Los Angeles, CA 90035-0543
27 January 2006 | Disbarred (19 years, 3 months ago) Disbarment 05-N-01700 |
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16 September 2005 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (19 years, 7 months ago) Suspended, failed to pay fees |
20 August 2005 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (19 years, 8 months ago) Ordered inactive 05-N-01700 |
8 July 2005 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (19 years, 10 months ago) Ordered inactive 05-N-01700 |
19 May 2005 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 05-N-01700 (19 years, 11 months ago) |
19 February 2005 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (20 years, 2 months ago) Discipline w/actual suspension 02-O-15575 |
17 November 2004 | Active (20 years, 5 months ago) |
16 September 2004 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (20 years, 7 months ago) Suspended, failed to pay fees |
4 April 2004 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (21 years, 1 month ago) Ordered inactive 02-O-15575 |
20 February 2004 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 03-O-01477 (21 years, 2 months ago) |
2 October 2003 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 03-O-02440 (21 years, 7 months ago) |
19 May 2003 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 02-O-15575 (21 years, 11 months ago) |
28 April 2003 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 03-O-00025 (22 years ago) |
18 March 2003 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 02-O-15955 (22 years, 1 month ago) |
8 June 1992 | Admitted to the State Bar of California (32 years, 11 months ago) |
January 27, 2006 BRET J. DAVID [#159076], 51, of Los Angeles was disbarred Jan. 27, 2006, and was ordered to comply with rule 955. In a default proceeding, the State Bar Court found that David did not comply with rule 955, as ordered in a 2005 discipline. He did not file the required affidavit with the Supreme Court stating that he notified his clients, opposing counsel and other interested parties of his suspension from practice. Failure to comply with rule 955 is grounds for disbarment.David had stipulated to extensive misconduct in 17 client matters, including abandoning 12 clients and failing to perform legal services competently, communicate with clients, refund unearned fees, return client files, account for advanced fees or cooperate with the bar’s investigation. He also collected an illegal fee while involuntarily enrolled as an inactive bar member.February 19, 2005 BRET JAY DAVIS [#159076], 50, of Los Angeles was suspended for two years, stayed, placed on two years of probation with an actual one-year suspension and was ordered to make restitution, prove his rehabilitation, take the MPRE and comply with rule 955. The order took effect Feb. 19, 2005. Davis stipulated to 62 counts of misconduct in 17 cases. Most of the cases were bankruptcy matters that he abandoned or did not complete.In several matters, for example, he filed a bankruptcy petition but then did no further work. Several petitions were deficient because they did not list all creditors. One client paid him $17,000. Davis first filed a Chapter 13 bankruptcy petition that was dismissed by the court because it was filed under an improper chapter. He refiled the petition under Chapter 7, then converted it back to Chapter 13 and then again back to Chapter 7. Several petitions entailed dismissing his clients’ student loan obligations, but he never provided documentation to prove they posed an undue hardship to the clients. A client who lived in Hawaii paid Davis’ airfare so he could represent her there, but he never went to Hawaii.Most of the clients sent Davis numerous letters or attempted to call him many times without receiving a response.Davis also practiced law while his license was suspended in 2004.His misconduct included failure to perform legal services competently, communicate with clients, refund unearned fees, return client files, account for client funds or cooperate with the bar’s investigation. He withdrew from cases without taking steps to protect his clients’ interests. Davis also stipulated that his “habitual disregard for his clients’ interests†constituted moral turpitude.He was ordered to enroll in the State Bar’s Lawyer Assistance Program to deal with substance abuse or mental health issues. |