A state regulatory agency filed a disciplinary complaint Wednesday against a Lisle lawyer, accusing him of tying up at least three women against their will.
Scott Douglas Clark, 33, allegedly tied up a co-worker and two potential employees between December 1993 and August 1996, while working as a lawyer in the law offices of Peter F. Geraci, and later, Landau, Omahana & Kopka, according to a complaint filed by the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission.
In all three incidents, which occurred at his home or office, Clark allegedly told the women he was in the army and pulled out a rope to demonstrate his expertise with knots. He then bound the women, releasing them after about 5 or 10 minutes.
“We have never had a case like this before,” said Jim Grogan, chief counsel of the disciplinary commission. “In each incident, the women felt he was going to cause harm.”
After receiving a complaint about the alleged misconduct, the disciplinary commission investigated the incidents and determined there was probable cause to file formal charges, Grogan said.
Clark’s attorney has 21 days to respond to the complaint. If matters aren’t resolved, the case will go before a hearing board. It will make a recommendation to the Illinois Supreme Court, which has final authority to discipline the state’s lawyers.
George B. Collins, Clark’s attorney, said the disciplinary commission shouldn’t be reviewing a case that involves private conduct between two consenting adults.
“It’s a form of activity called bondage,” he said. “It doesn’t meet what the commission considers proper conduct, but he didn’t break the law.”
“We intend to defend the case. No one was harmed or hurt. He didn’t touch inappropriately. It may be distasteful to someone, but it wasn’t illegal. It was consensual, and it wasn’t sexual.”
No criminal charges have been filed against Clark, according to Grogan and Clark’s lawyer.
