Detroit attorney Gregory Rohl has been disbarred, effective October 1, after a Michigan attorney discipline ruling found that a settlement intended for Tabatha Kerr’s family following her daughter’s death never reached them. Rohl was ordered to pay $659,821.44 in restitution, along with an additional $1,446.14 in other costs.
The ruling stemmed from Rohl pleading no contest to “misappropriating and failing to distribute court-ordered shares” in a wrongful-death settlement. The disciplinary notice stated Rohl's actions “exposes the legal profession to contempt, censure or reproach” and were “contrary to justice, ethics, honesty or good morals.”
Tabatha Kerr described the last nine years as feeling “lonely. Quiet. Stressful. Empty. Hollow. Defeating. I feel like I’m walking on hell on earth.” She expressed fatigue from feeling “kicked while I’m down” and continues to fight for her daughter, Lilliana, nearly a decade after her loss, now also seeking answers regarding the settlement money meant for her surviving children.
Lilliana, who was three years old, died on January 20, 2017. Her death occurred when a 350-pound cafeteria table detached from its wall casing at the Head Start program located at St. Albert the Great Catholic Church in Dearborn Heights. The tragedy left behind Lilliana's twin sister and a brother, shocking the community.
Kerr reflected on the daily pain, stating, “My kids have to live with it every day. My family has to live with it every day. While the world goes on, she’s 6 feet in the ground.” She noted that her children, Jayden, 19, and Tieranie, 13, have spent their “entire childhood” watching her advocate for accountability, adding, “These kids have never seen justice.”
For nearly ten years, Kerr, now 39, has channeled her grief into becoming a safety advocate. She has actively pushed for “Lilliana’s Law” in Michigan, proposed legislation designed to mandate annual health and safety inspections at public and private school facilities and establish a statewide registry for school safety incidents.
Kerr's grassroots efforts have included collecting nearly 32,300 signatures to encourage lawmakers to pass the bill and compiling a 510-page research book detailing risks to children in schools across Michigan and the United States. Rep. Ryan Berman (R-39), one of the lawmakers who introduced the current version of Lilliana’s Law, previously stated, “We can all agree that safety is the No. 1 concern.”
Friends of Kerr, Leslie Windless and Gina Pence, have observed her continued fight through profound loss and frustration. Windless noted, “To see her fight so hard, and then something like this happened to her… it’s really hard to watch.” Pence added that “Not many people survive once they lose a child, let alone move forward and decide to push not one but two laws in an attempt to save the rest of our children.”
When contacted, Rohl stated he is at home recovering from a stroke, and his website has been removed. He attributed responsibility for the financial loss partly to his “now deceased partner and office manager” whom he trusted and who, he said, assumed control of the firm. Rohl affirmed, “I have never knowingly taken any monies from any client ever, but the account was in my name making me ultimately responsible for any loss.” He expressed his best wishes for Tabitha and her family, acknowledging that “Lillian’s loss was horrific and this nightmare just compounds their loss.”
Rohl further explained that after securing Tabatha's share of proceeds, he developed a severe heart condition and left his practice. He stated that his office manager, Angie, who was also friends with Tabitha and helped with Lillian's Law, assumed control. He learned of the trust account shortage when contacted by another probate attorney. He noted that misdemeanor charges were initially brought against Angie, but they were dismissed because felony charges were sought but never authorized. A subsequent civil complaint against her was dismissed due to the statute of limitations. Rohl indicated he has agreed to a consent judgment.
Kerr began contacting authorities following Rohl's disbarment, noting that on October 5, her birthday, she reached out to two county prosecutors, two county attorneys general, and more than ten law enforcement jurisdictions, including state authorities and the marshal, but encountered difficulties. She expressed hope to hear from her lawyer, questioning if “anyone gives a damn about my kids because my kids didn’t do anything wrong.” Kerr reiterated her promise to Lilliana, stating, “I promised my daughter that I would fight until my very last breath and unfortunately, I’m still here, fighting.”
Rohl's legal career includes previous work on Dr. Jack Kevorkian’s litigation defense team alongside attorney Geoffrey Fieger in the 1990s, before he established his first law office in Novi in 1994.
His disciplinary history also includes a reprimand in 2024 for improperly supervising employees, which resulted in a five-year delay in providing settlement funds to another client.
In 2021, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel filed a motion for sanctions, including disbarment, against Rohl and three other attorneys for filing a lawsuit that contained unproven claims about the November election. Nessel stated at the time, “When you stop caring about facts and you introduce things that are a total and complete fiction, you ought to be held accountable.” Rohl responded to these allegations by calling it “drama at its best” and suggesting Nessel was “riding coattails.”
Earlier in 2016, Rohl faced a suspension and was convicted of disorderly conduct and malicious use of telecommunications services.