitted about 100 hours of fraudulent billing to the JAC on Goble’s case.
Udell, reached by phone Friday afternoon, said with sadness in his voice that he was “in no position to talk” about the disbarment and referred all questions to Kibbey. Kibbey said Udell reluctantly made the decision not to fight the allegations after mounting health problems and fear of the toll such a fight would have on his family.
“He never agreed with all of the accusations made against him, and many of the issues could have been explained, but it would have taken years to sift through,” Kibbey said. “He’s very sad about the decision. He loves the practice of law and he regrets that he’s not going to be able to help people.”
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October 30th, 2009 at 1:39 pm
Really? Go figure an attorney breaking the law…. Who would have thunk it….
October 30th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
Really? and now Brazill wants another trial!, woa!!!
October 30th, 2009 at 1:45 pm
I’d love to lock up all the crooked attorneys and throw the keys away…..BUT, where would we get our politicians from then????????…..:)
October 30th, 2009 at 2:15 pm
Just in time to run for County Commissioner.
October 30th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
Commentators: This attorney lost his license to practice because an independent body, actively regulating the legal profession, exists. Take that into consideration.
October 30th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
999,999 more crook attorneys to go
October 30th, 2009 at 2:46 pm
Personally, I think that when an attorney is found to have lied in the defense of a murderer, that attorney should be charged with accessory to murder and maybe even with the murder itself. For example, WHEN (not if) Jose Baez is found to have lied in his defense of Casey Anthony, he should be taken out, lined up against a wall and shot 30 times.
October 30th, 2009 at 3:23 pm
Years ago the rumor was that Udell was into cocaine pretty heavy. He was seen in East Stuart area and downtown Stuart bars where the deals took place.
October 30th, 2009 at 3:28 pm
What probably happened is this attorney decided not to do his monthly payoff anymore….
October 30th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
My daughter was in Mr. Grunows classroom when he was shot, so close that she got blood on her shoes. Maybe the ape and his piss ant lawyer Udell can share prison cells. Screw him!
October 30th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
When are they going to finally figure me out.Just because I fix cases from inside the office of the Attorney General doesn’t mean I still can’t be a magistrate.They’ll never catch me.Chief Judge Kathleen Kroll appointed me to fix cases for her and that’s what I do.
October 30th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
Wow, Look at the face on that monkey! He looks pissed! Maybe we’re inconveniencing him. He doesn’t look at all remorseful that he killed a teacher right in his classroom.
October 30th, 2009 at 5:42 pm
“He never agreed with all of the accusations made against him, and many of the issues could have been explained, but it would have taken years to sift through,”
PUH-LEEZ!!!
A simmple “My Bad” Would suffice!
October 30th, 2009 at 5:54 pm
yall crackers go 2 hell and he’s not a monkey…..white trash….
October 30th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
Is the name calling necessary??? And Kennedy - why would you use the name “ape”, and Rich - why would you use the name “monkey”? That’s just not right. Nathaniel is not an ape or monkey. And for you to say that, obviously you have no class. What Nathaniel did was wrong, and he’s paying for it and he should. But this story is not about Nathaniel, it’s about Mr. Udell being disbarred. You should stick to the topic!!!!
October 30th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Wow, ignorance is stupidity, stupidity is hateful, and hate is racism. Still in 2009 some Americans are just plain IGNORANT! Name-calling will not bring the teacher back nor will it wipe the blood from your daughters shoes. Please try an set an example for your daughter. There are two photos of vicious criminals. However, only one photo has been racial attacked. “JUST PLAIN IGNORANT”
October 30th, 2009 at 6:45 pm
bob udell is a rip off artist…he over charges his clients and lies to them…just to get him, its 10 grand…not worth a cent of it either……..
October 30th, 2009 at 7:06 pm
I agree with rich brazill is a savage ape with no home training or parents who should have put their foot on that monkies neck and broke it at birth.
October 30th, 2009 at 7:14 pm
Pastor Manning said: “Commentators: This attorney lost his license to practice because an independent body, actively regulating the legal profession, exists. Take that into consideration.”
Pastor Manning, did you ever stop to consider that such “independent bodies” can easily be complicit–confederates who give a wink and a nod and pretend to be cracking down on unethical lawyers? Perhaps they feed the public *just enough* retribution against a handful of scapegoats so that the rest of their crooked cohorts can perpetrate their scams with impunity?
I think that you’re being far too naive.
October 30th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
Nat is not an ape or monkey. He’s from the knuckle-dragging gorilla species and Udell is from the Tribe of Abraham. They deserve each other in prison.
October 30th, 2009 at 8:05 pm
I must say that I am shocked and truly dismayed that a fine member of our esteemed legal community has been accused of this. I refuse to believe that he has done these crimes. I believe that he has given up his license to take one for the team. Word.
October 30th, 2009 at 8:22 pm
Funny…my son who shares my name was convicted under Udell’s watch as we (my wife and I) drove from North Carolina and watched as we got to within 5 min of his office and was told of delay after delay…I was unemployed at the time and my elderly mother (who was not well)had to drive 90 miles only to be turned away time and time again. We finally were allowed to put our ‘plea’s’ in for our son in front of the judge to be considered later. None of it mattered. The $, the time, the inconvenience has Udell ran around his office in his socks trying to rationalize his behavior. We lost…my son lost and now Udell has lost…
Oh…he was told as he was being held in the Martin Co jail that this guy was the best and he would be FAIR !!! A fleeting word at best.
October 30th, 2009 at 8:29 pm
What Attorney Udell allegedly did sounds bad, but not nearly as bad as what some other attorney’s in South Fla have pulled off and gotten away with. It’s worth noting that the practice of law is one of the few professions where if you screw up (and all people screw up), not only do you get fired (as most people do when they screw up on the job), you also get your livelihood stripped from you, publicly humiliated, and perhaps even jailed. What’s worse, the public has no remorse for you because they think that you are a filthy rich thief who got what they deserve. Only the lawyer (and his family) knows that the high hourly rate lawyers charge is necessary to pay off the ridiculous student loans incurred for the “luxury” of being a professional babysitter of adults. Bottom line, Udell and other attorneys clean up messes that people make when they are careless - the very same people who talk trash about lawyers, that is, until they need one.
October 30th, 2009 at 8:33 pm
Very well put. Doesn’t change the fact that Udell looks like the guy who plays Freddie Krueger.
October 30th, 2009 at 8:49 pm
I think it is great that you have confess your faults, even the people who are leaving their comments have many faults as well. You just go forward and make right your wrongs and you will be alright. But you without fault cast the first stone.
October 30th, 2009 at 8:55 pm
To Mel Cook: First of all, before commenting on any topic, please use correct spelling and correct punctuation. I really shouldn’t lower myself to your level, but I just would like to know how would you like it if your mother would have put her foot on your neck and broke it at birth??? Think about it!!!!
To Toto: Again, I shouldn’t lower myself to your level either, but I would like to know what species and tribe are you from??? Think about it!!!
October 30th, 2009 at 9:02 pm
Sorry to say, Udell is a cokehead, ask anyone in Stuart! Always a loser, look at his track record as attorney. PLEA Deal? Does he keep some of his assests (house, etc) AND, GEE, JUST NOW OLD ENOUGH TO RETIRE AND COLLECT SS!! At his point life, walking away from the bar and collecting SS retirement would be GEAT FOR ME! HE NEEDS SOME JAIL TIME!
October 30th, 2009 at 9:04 pm
WOW! I see when a few people get the opportunity to hide behind a computer they have the balls to say what they want. Yes indeed Brazil did a horrible thing but why must we resort back to our ignorant ways and call him an ape or a monkey? I bet some of you same prejudice folk sit around and laugh with other races and pretend that your not prejudice. Or I bet each of you have chanted the famous saying, ” One of my closests friends is black”. Wow factor!!!
October 30th, 2009 at 9:08 pm
Mike Katz, where were you when I needed you?
October 30th, 2009 at 9:31 pm
The only way I would go to hell is if I could take a monkey like you wat Says with me.If your not white your not right so suck that up ……
October 30th, 2009 at 9:41 pm
Udell sounds like alot of other big shot crooks, like our former commissioners, Madoff, etc. The more $ they make the more greedy they get. Maybe there is something wrong with our society and we need to refocus on our core values like helping our fellow man, not ripping others off, treating each other with respect, respecting ourselves. Only then will the problems we face as a society begin to be solved again. Wake up people.
October 30th, 2009 at 10:12 pm
This is good news …we now have like 6 K attys in PB County when we used to have like 300……
We need a few good ones…
But six thousand of the little buggers falling all over each other chasing every ambulance…
Pulease……
And yes, Bill Booze went to jail for creating one of the most Corrupt Counties in the NATION!
FAAAAGAN, The Guy at H Dives………etc….he made many rich..t.hey should suffer with him…..including K. Mucus.
October 30th, 2009 at 10:35 pm
Shame on the PB. post for allowing such inflamatory comments to be made.
October 30th, 2009 at 11:15 pm
This is the nature of the beast, who can tame it? the justice system is not fair, the ravaging beast continues until the true justice returns so we all need to repent from our filthy ways.
October 31st, 2009 at 3:28 pm
why are people so surprise. there are a million lawyers out there who do the same thing daily.
hey did you notice what pelosi gave the trial lawyers? any state that inacts legislation that control/caps or attempt to rectify the horrid frivolius lawsuits—–gets all their federal monies taken away.
WE HAVE TO MANY LAWYERS AND THE ARE PUCKIN UP THIS COUNTRY!!!!
October 31st, 2009 at 5:31 pm
Good-bye to an incompetent lawyer who had filled up death row, regardless of guilt or innocense. Many have suffered at this bubbling idiot’s hands
November 1st, 2009 at 6:37 pm
I met Mr. Udell after Cynthia Sommer was convicted. While I cannot speak on this matter because I know nothing about it, I will speak to how he felt about his client. He knew that Cynthia was innocent and was willing to do anything to prove it and free her. Even putting his own reputation on the line to help her get a new trial. The man I met was very kind and he was heartbroken that she had been convicted. I can see him not fighting this because I do know what a toll Cindy’s case took on him, his health and his family.
Good luck Mr. Udell in the next phase of your life. I do wish you the best.
November 2nd, 2009 at 10:15 am
I used Udell recently in court, he was an excellent lawyer but he is definitely a cokehead. My condolences to his family.
November 2nd, 2009 at 6:04 pm
It is an amazing fact the internet enables anyone to be a completely unfounded jerk (to put it nicely). Robert Udell is a good man who helped me in a time of great need and tragedy beyond my control. He was a dedicated family man and held value and esteem in the community throughout his career. He took up the burden of defending many who would otherwise been left without defense. He went against the grain of a decidedly apathetic and righteous majority. As for the RUMORED drug use, I find it hardly conceivable considering his work with me and other AA/NA “flunkies.” I owe my current success (six years later) to his bulldog tactics and brutally honest behavior. I hope he hasn’t made mistakes within his business and pray for the security and well-being of his family.
November 3rd, 2009 at 7:11 pm
this man screwed me over so bad and ripped me off fof overcharging in 2006 that im glad to see karma bite back, WOW will i sleep so much better now
November 7th, 2009 at 10:17 am
I grew up in the town of Hewlett, NY. His family lived around the corner from my family. My mother was friendly with his mother and my father did business with his father. They were very nice people. I even remember their black and white toy poodle.
He had an older brother who was a couple of years younger than myself. As I remember, Robert was a very tiny boy for his age and was several years younger than myself. I did not know him very well.
I believe both brothers graduated from Lynbrook High School.
I also think they had a younger sister.
I saw segments of Robert defending clients on television. In my opinion, he was one of the worst attorneys I have seen.
I think private attorneys take on these cases without receiving much pay, for the publicity or because they cannot earn enough money through their own efforts, or both.
Over the years, I have had my own negative experiences with different attorneys.
I cannot cast the first stone, but I think Shakespeare may have been correct about most attorneys.
November 16th, 2009 at 5:23 am
I HAVE KNOWN AND PRACTICED LAW WITH BOB IN THE COMMUNITY FOR 19 YEARS. I PRAY THAT THE PUBLIC DOES NOT THINK TOO HARSHLY OF HIM. HE HAS MADE A TREMENDOUS DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF SO MANY AS AN ATTORNEY. AS A PEER, I KNOW TOO WELL THE LEVEL OF STRESS LAWYERS HAVE ON A DAILY BASIS. BOB, I WISH YOU PEACE, HEALTH AND THE HOPE THAT YOU WILL ENJOY LIFE. AS LAWYERS, WE ARE OFTEN REMINDED OF THE FACT THAT TO EVERY SITUATION THERE ARE THREE SIDES: HIS, HERS AND REALITY.
STAY WELL BOB, ALL THE BEST.
DANIE VICTOR-LAGUERRE, ESQUIRE.