A race for an open Michigan House seat representing portions of Dearborn and Dearborn Heights is drawing attention in its final days as Democratic nominee Jalal Abdallah faces allegations that he mishandled hundreds of thousands of dollars owed to his legal clients.
Abdallah is scheduled to appear before the Michigan Attorney Discipline Board on Oct. 27 and 28, just days before the Nov. 3 election. The hearing will examine a complaint alleging that he failed to promptly distribute client settlement funds and improperly mixed those funds with other money.
His attorney, Philip Thomas, has said the amount at issue was approximately $800,000 and that Abdallah has since repaid the clients in full. The allegations remain pending, and a hearing panel has not yet made a final determination.
The controversy comes as Abdallah seeks to defeat Hassan Nehme, a small business owner and Army veteran who grew up in the Dearborn area. Both candidates advanced from their respective Aug. 4 primaries, and neither is an incumbent.
Allegations Strike at a Lawyer’s Duty to Clients
The Michigan Attorney Grievance Commission’s complaint describes a serious breach of the trust clients place in an attorney. People who hire lawyers to pursue settlements depend on them to safeguard the money and deliver the portions owed to their clients.
The commission alleges Abdallah failed to do that.
The complaint, filed in March, involves insurance settlement checks that were intended to be distributed to clients and others entitled to payment. It alleges that Abdallah intentionally mixed nonclient funds with settlement money owed to clients and failed to promptly deliver funds they were entitled to receive.
Some of the money was handled through an Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Account, or IOLTA. Those accounts are intended to hold client funds temporarily while the money is being properly distributed.
The allegations involve approximately $800,000, according to Abdallah’s attorney. That figure makes the central question difficult to dismiss: How did so much money that clients were owed remain unpaid in the first place?
The complaint also alleges that after the grievance commission began contacting people who were owed money, Abdallah told a client that if investigators asked, the client should say he had forgotten. That alleged instruction is part of the commission’s case; the panel has not yet determined whether the allegations are proven.
Repayment Does Not End the Inquiry
Thomas has said Abdallah repaid the clients by borrowing money, including from his wife, who drew from her retirement funds.
“Each of the clients have received every dollar that they were entitled to,” Thomas said in August.
Thomas later reiterated that clients had received the money they were owed. He declined to discuss the pending disciplinary matter in detail and said Abdallah remained focused on his law practice and serving clients.
If every client has been repaid, that is significant for the people who were waiting for their money. But repayment does not resolve the disciplinary questions: why the funds were not promptly distributed, how they were handled while in Abdallah’s control and whether his conduct violated the rules governing Michigan attorneys.
Those are questions for the hearing panel to decide. If misconduct is established, possible disciplinary measures include a reprimand, suspension or disbarment.
Nehme Seeks Open House Seat
As the hearing approaches, voters in District 15 will also be weighing the background of the Republican candidate seeking to represent them in Lansing.
Nehme was born in Farmington Hills and grew up in the Dearborn area. His father immigrated from South Lebanon, while his mother comes from a multigenerational military family in rural Missouri.
He served as a U.S. Army combat medic from 2012 to 2016 and attended Crestwood High School, Henry Ford College and Saint Louis University. Outside his campaign, he owns Printwork’s Industries, a print and branding production shop.
Nehme advanced from the Republican primary on Aug. 4 and is seeking his first term in the Michigan House. His name and Abdallah’s will appear on the Nov. 3 general election ballot for the open District 15 seat.
Voters Face a Choice on Nov. 3
Abdallah won the Aug. 4 Democratic primary with approximately 51% of the vote. Former state representative and Wayne County Commissioner Gary Woronchak received about 26%, while former Dearborn City Council President Pro Tem Leslie Herrick received approximately 22.5%.
The district has leaned Democratic in recent elections. Abdallah has received endorsements from Dearborn Heights Mayor Mo Baydoun and other local officials, as well as campaign contributions from community leaders and public officials.
The race drew heightened attention on Oct. 26 as the public disciplinary hearing involving Abdallah approached. The proceeding puts allegations about the Democratic nominee’s handling of client money before voters in the final days of the campaign.
Questions About Commission Service
There is also a discrepancy involving Abdallah’s past service on the Dearborn Historical Advisory Commission.
Mayor Abdullah Hammoud appointed him to the commission in June 2024. A city spokesperson later said Abdallah served for a short period and was not reappointed.
Yet in an August 2026 article about Dearborn history, Abdallah described himself as still serving on the historical commission. The city’s account and Abdallah’s description differ.
Hearing Comes in Final Days of Campaign
The disciplinary hearing is open to the public and is expected to be streamed online. It remains unclear when the panel will issue a decision or whether voters will know the outcome before Election Day.
For now, voters are being asked to weigh a pending complaint involving a substantial amount of client money alongside Abdallah’s attorney’s statement that the clients have been repaid. The allegations have not been proven, but they raise questions about the judgment of a candidate seeking public office.
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