PO Box 8065
Laguna Hills, CA 92654
19 January 2008 | Disbarred (17 years, 3 months ago) |
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15 September 2000 | Not Eligible To Practice Law in CA (24 years, 7 months ago) |
24 March 2000 | Active (25 years, 1 month ago) |
19 February 1999 | Not Eligible To Practice Law in CA (26 years, 2 months ago) |
26 August 1988 | Admitted to The State Bar of California (36 years, 8 months ago) |
January 19, 2008 FELIX TORRES JR. [#135480], 58, of Laguna Hills was disbarred effective Jan. 19, 2008. The State Bar Court found that Torres violated one of the probation conditions imposed on him in an earlier disciplinary case by failing to file five quarterly probation reports and that he committed acts of moral turpitude when he deliberately engaged in the unauthorized practice of law.Torres originally was disciplined in 2000 for committing acts of moral turpitude by harassing a client and inflicting emotional distress on her. In that matter, a review department opinion painted “a sordid picture of an attorney who maliciously and gratuitously oppressed, harassed and intentionally inflicted emotional distress on a female client,†wrote Judge Pat McElroy, who recommended Torres’ disbarment.McElroy also found that Torres engaged in multiple acts of misconduct, engaged in the unauthorized practice of law while on probation and engaged in abusive conduct, calling one bar employee a “fat bitch†and another a “f______ a______.â€There was no evidence of mitigating circumstances in the record.September 14, 2000 FELIX TORRES JR. [#135480], 50, of Fair Oaks was suspended for five years, stayed, placed on five years of probation with an actual three-year suspension and was ordered to take the MPRE, comply with rule 955 and prove his rehabilitation. The order took effect Sept. 14, 2000. Torres appealed a State Bar Court hearing judge’s recommendation that he be disbarred, and review Judge Kenneth Norian reduced the recommended discipline.Norian upheld the hearing depart-ment’s finding that Torres committed acts of moral turpitude by harassing a client and inflicting emotional distress on her.Torres represented the client in a medical malpractice case against a plastic surgeon. According to Norian’s decision, Torres unintentionally gave her incorrect legal advice and the court awarded the plastic surgeon almost $10,000 in costs.At about that time, Torres began to receive hang-up phone calls which he believed were being made by his angry client. As a result, he made more than 100 late night phones calls to her, hanging up or leaving an anonymous message.The client sued Torres for malpractice, harassment, intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligent infliction of emotional distress and won a $308,000 jury verdict. During the trial, Torres falsely asserted that he and the client had a social relationship. Torres has not paid her anything; he is indigent and lives on public and private disability payments.Norian reversed the hearing judge’s findings that Torres advanced facts prejudicial to his client and failed to communicate with her.However, he said Torres’ testimony before the bar court was dishonest and that he harmed his client, displayed indifference and did not appreciate the seriousness of his misconduct.In mitigation, Torres provided many hours of free legal services to the poor and disadvantaged. |