Joseph Arthur Bernal was admitted to the California Bar 10th December 1985, but has since been disbarred. Joseph graduated from Santa Clara University SOL.
Lawyer Information
| Name | Joseph Arthur Bernal |
|---|---|
| First Admitted | 10 December 1985 (39 years, 6 months ago) |
| Status | Disbarred |
| Bar Number | 119448 |
Contact
| Current Email | [email protected] |
|---|---|
| Phone Number | 626-577-1992 |
| Fax Number | 626-577-5525 |
Schools
| Law School | Santa Clara University SOL (Santa Clara CA) |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate School | University of California at Los Angeles (CA) |
Address
| Current Address | Law Ofc J Arthur Bernal, PO Box 60696 Pasadena, CA 91106 |
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| Map |
History
| 21 June 2012 | Disbarred (12 years, 12 months ago) Disbarment 11-O-11102 |
|---|---|
| 1 January 2012 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (13 years, 5 months ago) Ordered inactive 11-O-11102 |
| 24 November 2011 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (13 years, 6 months ago) Discipline w/actual suspension 10-O-02305 |
| 9 September 2011 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 11-O-11102 (13 years, 9 months ago) |
| 28 February 2011 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 10-O-02305 (14 years, 3 months ago) |
| 19 March 2006 | Discipline, probation; no actual susp. 05-H-00520 (19 years, 3 months ago) |
| 22 October 2003 | Public reproval with/duties 02-O-10801 (21 years, 8 months ago) |
| 10 December 1985 | Admitted to the State Bar of California (39 years, 6 months ago) |
Discipline Summaries
June 21, 2012 JOSEPH ARTHUR BERNAL, 55, of Pasadena was disbarred June 21, 2012, and was ordered to comply with rule 9.20 of the California Rules of Court. Bernal stipulated to four counts of misconduct while representing a client who hired him to enforce a judgment in a post-dissolution matter. Six months after he was hired, he had not initiated any court proceedings, which included removing the ex-husband’s name from the title on the client’s house. He failed to file anything for three years or respond to his client’s emails and letters. When she hired a new lawyer, Bernal did not provide the client file for six months and he did not promptly account for the client’s funds.Although she had paid an advance fee of $5,000, the new lawyer asked for a refund of $3,665. Bernal claimed he had earned $4,176 and sent her a check for $824.Bernal stipulated that he failed to provide legal services competently, respond to a client’s reasonable status inquiries, release a client file, account for client funds or promptly provide a refund of unearned fees.In mitigation, Bernal stipulated to disbarment, is involved in numerous charitable activities and suffered from depression as the result of the end of his marriage. He had been disciplined three times. He was publicly reproved in 2003, placed on probation in 2006 for failing to meet probation conditions and in 2011, he was suspended for failing to maintain client funds in trust or pay out client funds promptly, and for committing acts of moral turpitude.March 19, 2006 JOSEPH ARTHUR BERNAL [#119448], 49, of Pasadena was suspended for nine months, stayed, placed on two years of probation and was ordered to take the MPRE within one year. The order took effect March 19, 2006. Bernal stipulated that he failed to comply with the conditions of a public reproval by not taking and passing the professional responsibility exam. The reproval was issued in 2003 for commingling client and personal funds.In mitigation, Bernal cooperated with the bar’s investigation. |