Lawyers disbarred over ‘shocking’ DUI arrest setup

TALLAHASSEE — Describing the misconduct as “essentially unprecedented,” the Florida Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that t wo attorneys should be permanently disbarred for their roles in setting up the drunken-driving arrest of an opposing lawyer during a high-profile case.

Justices unanimously supported the disbarment of Robert D. Adams and Adam Robert Filthaut, who were with the Tampa firm Adams & Diaco, P.A. in January 2013 when the biz arre events occurred.

A d a m s & D i a c o w a s defending radio personality “Bubba the Love Sponge” Clem in a defamation lawsuit filed by another radio personality, Todd Schnitt. Adams, Filthaut and a third member of the firm, Stephen Christopher Diaco, took part in a scheme to set up a DUI arrest of one of Schnitt’s lawyers, Phillip Campbell, according to the Supreme Court.

“T h e mi s c o n d u c t g i v - ing rise to the disciplinary actions against these three a t t o r n e y s i s a mo n g t h e most shocking, unethical and unprofessional as has ever been brought before this (Supreme) Court,” the 13-page ruling said.

Diaco agreed earlier to disbarment, according to the ruling.

The setup took place on Jan. 23, 2013, as the civil lawsuit involving the radio personalities was in recess for the night. Campbell and his co-counsel in the case had walked to Malio’s Steakhouse in Tampa and were spotted by a paralegal who worked for Adams & Diaco.

The paralegal, Melissa Personius, contacted Adams and had drinks with Campbell at the bar without telling him that she worked for Adams & Diaco, the Supreme Court ruling said. Filthaut, meanwhile, called a friend, then-Tampa police Sgt. Raymond Fernandez, and told him Campbell was drinking at Malio’s and might drive while intoxicated.

Later, with Campbell planning to walk to his home a few blocks away, he offered to call a cab for Personius. Personius refused to leave her car overnight in valet parking and insisted it be moved to a secure parking lot, the ruling said. Campbell agreed to move the car to a lot near his apartment building and was pulled over by Fernandez and charged with DUI.

T h e F l o r i d a B a r f i l e d complaints in 2014 against Adams, Filthaut and Diaco, and a referee recommended permanent disbarment.

Days after the arrest, a jury in the radio personalities’ case ruled in favor of Clem.