State Bar of California
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Draft ethics alert: California lawyers should avoid bad-mouthing judges in public statements
A California State Bar committee is weighing rule changes aimed at reminding attorneys of their duty not to make public statements criticizing the actions of judges in a way that could pose safety risks for the judges and their families. -
Southern California Fire Victims Warned to Beware of and Report Legal Services Fraud
The State Bar of California is warning the public to beware of and report potential fraud in response to the fires in Southern California. -
California State Bar seizes non-attorney's office, says Filipino immigrants were scammed
The office of a Los Angeles woman accused of engaging in the practice of law without a license and charging Filipino immigrants five-figure amounts for bogus legal services has been seized by the State Bar of California. -
State Bar memo: Lawyers candidates who engage in campus protests may face 'moral character' probes
California State Bar applicants’ protest-related activities, such as the kind related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict this past year, can warrant a moral character inquiry by the State Bar, a recent policy document says. -
California State Bar advances plans to expunge attorney discipline records after 8 years
The California State Bar says the proposal is intended to address allegedly racist attorney disciplinary practices, which allegedly resulted in black male attorneys being punished more frequently than white lawyers. Opponents say the change will allow lawyers to hide misconduct from future clients -
California State Bar charges Los Angeles attorney with more counts of preying on inmate clients
A Los Angeles attorney now faces a second round of misconduct counts accusing him of charging inmates thousands of dollars for resentencing requests under a 2018 state law, even though authorities told him such applications were ill-advised. -
11 California attorneys disbarred in third quarter, State Bar reports
A total of 11 California attorneys were expelled from their profession in the third quarter of this year, while another 15 were either suspended, put on probation or both, according to new data released by the California State Bar. -
California high court disbars Manhattan Beach attorney who mishandled client funds
The California Supreme Court has disbarred a Manhattan Beach attorney who misappropriated client funds to the tune of about $117,000 and allegedly used some of the money to support his gambling activities. -
State Bar seizes immigration services office in El Cajon, alleges unauthorized practice of law
An immigration services office in El Cajon has been seized by the State Bar of California, which alleges that the owner of the business has been misrepresenting herself as an attorney on immigration and family law issues. -
California lawmakers OK attorney licensing fee hike to better police attorneys in the state
Funding and program reforms coupled with an $88 hike in the annual dues for California attorneys will allow the State Bar of California to better protect clients’ trust funds and mete out appropriate discipline to lawyers who defy ethics rules. -
Response from the State Bar of California on Signing of Assembly Bill 3279, the Attorney Licensing Fee Bill
On September 12, 2024, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 3279, the State Bar licensing fee bill. -
Judge: Former State Bar executive director culpable for lying about funding of Mongolia trip
A former California State Bar executive director should be placed on one year of probation for allegedly misleading the State Bar’s Board of Trustees by falsely saying that no State Bar funds would be used for a 2014 trip to Mongolia, a judge has decided. -
Disbarred California attorney guilty of promoting $9.5 million cryptocurrency scheme
A disbarred Southern California attorney has pleaded guilty to inducing people to take part in a cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme involving artificial-intelligence trading bots – a plot that led to investors being defrauded out of $9.5 million. -
Board of Trustees Approves Record Expungement Plan for Nondisbarment Attorney Discipline
At its meeting on May 16, the State Bar of California’s Board of Trustees approved a plan to automatically expunge nondisbarment attorney discipline records after eight years, assuming no further discipline has since occurred. -
Former State Bar official`s ghost-writing of attorney discipline reports raises conflict-of-interest concerns
A former California State Bar deputy executive director ghost-wrote seven attorney discipline case reports that were supposed to be managed by independent outside counsel to avoid appearances of conflicts of interest, a legal investigation concluded. -
California State Bar disputes lawsuit's allegations of 'rampant corruption' in case of disbarred L.A. attorney
The State Bar of California has rejected claims outlined in a lawsuit that it engaged in “rampant corruption” and incestuous relations with disbarred Los Angeles attorney Thomas Girardi, who is scheduled to face criminal proceedings later this year. -
State Bar accuses L.A. lawyer of colluding with opposing counsel in class action against city utility
An attorney who represented plaintiffs in a class-action lawsuit allegedly colluded with opposing counsel working on behalf of city of Los Angeles officials during the fallout from a Los Angeles Department of Water & Power billing system failure. -
Cal Supreme Court OKs new ethics rules to fight conflicts of interest
Newly issued rules from the California Supreme Court are designed to combat corruption and to prevent conflicts of interest like those resulting from the Thomas Girardi scandal. -
Committee of Bar Examiners Withdraws Registration of Peoples College of Law Due to Noncompliance
In a first-of-its kind move, the State Bar of California Committee of Bar Examiners (CBE) voted to withdraw the registration and terminate the degree-granting authority of Los Angeles-based Peoples College of Law (PCL), effective May 31, 2024. -
State Bar of California Board of Trustees Approves Plan to Pilot Alternative Pathway to Licensure
At its November meeting, the State Bar Board of Trustees approved forwarding to the California Supreme Court a plan to pilot a Portfolio Bar Examination (PBE) as a method for assessing a candidate’s minimum competence to practice law.