United States v. Willard Johnson, and H. Wesley Robinson and National Legal Professional Associates

BAUER, Circuit Judge.

Hugh Wesley Robinson and National Legal Professional Associates (“NLPA”) appeal a district court order imposing monetary sanctions after the court determined that Robinson and l^LPA (together, “Appellants”) were engaged in the unauthorized practice of law in the Southern District of Illinois. For the reasons set forth below, we find that the district court properly invoked its inherent power to investigate and sanction Appellants’ conduct, but that it abused its discretion in directing that certain fees paid for Appellants’ services be returned and disbursed to a charity…