Summary: The National Ethics Council (“Council”) has suspended the membership of Illya G. Alexieff, AIA, for three years for violating Rule 2.104 of the Institute’s Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct (“Code of Ethics”).

Rule 2.104 states:

“Members shall not engage in conduct involving fraud or wanton disregard of the rights of others.”

The Complainant and his wife retained Mr. Alexieff to design and prepare construction documents for an addition to their house. During the time that the project was being designed and constructed, Mr. Alexieff failed to renew his architectural license in the state where he practiced and where the project was located.

The National Ethics Council ruled that Mr. Alexieff violated Rule 2.104 of the Code of Ethics by performing architectural services for the Complainant, including signing and sealing architectural drawings, without a valid architectural license. The Council concluded that the Complainant had a right to expect that the architect he retained was licensed and would maintain a current license throughout the duration of the project. The lapse in Mr. Alexieff’s architectural license was in wanton disregard of the Complainant’s rights because it created a high degree of risk that the Complainant would be adversely affected.

The Council imposed the penalty of a three-year suspension of membership on Mr. Alexieff.