The Michigan Attorney Discipline Board has ordered the disbarment of Mohamed A. Chaytou (P80023) of Dearborn, Michigan, after finding extensive misconduct involving client settlement funds, IOLTA overdrafts, personal misuse of trust accounts, and failure to cooperate with investigators.
The disbarment is effective December 10, 2025.
🔗 Michigan Court Rules – Chapter 9 (Attorney Discipline, including MCR 9.115)
🔗 Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct (PDF)
Case Overview
- Respondent: Mohamed A. Chaytou, P80023
- City: Dearborn, Michigan
- County: Wayne
- Case Number: 25-47-GA
- Notice Issued: December 11, 2025
- Discipline: Disbarment
- Effective Date: December 10, 2025
Findings of Misconduct
After proceedings conducted pursuant to MCR 9.115, Tri-County Hearing Panel #7 found that Mr. Chaytou committed professional misconduct by default after failing to file an answer to the formal complaint. A default was entered on June 23, 2025.
The panel found that Mr. Chaytou:
- Obtained insurance settlement funds for pharmaceutical clients and failed to disburse those funds
- Maintained an IOLTA account with insufficient funds, resulting in multiple overdrafts
- Improperly used IOLTA funds for personal expenses
- Failed to respond to a Request for Investigation
Rules Violated
Based on the default and the evidence presented, the panel found violations of multiple provisions of the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct and Michigan Court Rules, including:
- MRPC 1.4(a) – Failure to keep a client reasonably informed and comply with requests for information
- MRPC 1.15(a)(3) – Holding funds other than client or third-party funds in an IOLTA
- MRPC 1.15(b)(3) – Failure to promptly pay or deliver funds a client is entitled to receive
- MRPC 1.15A(f) – Failure to provide a full and fair explanation of trust account overdrafts
- MRPC 3.4(c) – Knowingly disobeying an obligation under the rules of a tribunal
- MRPC 8.1(a)(2) – Failure to respond to a lawful demand for information from a disciplinary authority
- MRPC 8.4(b) – Conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, misrepresentation, or violation of criminal law
- MRPC 8.4(c) and MCR 9.104(1) – Conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice
- MCR 9.104(2) – Conduct exposing the legal profession or courts to obloquy, contempt, censure, or reproach
- MCR 9.104(3) – Conduct contrary to justice, ethics, honesty, or good morals
- MRPC 8.4(a) and MCR 9.104(4) – Violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct
- MCR 9.104(7) and MCR 9.113(A), (B)(2) – Failure to answer a Request for Investigation
Discipline Imposed
The hearing panel ordered that:
- Mohamed A. Chaytou be disbarred, effective December 10, 2025
- Costs of $2,112.62 be assessed
The record reflects that Mr. Chaytou had already been continuously suspended since July 31, 2025, following an interim suspension under MCR 9.115(H)(1) for failure to appear.
Why This Matters
This case reflects one of the most serious categories of attorney misconduct under Michigan law:
misappropriation of client funds combined with noncooperation.
Defaults in discipline proceedings do not soften outcomes. Instead, they often accelerate disbarment, particularly where trust accounts, settlement funds, and repeated overdrafts are involved. Michigan’s discipline system treats financial misconduct and silence as incompatible with the privilege of practicing law.
