Eugene Wellington Matthews is an active member of the California Bar and was admitted 9th December 1992. Eugene graduated from Howard University SOL.
Lawyer Information
| Name | Eugene Wellington Matthews |
|---|---|
| First Admitted | 9 December 1992 (31 years, 4 months ago) |
| Status | Active |
| Bar Number | 161396 |
Contact
| Current Email | [email protected] |
|---|---|
| Phone Number | 213-932-0256 |
Schools
| Law School | Howard University SOL (Washington DC) |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate School | University of Arizona (Tucson AZ) |
Address
| Current Address | Matthews Law Office, a professional corp, 3950 Laurel Canyon Blvd, # 50102 Studio City, CA 91604-3709 |
|---|---|
| Map | |
| Previous Address | 10063 Riverside Dr PO Box 2031 Los Angeles, CA 91610 |
| Previous Address | 10063 Riverside Dr, PO Box 2031 Los Angeles, CA 91610 |
| Previous Address | 19210 S Vermont Ave, Ste 400 Gardena, CA 90248-4431 |
| Previous Address | Ivie McNeill Wyatt Purcell & Diggs, 444 S Flower St Fl 18 Los Angeles, CA 90071 |
History
| 22 May 2023 | Active (11 months, 1 week ago) |
|---|---|
| 9 August 2013 | Disbarred (10 years, 8 months ago) Disbarment 11-O-17267 |
| 9 March 2013 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (11 years, 1 month ago) Ordered inactive 11-O-17267 |
| 3 July 2012 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (11 years, 9 months ago) Suspended, failed to pay fees |
| 3 July 2012 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (11 years, 9 months ago) Admin Inactive/MCLE noncompliance |
| 6 December 2011 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 11-O-17267 (12 years, 4 months ago) |
| 17 September 2011 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (12 years, 7 months ago) Discipline w/actual suspension 08-O-12594 |
| 9 November 2010 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 10-N-09199 (13 years, 5 months ago) |
| 2 November 2010 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 08-O-12594 (13 years, 5 months ago) |
| 23 October 2010 | Active (13 years, 6 months ago) |
| 1 September 2010 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (13 years, 8 months ago) Suspended, failed to pay fees |
| 25 June 2010 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (13 years, 10 months ago) Discipline w/actual suspension 06-O-12121 |
| 9 December 1992 | Admitted to the State Bar of California (31 years, 4 months ago) |
Discipline Summaries
August 9, 2013 EUGENE WELLINGTON MATTHEWS [#161396], 49, of Los Angeles, was disbarred Aug. 9, 2013 and was ordered to comply with rule 9.20 of the California Rules of Court. Matthews failed to comply with the conditions of a 2011 disciplinary order, including: failing to file two quarterly probation reports, failing to meet multiple deadlines to file documents certifying that he had complied with the State Bar’s Trust Account Record Keeping Standards or to file psychiatric/psychological treatment reports, failing to meet a deadline to attend Ethics School and Client Trust Accounting School and failing to file proof of restitution payments.Noting Matthews’ history of emotional problems, a hearing judge initially recommended that Matthews be suspended for three years and until he proves his rehabilitation. But in its order recommending his disbarment, a three-judge review panel concluded that Matthews had not proven his “emotional difficulties were directly responsible for his misconduct and that he no longer suffers from those difficulties.“Matthews’s avoidance of his professional and ethical responsibilities appears to be chronic, if not habitual,†the panel wrote.In mitigation, Matthews was cooperative in the State Bar proceedings and has volunteered extensively with community service organizations.Matthews has two prior disciplines. The first in 2008 resulted from his misconduct in eight client matters, including his failure to communicate with clients, cooperate with the State Bar’s investigations, competently provide legal services, maintain client funds in trust and return unearned fees. He also improperly withdrew from employment and shared legal fees with a non-attorney.In his second disciplinary proceeding, Matthews stipulated to similar misconduct in six client matters from August 2007 to July 2010, including failing to provide legal services competently, cooperate with the State Bar’s investigation, maintain client funds in trust or comply with multiple court orders, including an order pursuant to rule 9.20.September 17, 2011 EUGENE WELLINGTON MATTHEWS, 47, of Los Angeles was suspended for three years, stayed, placed on four years of probation with an actual 18-month suspension and until he proves his rehabilitation, and ordered to take the MPRE and comply with rule 9.20 of the California Rules of Court. The order took effect Sept. 17, 2011. Matthews stipulated to nine counts of misconduct, including failure to comply with rule 9.20, as ordered in a 2010 discipline, and filed a declaration with the State Bar Court containing misrepresentations. The underlying discipline was imposed for misconduct in eight cases, including failures to perform legal services competently, refund unearned fees or deposit client funds in a trust account.In the current matter, he did not file a lawsuit on his client’s behalf in a personal injury and property damage matter. The client’s claim was rejected, but Matthews missed the deadline to file suit.He delegated a criminal expungement matter to an associate whose petition was twice rejected because it contained inaccuracies. The client hired a new lawyer who was able to have the felony conviction reduced.He disobeyed a court order by failing to pay two sanctions totaling $9,850 in a breach of contract matter. The opposing side won sanctions when Matthews did not respond to discovery despite a series of extensions.Matthews received three settlement checks for clients who hired him in a property damage matter, but did not notify the clients or give them any funds. His paralegal charged an additional $2,500 to one of the client’s credit cards without her knowledge. When the client hired a new lawyer, she learned Matthews had cashed the settlement checks. He stipulated that he failed to properly supervise an employee, notify a client that he had received funds on her behalf, deposit funds in a client trust account or promptly return a client’s file.After discovering the theft, Matthews reported the paralegal to the police; the paralegal was prosecuted and convicted for felony grand theft and forgery. He had been stealing money for more than two years, according to the stipulation. Matthews had severe financial problems as a result. He also cooperated with the bar’s investigation. |