SACRAMENTO, CA 95838
1 May 2020 | Disbarred (5 years ago) Disbarment 16-O-11148 |
---|---|
3 July 2018 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (6 years, 10 months ago) Suspended, failed to pay fees |
11 June 2018 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (6 years, 10 months ago) Ordered inactive 16-O-11148 |
17 March 2018 | Active (7 years, 1 month ago) |
23 October 2017 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 16-O-11148 (7 years, 6 months ago) |
23 October 2017 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 17-N-05957 (7 years, 6 months ago) |
17 March 2017 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (8 years, 1 month ago) Discipline w/actual suspension 14-O-03742 |
17 March 2017 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (8 years, 1 month ago) Discipline w/actual suspension 14-O-03742 |
8 January 2017 | Active (8 years, 3 months ago) |
8 July 2016 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (8 years, 10 months ago) Discipline w/actual suspension 12-O-15773 |
2 November 2015 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 14-O-03742 (9 years, 6 months ago) |
8 November 2013 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 12-O-15773 (11 years, 5 months ago) |
7 December 1988 | Admitted to the State Bar of California (36 years, 5 months ago) |
July 8, 2016 JULIUS MICHAEL ENGEL [#137759], 60, of Sacramento, was suspended from the practice of law for six months and ordered to take the MPRE and comply with rule 9.20 of the California Rules of Court. He was also placed on two years’ probation and faces a two-year suspension if he failed to comply with the terms of his disciplinary probation. The order took effect July 8, 2016. A State Bar Court hearing judge recommended Engel receive a six-month actual suspension for misconduct including trust account violations, failing to perform services of value and failing to refund unearned fees. Engel appealed, contending among other things there was prosecutorial misconduct and that the judge made several procedural errors. A three-judge review panel, however, agreed with the judge’s decision.Engel commingled personal funds in his client trust account. He did not maintain records to distinguish one client’s money from another and his earned fees remained in his account until he wrote checks from the accounts for business or personal expenses.In a second matter, he failed to perform legal services with competence by failing to file a client’s bankruptcy petition to delay her eviction, despite knowing the matter was urgent. Although she paid Engel $1,500, on the day the client’s answer to an unlawful detainer complaint was due, Engel’s wife sent the client partially completed forms and advised the client to file the answer herself. The client was forced to drive 108 miles from her job to file the paperwork. A few days later, when Engel had still not filed the bankruptcy petition, she fired him and demanded a refund of $1,200 and an itemized list of the work he performed. When Engel did not return her money, the client sued him in small claims court but was ultimately unsuccessful. Engel later complained about the client to her employer claiming she committed perjury during the small claims hearing. Although the investigation turned up nothing, it became part of the client’s personnel file.In another matter, Engel failed to inform a client she was supposed to pay the filing fee for her bankruptcy petition in two installments, leading the court to dismiss her petition. In three other matters, he also accepted money from third parties to cover attorney fees without getting the clients’ consent. |