Las Vegas, NV 89169-3105
3 July 2018 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (6 years, 10 months ago) Suspended, failed to pay fees |
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25 June 2018 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (6 years, 10 months ago) Ordered inactive |
13 November 2004 | Active (20 years, 5 months ago) |
13 September 2004 | Probation with conditions 98-O-01442 (20 years, 7 months ago) |
12 May 2002 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (22 years, 12 months ago) Discipline w/actual suspension 99-O-12259 |
30 November 2001 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (23 years, 5 months ago) Discipline w/actual suspension 98-O-01442 |
11 July 2001 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 00-O-11977 (23 years, 10 months ago) |
6 April 2001 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 99-O-12259 (24 years, 1 month ago) |
15 November 1999 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (25 years, 5 months ago) Ordered inactive 98-O-01442 |
27 August 1999 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 98-O-03538 (25 years, 8 months ago) |
6 August 1999 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 98-O-01442 (25 years, 9 months ago) |
19 June 1991 | Admitted to the State Bar of California (33 years, 10 months ago) |
May 12, 2002 SHERE R. BAILEY [#153525], 40, of Los Angeles was suspended for two years, stayed, placed on three years of probation with a 60-day actual suspension and was ordered to prove her rehabilitation. The order took effect May 12, 2002. Bailey represented a client whose grandmother owned property in both Washington and California. The client was attempting to obtain guardianship of his grandmother's estates in both states and also had a lawyer in Washington. When the grandmother died, the Washington lawyer completed the probate case there. Bailey was to do the same thing in California.As required by the Los Angeles Superior Court, the client procured two bonds totaling $235,000, relating to his conservatorship of his grandmother's estate. The insurance company which issued the bonds billed the client annually for premium payments. Although Bailey filed pleadings including an inventory and appraisement and petitions confirming the sale of property, she did not file an accounting.The client asked her twice to seek a bond reduction as a result of the sale of his grandmother's property and asked when the case would be completed. Bailey assured him she would wrap up the case soon. She never completed the case or sought a reduction of the bond.When Bailey received notice that payment of the bond premiums was delinquent, she told the client she would pay the entire amount because she had not inquired about a bond reduction. She subsequently received five more letters from the bonding service but did not respond to any of them, nor did she pay the bill.The client was forced to hire a new lawyer who was able to resolve the case. Bailey did not provide the file to the new lawyer and then changed her phone number to an unlisted number. She also did not sign a substitution of attorney.Bailey stipulated that she withdrew from employment without taking steps to protect her client's interests, failed to perform legal services competently or promptly release client files, and closed her law office without notifying the State Bar.In another case, she also failed to perform competently and collected an illegal fee. In that matter, also a probate case, her client paid Bailey $3,000 in attorney's fees, but she did not obtain the required court approval for the fee she charged. Although she filed a petition to have her client appointed the administrator of an estate, she never took any further action on the case and the client had to hire another lawyer.Bailey also was disciplined last year for withdrawing from employment without protecting her client's interests, and failing to perform legal services competently or return client files.In mitigation, Bailey suffers from social anxiety disorder and closed her practice in 1999 because it was difficult to maintain her solo practice.November 30, 2001 SHERE R. BAILEY [#153525], 40, of Moreno Valley was suspended for five years, stayed, and actually suspended for two years and until she makes restitution, proves her rehabilitation, takes the MPRE and complies with rule 955. The order took effect Nov. 30, 2001. The State Bar Court’s review department upheld a hearing judge’s findings as to Bailey’s misconduct and increased the recommended level of discipline.The hearing judge found in a default proceeding that Bailey improperly withdrew from employment without protecting the interests of her clients four times, she collected an illegal fee, and failed to perform legal services competently, return a client’s papers, respond to a client’s inquiries, keep her address current with the State Bar and cooperate with the bar’s investigation.Three clients engaged Bailey to handle the probate of estates in which they had an interest. The court found that in the first case, Bailey collected a $1,500 fee without the court’s authority, demanded additional fees to complete the probate, failed to respond to her client’s calls and then moved her office without notifying her client, who was forced to complete the probate herself.In the second matter, Bailey was hired to prevent secured creditors from foreclosing on real property standing in the name of the decedent. Although the client had enough money to stay foreclosure by one creditor, the creditor scheduled a foreclosure sale anyway.Because the client had only a personal check, the property was sold to a third party. After the sale, the client met with Bailey in the lobby of her building and she advised him to call her a few days later. He was not able to communicate with her further.Bailey commenced the third probate and collected $4,000 in advance fees and costs without a required court order. Over the course of about a year, the client was not able to contact Bailey. She had to complete the probate herself.After being quoted a fee of $1,500 to handle an estate planning matter, another client paid Bailey $1,900. When she complained about errors in the disposition of assets, Bailey said it would cost another $550 to make the corrections. The client was subsequently unable to reach Bailey. |