Another Delay in Federal Criminal Case Against Disgraced Former Attorney Lori Deveny
The federal criminal trial of former Portland, Oregon attorney Lori Deveny that was set to begin next Monday has been delayed once again: Deveny’s attorney, Assistant Federal Public Defender Mark Ahlemeyer, today filed a motion to continue the trial date until March 2022 or later.
The motion, which was unopposed, stated that “it appeared that the state and federal matters [against Deveny] could settle with a global agreement,” and that “the defense continues to pursue that goal at this point.”
Ahlemeyer also cited the fact that “the defense has engaged an expert to evaluate Ms. Deveny,” but that the “evaluation has taken longer than normal” due to Covid. It is unclear in which field the expert works, but defense attorneys familiar with the case speculate that it could be the field of psychology or substance abuse.
Deveny was accused by several former clients of forgery, theft, identity theft, and fraud for her “legal work” settling their personal injury cases and allegedly pocketing the entire sum.
Deveny’s former licensor, the Oregon State Bar, did nothing to protect the public during the end-stage of her career, turned a blind eye to her continued practice of law after her resignation, and worked to help launder her reputation (and manage the legal consequences) through dishonest reporting to its members, its board, and the court.
Remarkably, the Oregon State Bar even helped their friend Lori Deveny with findings that she had “earned” her cut of clients’ settlements — typically 33 to 40% — even in cases in which she allegedly forged the clients’ signatures and stole the full amount.
Deveny remains free of any pre-trial restrictions, and was never required to pay bail in either the state or federal case. The state trial is now set for six weeks next fall.
More on this story — and all the related aspects — as more information becomes available.
