ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) — Former clients of a disbarred Albany attorney are speaking out, alleging a pattern of financial abandonment, abrupt silence in communication and legal limbo following her recent arrest on multiple felony fraud charges.

Je’Nita Nakia Lane, 46, was arrested on Tuesday, July 21, by the Albany Police Department (APD) and Dougherty County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO). She faces felony charges of theft by deception, forgery, identity theft and computer theft. Documents from the Georgia Supreme Court show Lane surrendered her law license in late 2025 after admitting to mismanaging nearly $199,000 in client settlement funds.

The Dougherty County Jail confirmed that Lane is no longer in custody as of Monday, July 28.

>> READ MORE: Albany attorney arrested on multiple fraud, identity theft charges <<

For former clients Nicholas Royal and Shalisha Zinnamon, the arrest brings back painful memories of betrayal.

April 2025

Royal said he hired Lane in April 2025 to represent him in a custody dispute over his son, paying her thousands of dollars. While she performed well during a May trial, Royal said communication diminished immediately afterward. In December 2025, just weeks before a critical appeal hearing scheduled for January 2026, he reportedly received a text message from Lane stating she could no longer represent him because she had surrendered her license.

The text message from Lane, dated Dec. 17, 2025, reads:

“I’m no longer practicing law. I sent you an email a couple of days ago.”

In an interview with WALB, Royal described his reaction to the news.

“I was sitting in my kitchen, and I was just in shock,” Royal said. “You go from doing so well in the courtroom... to all of a sudden, you don’t have a license. I was floored.”

Royal said Lane offered no apology or refund. In the email Lane referred to in text, she wrote that her law practice was closed.

Lane recommended that Royal “immediately seek to hire another lawyer who can step in and see your matter through to completion.”

The former attorney concluded the email with a note saying she expected Royal to pay any outstanding balance.

July 2022

Zinnamon’s story dates back to July 2022, when she hired Lane’s firm, J. Lane Law Group, after her 5-year-old son was severely mauled by a pit bull. The attack broke bones in his ear, leaving him with permanent hearing loss, records show.

For over a year, Zinnamon submitted medical receipts and records as instructed by Lane’s staff. But when she tried to follow up on a settlement figure, Zinnamon said communication from Lane stopped entirely. Zinnamon later visited the firm’s Albany office, but found it deserted.

Zinnamon said she was trapped by an attorney-client contract. WALB obtained documentation of the J. Lane Law Group contract, which contained a clause that would penalize Zinnamon if she terminated representation to hire another lawyer.

Unlike Royal, Zinnamon said she was never notified that Lane surrendered her license.

“The people that I reached out to, to help my child, left us hanging,” Zinnamon said. “It was so hurtful. My child was 5 when this happened. He’s 9 now and still dealing with it. I put my trust in people who were supposed to get justice for my child.”

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Both Royal and Zinnamon said they went by word of mouth and are now warning others to thoroughly vet any legal representative.

“Do your homework,” Royal warned. “Make sure they have a physical office, respond in a timely fashion and are punctual.”

WALB confirmed that Southwestern Judicial Circuit District Attorney Lewis Lamb has taken over as prosecutor in the case. Lamb said Thursday, July 30, that he is unable to comment on the case at this time.

Albany police said they are continuing to search for more victims who may have had funds withheld or cases abandoned by Lane. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Albany Police Department’s lead investigator at 229-302-0792.

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