Sunnyvale, CA 94086
17 April 2002 | Disbarred (23 years, 2 months ago) Disbarment 01-N-01547 |
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27 October 2001 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (23 years, 7 months ago) Ordered inactive 01-N-01547 |
30 September 2001 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (23 years, 8 months ago) Ordered inactive 01-N-01547 |
16 July 2001 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (23 years, 11 months ago) Ordered inactive 01-N-01547 |
23 May 2001 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 01-N-01547 (24 years, 1 month ago) |
11 March 2001 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (24 years, 3 months ago) Discipline w/actual suspension 97-O-15241 |
2 February 2000 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 98-O-01727 (25 years, 4 months ago) |
1 February 2000 | Active (25 years, 4 months ago) |
30 January 2000 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (25 years, 4 months ago) Ordered inactive 97-O-15241 |
30 November 1999 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 97-O-15241 (25 years, 6 months ago) |
22 September 1999 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 99-H-10266 (25 years, 9 months ago) |
9 August 1996 | Private reproval, public disclosure 94-O-18241 (28 years, 10 months ago) |
13 March 1996 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 94-O-18241 (29 years, 3 months ago) |
23 December 1983 | Admitted to the State Bar of California (41 years, 6 months ago) |
April 17, 2002 PETER KENNETH OWENS [112215], 45, of Sunnyvale was disbarred April 17, 2002, and ordered to comply with rule 955. Owens did not meet a requirement that he comply with rule 955 as part of a 2001 disciplinary order.The underlying discipline was the result of his misconduct in 17 client matters and three non-client matters and included failure to refund unearned fees, communicate with a client, return client files, deposit client funds in a trust account, pay court-ordered sanctions or report them to the bar, and 17 instances of failing to perform legal services competently.Owens was privately reproved in 1996 for failing to promptly return client files or maintain complete records of client funds.He defaulted in the disbarment proceedings.March 11, 2001 PETER KENNETH OWENS [#112215], 44, of Sunnyvale was suspended for three years, stayed, placed on three years of probation with an actual two-year suspension and was ordered to make restitution, prove his rehabilitation, take the MPRE and comply with rule 955. The order took effect March 11, 2001. Owens stipulated to 33 counts of misconduct in 15 consolidated cases.Numerous clients hired Owens and paid advance fees, but he did not do the work. In some cases, he also did not communicate with his clients, return the advance fees or release their files when asked.A client who had paid Owens $1,000 to handle her divorce took the matter to fee arbitration when he refused to return her fee or her file. The arbitrator awarded the client $1,050, but Owens never paid. He also failed to pay arbitration awards of $435 and $1,575 in two other cases.In a bankruptcy matter, the judge ordered Owens to pay $30,000 to the bankruptcy trustee, who asserted that money was attorney fees which had not been properly disclosed. Owens did not pay the money.He also mishandled his client trust account, issuing five checks to pay non-client-related expenses. During a six-month period in 1996-97, Owens issued 50 checks for a total of $38,000, representing the withdrawal of earned attorney fees from the trust account. However, the fees were withdrawn at times unrelated to when they were earned, a violation of the Rules of Professional Conduct.Owens was privately reproved in 1996, but did not comply with the conditions attached to the order: he did not file two quarterly probation reports or make restitution. |