Edward Griffin Duree was admitted to the California Bar 3rd December 1984, but has since been disbarred. Edward graduated from McGeorge SOL University of the Pacific.

Lawyer Information

NameEdward Griffin Duree
First Admitted3 December 1984 (40 years, 6 months ago)
StatusDisbarred
Bar Number116569

Contact

Phone Number530-574-4151

Schools

Law SchoolMcGeorge SOL University of the Pacific (CA)
Undergraduate SchoolSan Francisco State Unv (San Francisco CA)

Address

Current Address4849 El Cemonte # 101
Davis, CA 95618
Map

History

15 October 2016Disbarred (8 years, 8 months ago)
Disbarment 15-N-12582
15 April 2016Not eligible to practice law in CA (9 years, 2 months ago)
Ordered inactive 15-N-12582
10 August 2015Not eligible to practice law in CA (9 years, 10 months ago)
Ordered inactive 15-N-12582
23 June 2015Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 15-N-12582 (9 years, 12 months ago)
12 March 2015Not eligible to practice law in CA (10 years, 3 months ago)
Discipline w/actual suspension 13-O-10219
14 February 2014Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 13-O-13465 (11 years, 4 months ago)
9 September 2013Not eligible to practice law in CA (11 years, 9 months ago)
Suspended, failed to pass Prof.Resp.Exam 10-O-11373
21 March 2013Not eligible to practice law in CA (12 years, 3 months ago)
Ordered inactive 13-O-10219
28 January 2013Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 13-O-10219 (12 years, 4 months ago)
28 July 2012Not eligible to practice law in CA (12 years, 10 months ago)
Discipline w/actual suspension 10-O-11373
9 November 2011Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 10-O-11373 (13 years, 7 months ago)
11 October 1997Discipline, probation; no actual susp. 95-O-13101 (27 years, 8 months ago)
11 March 1996Active (29 years, 3 months ago)
1 February 1996Not eligible to practice law in CA (29 years, 4 months ago)
Ordered inactive 95-O-13101
27 November 1995Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 95-O-13101 (29 years, 7 months ago)
3 December 1984Admitted to the State Bar of California (40 years, 6 months ago)

Discipline Summaries

October 15, 2016

EDWARD GRIFFIN DUREE [#116569], 59, of Davis, was disbarred Oct. 15, 2016 and ordered to comply with rule 9.20 of the California Rules of Court.

Duree was disbarred after his default was entered for failing to respond to a notice of disciplinary charges alleging that he failed to comply with rule 9.20. He did not seek to have the default set aside within 90 days as required under rule 5.85 of the State Bar’s Rules of Procedure so the State Bar moved to disbar him.

The charges were deemed admitted.

Duree had three prior records of discipline.

March 12, 2015

EDWARD GRIFFIN DUREE [#116569], 58, of Davis, was suspended from the practice of law for two years and until he provides proof of his rehabilitation. He was also ordered to comply with rule 9.20 of the California Rules of Court. In addition, he was placed on four years’ probation and faces a three-year suspension if he does not comply with the terms of his disciplinary probation. The order took effect March 12, 2015.

The State Bar Court found Duree culpable of failing to comply with conditions of his disciplinary probation and failing to obey a court order in two matters. Duree did not submit five quarterly reports due to the Office of Probation and did not provide proof of attending Ethics School and Client Trust Accounting School.

In the second matter, Duree failed to appear on behalf of his client at a criminal court hearing on April 13, 2012. That same day, a Solano County Superior Court judge issued an order to show cause as to why sanctions should not be imposed for his failure to appear and ordered him to appear in court on Nov. 15, 2012. During that time Duree began to drink heavily and abandoned his law practice. He did not show up at the hearing because he forgot about it.

In mitigation, Duree presented evidence of his good character and cooperated with the State Bar.

He had two prior records of discipline. In 1997, he was suspended for misconduct in two matters, including failing to cooperate in a State Bar investigation and engaging in the unauthorized practice of law. He was suspended again in 2012 for issuing client trust account checks against insufficient funds, commingling funds in his client trust account and failing to cooperate in a State Bar investigation.

July 28, 2012

EDWARD GRIFFIN DUREE, 55, of Fairfield was suspended for one year, stayed, placed on two years of probation with a 30-day actual suspension and was ordered to take the MPRE. The order took effect July 28, 2012.

Duree stipulated to three counts of misconduct, two involving his client trust account. He wrote checks against insufficient funds in the account and used it to pay personal expenses. He also did not cooperate with the bar’s investigation of his conduct.

In mitigation, he cooperated with the bar’s investigation and no clients were harmed. Duree was disciplined in 1997 for practicing law while suspended and failing to cooperate with an investigation.

October 11, 1997

EDWARD G. DUREE [#116569], 40, of Fairfield was suspended for 90 days, stayed, placed on one year of probation, and was ordered to take the MPRE within one year. The order took effect Oct. 11, 1997.

Duree stipulated that he failed to cooperate with a bar investigation and that he practiced law, representing clients on 23 occasions, while suspended.

In the first matter, Duree did not respond to a bar investigator’s letter or phone calls requesting information. As a result, he was placed on involuntary inactive status in February 1996.

When Duree’s wife returned to college, he began working almost exclusively at home in order to care for the couple’s young child. His office mail was forwarded to his home only sporadically. When Duree and his wife moved, some of the mail was stored in a box and remained unopened for months.

He learned he was suspended from practice only when informed by an acquaintance, and quickly made arrangements to return to active status.

In mitigation, he has no prior record of discipline, cooperated with the bar’s investigation of the unauthorized practice charge, and presented 11 letters from attorneys and members of the public attesting to his good character.

He has represented criminal defendants on a pro bono basis in at least 28 cases during the past five years.