Oregon Public Broadcasting

A judge in Deschutes County has turned over control of a Bend-based law firm to the Oregon State Bar.  That body is investigating allegations that the firm’s lead attorney may have stolen hundreds of thousands of dollars awarded to his clients.

So far, the Bar has received 19 complaints against personal injury lawyer, Bryan Gruetter

In its request for custodianship, the Bar submitted signed affidavits from Gruetter’s own clients alleging the attorney failed to pay out money received in settlements.

Spokeswoman Kateri Walsh says the Bar has already sent staffers to Gruetter’s offices in Bend and Portland to start piecing together what happened.

“Right now we’re just taking inventory of both the client files and the accounting records," says Walsh.  "Ultimately we will make a decision about what is there and how to appropriately manage the money.”

In a statement, Gruetter says he’s fully cooperating with the investigation - and that he’s recently completed a residential treatment program- though he doesn’t specify what the treatment was for.

Walsh says the State Bar will seek to revoke Gruetter’s law license while it investigates the allegations.