Attorney Goldstein back at work after 8-month suspension

May 23--STUART -- Longtime personal injury lawyer Lauri J. Goldstein is back at her Stuart law firm after an eight-month suspension of her law license was lifted.

Goldstein, 49, said she surprised her staff this week at Goldstein, Schmitt, Cambron & Reynolds to say she'd been cleared by the Florida Bar to resume her profession as an attorney.

"I came in and surprised my staff and it was big hugs and kisses from everybody and it was wonderful," she said. "It's great to be here."

Her Aug. 20 suspension order resolved a 2011 investigation the Florida Bar launched after a complaint was filed against Goldstein, alleging mistakes were made in how she handled the case of Lisa Herbst, of Port St. Lucie, who was hurt in a 2008 fall at a Kentucky restaurant.

The Bar accused Goldstein of not properly communicating with her client mistakes that had been made in her case. She further erred, the Bar found, by permitting a paralegal to tell Herbst of the mistake rather than Goldstein, and improperly offered to settle the matter for $5,000, which Herbst accepted -- believing she was resolving a complaint against the restaurant.

Records show the Florida Supreme Court discipline against Goldstein followed a $125,000 settlement she reached with Herbst in June 2011 that required her to pay $65,000 and an insurance carrier to pay $60,000.

Goldstein said she's currently preparing to litigate a wrongful death trial in Orlando scheduled in June.

"I listened to what the Bar said to me and felt bad for what had happened," she said, "and did what needed to be done and I am so happy to be back."

Records show Bar officials conducted an investigation of Goldstein that determined the criteria for reinstatement had been met, which included providing tax records, paying investigative fees and making witnesses available to testify to her "character, professional reputation and ethical behavior."

Several local dignitaries, including Martin County Sheriff William Snyder, Public Defender Diamond Litty and U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Jupiter, wrote to the Bar supporting Goldstein.

Officials concluded Goldstein had "established unimpeachable character and moral standing in the community based on ... statements from character witnesses."

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