Robert Michael Nusbaum was admitted to the California Bar 5th December 1990, but has since been disbarred. Robert graduated from California Western SOL.
Lawyer Information
| Name | Robert Michael Nusbaum |
|---|---|
| First Admitted | 5 December 1990 (33 years, 5 months ago) |
| Status | Disbarred |
| Bar Number | 149672 |
Contact
| Phone Number | 661-942-2646 |
|---|---|
| Fax Number | 661-948-0089 |
Schools
| Law School | California Western SOL (San Diego CA) |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate School | University of Maryland (College Park MD) |
Address
| Current Address | Law Ofc R Michael Nusbaum, 530 W Lancaster Blvd Lancaster, CA 93534 |
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| Map |
History
| 28 April 2007 | Disbarred (17 years ago) Disbarment 06-N-11322 |
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| 18 November 2006 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (17 years, 5 months ago) Ordered inactive 06-N-11322 |
| 11 August 2006 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (17 years, 8 months ago) Ordered inactive 06-N-11322 |
| 9 July 2006 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (17 years, 9 months ago) Discipline w/actual suspension 06-PM-10061 |
| 17 April 2006 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 06-N-11322 (18 years ago) |
| 7 April 2006 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (18 years ago) Ordered inactive 06-PM-10061 |
| 27 January 2006 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (18 years, 3 months ago) Discipline w/actual suspension 04-O-11861 |
| 31 October 2005 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (18 years, 6 months ago) Suspended, failed to pass Prof.Resp.Exam 02-O-13937 |
| 16 September 2005 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (18 years, 7 months ago) Suspended, failed to pay fees |
| 16 September 2005 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (18 years, 7 months ago) Admin Inactive/MCLE noncompliance |
| 6 October 2004 | Active (19 years, 6 months ago) |
| 7 August 2004 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (19 years, 8 months ago) Discipline w/actual suspension 02-O-13937 |
| 27 February 2002 | Active (22 years, 2 months ago) |
| 29 December 2001 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (22 years, 4 months ago) Discipline w/actual suspension 00-O-11042 |
| 16 January 2001 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 00-O-11042 (23 years, 3 months ago) |
| 5 December 1990 | Admitted to the State Bar of California (33 years, 5 months ago) |
Discipline Summaries
April 28, 2007 ROBERT MICHAEL NUSBAUM [#149672], 44, of Lancaster ROBERT MICHAEL NUSBAUM [#149672], 44, of Lancaster was disbarred April 28, 2007, and was ordered to comply with rule 9.20, formerly rule 955. Nusbaum failed to comply with rule 955, as required by a 2005 disciplinary order. He did not file with the State Bar Court an affidavit stating that he notified his clients, opposing counsel and other pertinent parties of his suspension from practice. Failure to comply with rule 955 is grounds for disbarment.Nusbaum has a record of four prior disciplines. In the underlying matter, he stipulated to 10 counts of misconduct in four cases, including failing to deposit client funds in a trust account, perform legal services competently, render an accounting to clients or promptly refund client funds.In 2001, he was suspended and placed on probation for failing to perform legal services competently, communicate with his client or subsequent counsel, refund unearned fees or cooperate with a State Bar investigation. In 2004, he stipulated to six counts of misconduct in three divorce cases, including failing to deposit client funds in a trust account, perform legal services competently, render an accounting to clients or promptly refund client funds. When he failed to comply with probation conditions in the 2004 matter, his probation was revoked.In recommending Nusbaum's disbarment, Judge Richard A. Honn wrote that he "has demonstrated an unwillingness or an inability to comply with his professional obligations and the rules of conduct imposed on lawyers. . . . It would undermine the integrity of the disciplinary system and damage public confidence in the legal profession if (Nusbaum) were not disbarred."July 9, 2006 ROBERT M. NUSBAUM [#149672], 44, of Lancaster Probation was revoked, the previous stay of suspension was lifted and he was actually suspended for two years and until he proves his rehabilitation. He was ordered to comply with rule 955. Credit will be given for a period of involuntary inactive enrollment that began April 7, 2006. The order took effect July 9, 2006. Nusbaum failed to comply with probation conditions attached to a 2004 discipline. He filed two quarterly probation reports late, did not file two at all and did not submit proof of attendance at ethics school.In the underlying matter, Nusbaum stipulated that he failed to perform legal services competently, deposit client funds in his trust account, render appropriate accounts and promptly pay out client funds. He also was suspended in 2001.January 27, 2006 ROBERT MICHAEL NUSBAUM [#149672], 43, of Lancaster was suspended for five years, stayed, placed on five years of probation with an actual two-year suspension and until he makes restitution and proves his rehabilitation, and was ordered to take the MPRE and comply with rule 955. The order took effect Jan. 27, 2006. Nusbaum stipulated to 10 counts of misconduct in four cases.In the first, he represented a client in a marriage dissolution; she paid him $2,500 in advance fees plus $350 for court costs. After the client did not receive a requested billing statement, she hired a new attorney. Numerous requests for a statement went unanswered and Nusbaum did not refund the advance fees for more than a year.The second case involved a paternity matter; the client paid $3,500 in advance fees and $400 for costs. Nusbaum did not inform the client he was about to be suspended from practice, but when the client learned his status, he fired Nusbaum and sought a refund. Nusbaum did not refund the money for nearly a year.He did not communicate with another client, despite repeated phone calls and office visits. When the client received a letter from the Los Angeles Child Support Services Department requesting information he had provided to Nusbaum months earlier, he fired Nusbaum and asked for a refund of the $2,900 he had given the lawyer. Nusbaum did not refund the money for more than six months.In the fourth matter, a client hired Nusbaum to file a dissolution of marriage and remove a lien that had been placed on her home. For more than a year and a half, her attempts to reach Nusbaum were unsuccessful. He never refunded a $2,000 advance fee.Nusbaum stipulated that he failed to perform legal services competently, refund unearned fees or client funds, respond to client inquiries or keep clients informed of developments in their cases.Nusbaum has been disciplined twice previously. In 2001, he was suspended and placed on probation for failing to perform legal services competently, communicate with his client or subsequent counsel, refund unearned fees or cooperate with a State Bar investigation. In 2004, he stipulated to six counts of misconduct in three divorce cases, including failing to deposit client funds in a trust account, perform legal services competently, render an accounting to clients or promptly refund client funds.In mitigation, he had family difficulties that caused him emotional distress.August 7, 2004 ROBERT MICHAEL NUSBAUM [#149672], 42, of Lancaster was suspended for two years, stayed, placed on two years of probation with an actual 60-day suspension and was ordered to take the MPRE within one year. The order took effect Aug. 7, 2004. Nusbaum stipulated to six counts of misconduct in three divorce cases.He was paid $2,800 for advance fees and costs in the first matter, but after depositing the money into his operating account, he used it for his own purposes. Although he told his client he would prepare and file a response to her husband’s claims as well as a motion for child support, he did not do so. The client fired him and sought a refund of her money, but he did not respond. After the State Bar received a complaint, Nusbaum’s attorney sent an accounting that showed he owed the client $1,050, which he eventually paid.In the second case, he also received a $2,800 advance and filed a petition for dissolution of marriage and all documents for an order to show cause. Following a series of continuances and delays caused by the court’s calendar, the client’s health and the unavailability of the client’s husband, the client terminated Nusbaum’s services. He did not provide an accounting of her money until the State Bar interceded.In the third matter, Nusbaum obtained an interim order for spousal support, but trial on the division of community property was delayed seven times, due either to the court’s calendar or schedule conflicts for the attorneys. The client eventually terminated Nusbaum and asked for an accounting of her $2,000 fee and a refund. Nusbaum did not respond until the State Bar intervened.He stipulated that he failed to deposit client funds in a trust account, perform legal services competently, render an accounting to clients or promptly refund client funds.Nusbaum also was disciplined in six cases in 2001 for misconduct that included failing to perform legal services with competence, return client phone calls, refund unearned fees or cooperate with the bar’s investigation.December 29, 2001 ROBERT MICHAEL NUSBAUM [149672], 39, of Lancaster was suspended for one year, stayed, placed on two years of probation with a 60-day actual suspension, and was ordered to make restitution and take the MPRE within one year. The order took effect Dec. 29, 2001. Nusbaum stipulated to misconduct in six cases. A client paid him $2,300 in advance fees to negotiate a payment plan, reinstate his driver's license and prevent his wages from being garnished. Nusbaum did no work on the case, did not communicate with his client or subsequent counsel, did not refund unearned fees and did not respond to a State Bar investigator. Nusbaum failed to perform legal services in a personal injury case and two bankruptcy cases. In one of the bankruptcy matters, Nusbaum was retained to file a chapter 13 petition in order to prevent his client from losing his house to foreclosure. The chapter 13 petition was filed, but later converted to a chapter 7 because the client was unable to comply with a payment plan. A week before a hearing, the mortgage company sought relief from a stay that had been ordered; Nusbaum failed to respond or appear at the hearing, and the motion was granted. The day of the hearing, the client paid Nusbaum an additional $1,000 to convert the chapter 7 back to a chapter 13. Nusbaum never told him about the mortgage company's motion and did not respond to the client's phone calls when he began to receive documents from the mortgage company. Nusbaum also did not file the motion to convert back to chapter 13, after the mortgage company's motion for relief was granted. The client's home was sold at foreclosure. Another client paid Nusbaum $2,063 to handle a family law matter and terminated his services three days later, requesting a refund. He didn't return her phone calls or refund the money. Another client seeking a divorce paid Nusbaum $1,400, but he never responded to her frequent, sometimes daily, phone calls. In mitigation, he has serious family problems for which he has sought counseling. He has no record of discipline and he cooperated with the bar's investigation. |