Thomas George Key was admitted to the California Bar 6th June 1991, but has since been disbarred. Thomas graduated from American COL.
Lawyer Information
| Name | Thomas George Key |
|---|---|
| First Admitted | 6 June 1991 (33 years, 11 months ago) |
| Status | Disbarred |
| Bar Number | 152520 |
Contact
| Current Email | [email protected] |
|---|---|
| Phone Number | 714-838-3974 |
| Fax Number | 714-838-3978 |
Schools
| Law School | American COL (Brea CA) |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate School | University of California San Diego (La Jolla CA) |
Address
| Current Address | 360 E 1st St # 739 Tustin, CA 92780 |
|---|---|
| Map |
History
| 4 March 2012 | Disbarred (13 years, 2 months ago) Disbarment 09-O-15204 |
|---|---|
| 14 October 2011 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (13 years, 6 months ago) Ordered inactive 09-O-15204 |
| 12 July 2011 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 09-O-15204 (13 years, 9 months ago) |
| 13 January 2005 | Discipline, probation; no actual susp. 03-O-01114 (20 years, 3 months ago) |
| 11 August 2002 | Active (22 years, 8 months ago) |
| 12 July 2002 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (22 years, 9 months ago) Discipline w/actual suspension 97-O-15451 |
| 31 May 2001 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 97-O-15451 (23 years, 11 months ago) |
| 22 July 1998 | Discipline, probation; no actual susp. 95-O-14437 (26 years, 9 months ago) |
| 4 February 1997 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 95-O-14437 (28 years, 3 months ago) |
| 6 June 1991 | Admitted to the State Bar of California (33 years, 11 months ago) |
Discipline Summaries
March 4, 2012 THOMAS GEORGE KEY [#152520], 61, of Tustin was disbarred March 4, 2012, and was ordered to make restitution and comply with rule 9.20 of the California Rules of Court. Key stipulated to eight acts of misconduct in four loan modification matters. In each case, he practiced in a jurisdiction where he was not admitted -- Arizona, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. He engaged in the unauthorized practice of law and collected illegal fees.Key has been disciplined three times previously, in 1998, 2002 and 2005.In mitigation, he cooperated with the bar’s investigation and acted in good faith, believing he was entitled to render legal services to out-of-state clients.January 13, 2005 THOMAS GEORGE KEY [#152520], 54, of Tustin was suspended for one year, stayed, and placed on two years of probation. The order took effect Jan. 13, 2005. Key practiced law while suspended by filing a document with the court in one case.In mitigation, he mistakenly believed the actual suspension had not begun when he filed the document and had arranged for a substitute attorney to take over the case. His client was not harmed.The underlying discipline was imposed for misconduct in three matters, including failing to deposit client funds in a trust account, issuing checks against insufficient funds in his trust account, acts of moral turpitude, commingling business and client funds in the account and failing to reimburse the Client Security Fund for more than $6,000 in restitution it paid to a client, as he was required to do in a 1998 disciplinary stipulation. The first discipline was the result of his failure to refund unearned fees or to render appropriate accounts of client funds.July 12, 2002 THOMAS GEORGE KEY [#152520], 52, of Tustin was suspended for two years, stayed, placed on four years of probation with an actual 30-day suspension and was ordered to take the MPRE within a year. The order took effect July 12, 2002. Key stipulated to misconduct in three matters. He filed a breach of contract suit in an effort to obtain disputed funds from his client's former limited partners. The Los Angeles sheriff's department seized the funds ($51,687) and gave the money to Key, who deposited $2,500 into a money market account and the remainder into a certificate of deposit account. He distributed all the funds to his client, who did not initiate a complaint against Key. Key stipulated that he failed to deposit client funds in a trust account. In another matter, he stipulated that he issued checks against insufficient funds in his trust account, acts of moral turpitude, and he commingled business and client funds in the account. In the third matter, he did not reimburse the Client Security Fund for more than $6,000 in restitution it paid to a client, as he was required to do in a 1998 disciplinary stipulation. That discipline was the result of his failure to refund unearned fees or to render appropriate accounts of client funds. He provided the CSF with documentation of his financial inability to repay the money. He stipulated that he failed to comply with disciplinary probation requirements. In mitigation, Key cooperated with the bar's investigation, he had severe financial problems, family problems and emotional or physical difficulties, and he demonstrated remorse for his conduct. July 22, 1998 THOMAS G. KEY [#152520], 48, of Tustin was suspended for six months, stayed, placed on two years of probation with conditions including restitution, and was ordered to take the MPRE. The order took effect July 22, 1998. Key was retained to obtain alien labor certification for a client who paid more than $6,000 in legal fees. Key never filed the documents, provided an accounting or refunded the unearned fees.He has no prior record of discipline and cooperated with the bar's investigation. |