Hugh Berry

June 17, 2016

HUGH WALTER BERRY [#149416], 50, of Mill Creek, Wash., was disbarred June 17, 2016 and ordered to comply with rule 9.20 of the California Rules of Court.

November 13, 2014

HUGH WALTER BERRY [#149416], 49, of Mill Creek, Wash., was suspended from the practice of law for 30 days and ordered to take the MPRE. He was also placed on two years’ probation and faces a one-year suspension if he does not comply with the terms of his disciplinary probation. The order took effect Nov. 13, 2014. Berry stipulated that he practiced law when he was not eligible, committed an act involving moral turpitude, and failed to render an accounting to a client or promptly release a client’s file upon his termination. In October 2012, Berry was hired to represent a man in his criminal matter and received $38,000 in advanced fees. In January 2013, the client sent Berry a letter terminating his employment but Berry did not send him a substitution of counsel or make any attempt to withdraw as the attorney of record. The following month, Berry deactivated his law license in California but remained counsel of record until March 11, 2013. During that time period, he corresponded with a prosecutor in the case, discussing substantive issues but failing to disclose he was not entitled to practice in California. He also sent another attorney to appear at a hearing in the case, but did not tell the attorney of his status. On March 11, 2013, he appeared at a hearing, requesting to withdraw as counsel of record but not disclosing his status. At the time of the hearing, Berry had not completed all of the services for which he was retained. The attorney who took over the client’s case wrote Berry repeatedly asking for the client’s file, but Berry did not comply. He also did not refund $30,000 in fees owed the client and did not provide an accounting. In mitigation, he had no prior record of discipline and entered into a pretrial stipulation with the State Bar.