Mark Irvin Blankenship was admitted to the California Bar 14th December 1987, but is now resigned. Mark graduated from Tulane University Law School.
Lawyer Information
| Name | Mark Irvin Blankenship |
|---|---|
| First Admitted | 14 December 1987 (36 years, 4 months ago) |
| Status | Resigned |
| Bar Number | 130506 |
Contact
| Phone Number | 951-682-4887 |
|---|---|
| Fax Number | 951-778-9718 |
Schools
| Law School | Tulane University Law School (New Orleans LA) |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate School | Yale University (New Haven CT) |
Address
| Current Address | THE BLANKENSHIP LAW FIRM, 3685 Main St Ste 240 Riverside, CA 92501-2804 |
|---|---|
| Map |
History
| 14 September 2006 | Resigned (17 years, 7 months ago) Resignation with charges pending 06-Q-13217 |
|---|---|
| 10 July 2006 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (17 years, 9 months ago) Vol.inactive(tender of resign.w/charges) 06-Q-13217 |
| 24 February 2006 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (18 years, 2 months ago) Discipline w/actual suspension 04-O-11282 |
| 23 October 2000 | Active (23 years, 6 months ago) |
| 23 April 2000 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (24 years ago) Discipline w/actual suspension 97-O-12654 |
| 14 December 1987 | Admitted to the State Bar of California (36 years, 4 months ago) |
Discipline Summaries
February 24, 2006 MARK IRVIN BLANKENSHIP [#130506], 46, of Riverside was suspended for three years, stayed, placed on five years of probation with a nine-month actual suspension and was ordered to make restitution to four clients, take the MPRE within one year and comply with rule 955. The order took effect Feb. 24, 2006. Blankenship stipulated to 17 acts of misconduct in seven cases. Six cases involved his failure to perform legal services competently, and he abandoned his client in the seventh.In a wrongful termination matter, for instance, Blankenship filed a complaint but then did not file an opposition to motions to dismiss, didn’t notify his client the case was dismissed, filed motions for relief but didn’t pursue them, and when he appealed to the Ninth Circuit, he didn’t pay docketing fees, twice asked for time extensions and never filed the opening brief. The court dismissed the appeal, citing Blankenship’s failure to prosecute.In another employment matter, a federal judge submitted a complaint about Blankenship to the State Bar, reporting he failed to perform on behalf of his client. He failed to appear at a mandatory scheduling conference, was sanctioned $500 and failed to oppose motions for summary judgment. The case was dismissed with prejudice.Blankenship stipulated that he also failed to keep clients informed of developments in their cases, communicate with clients or provide an accounting of client funds.He also was suspended and placed on five years of probation in 2000 for 10 counts of misconduct in three matters.April 23, 2000 MARK IRVIN BLANKENSHIP [#130506], 40, of Riverside was suspended for two years, stayed, placed on five years of probation with an actual six-month suspension and was ordered to prove his rehabilitation, take the MPRE within one year and comply with rule 955. The order took effect April 23, 2000. Blankenship stipulated to 10 counts of misconduct in three cases.In the first matter, he was retained to represent a client in a civil action. He did not appear at court conferences and failed to file an opposition to a summary judgment motion, and stipulated that he failed to provide competent legal services. He also failed to return the client’s papers for almost three years.When his client filed a complaint with the State Bar, Blankenship sought to resolve his differences with the client and urged her to withdraw her complaint, a violation of the Business and Professions Code. He did not cooperate with the bar’s investigation.In a second matter, Blankenship stipulated that he entered into a business transaction with a client without making certain the terms of the transaction were fair, without advising the client to seek independent legal counsel and without having the client consent in writing to the terms of the transaction.Blankenship purchased property from a client’s son, signed four promissory notes in favor of the client, but did not make the payments. He also asked the client for a personal loan of $115,000, was to record two deeds of trust but never did, and when he obtained $273,000 for the same client in another matter, he asked for and received a $273,000 loan from the client. No payments were made.In a civil matter for which Blankenship received $1,000 in advanced fees, he filed a complaint one year later, failed to appear in court on behalf of his clients, failed to file oppositions which led to a dismissal with prejudice, and failed to notify his clients that the case had been dismissed and judgment entered against them. He also accepted a payment from his clients purportedly for the purpose of getting the court to set a hearing date — after judgment had been entered.Blankenship stipulated that he failed to perform legal services competently, keep his clients informed about developments in their case or return his clients’ file. In addition, accepting a check for services that could not be rendered and misrepresenting the purpose for which he took the money was an act of moral turpitude. Blankenship also did not cooperate with the bar’s investigation.In mitigation, two of his legal partnerships dissolved over three years, events which were time-consuming and burdensome. Blankenship has legal partnership debts, as well as spousal, family and child support. He filed bankruptcy in 1996. He also has performed four to eight hours each month of pro bono legal work. |