Roseville, CA 95661-4509
3 April 2008 | Active (15 years, 12 months ago) |
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30 December 2007 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (16 years, 3 months ago) Discipline w/actual suspension 03-O-01776 |
13 December 2006 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 03-O-01776 (17 years, 3 months ago) |
28 March 1990 | Admitted to the State Bar of California (34 years ago) |
December 30, 2007 THOMAS DELL LININGER [#145957], 43, of Fair Oaks was suspended for two years, stayed, placed on two years of probation with a 90-day actual suspension and was ordered to take the MPRE within one year, comply with rule 9.20 and prove his rehabilitation. The order took effect Dec. 30, 2007. Lininger stipulated to two counts of misconduct. He allowed a non-lawyer paralegal to staff one of his two offices, signing up clients, conducting interviews and obtaining client signatures on fee agreements. He also dealt with insurance companies, prepared demand letters, signed Lininger’s name to medical liens, negotiated settlement agreements and prepared distribution statements.In addition to paying the paralegal a salary, Lininger paid him half the net profits earned from cases he handled. He fired the paralegal after learning he was directing prospective clients to his son.Lininger stipulated that he aided and abetted the paralegal in the unauthorized practice of law and he improperly shared legal fees with a non-lawyer.In mitigation, he has no prior discipline record and no clients were harmed. |