Jacob Dong Hun Chang was admitted to the California Bar 12th December 1994, but has since been disbarred. Jacob graduated from McGeorge SOL University of the Pacific.
Lawyer Information
| Name | Jacob Dong Hun Chang |
|---|---|
| First Admitted | 12 December 1994 (29 years, 5 months ago) |
| Status | Disbarred |
| Bar Number | 174476 |
Contact
| Current Email | [email protected] |
|---|
Schools
| Law School | McGeorge SOL University of the Pacific (CA) |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate School | University of California at Los Angeles (CA) |
Address
| Current Address | 13654 Victory Blvd Ste 648 Van Nuys, CA 91401 |
|---|---|
| Map |
History
| 18 March 2016 | Disbarred (8 years, 1 month ago) Disbarment 14-O-03291 |
|---|---|
| 19 November 2015 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (8 years, 5 months ago) Discipline w/actual suspension 11-O-10368 |
| 25 September 2015 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (8 years, 7 months ago) Ordered inactive 14-O-03291 |
| 5 June 2015 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (8 years, 11 months ago) Ordered inactive 14-O-03291 |
| 10 May 2015 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (9 years ago) |
| 4 February 2015 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 14-O-03291 (9 years, 3 months ago) |
| 31 January 2015 | Active (9 years, 3 months ago) |
| 1 December 2014 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (9 years, 5 months ago) Ordered inactive 11-O-10368 |
| 12 December 2013 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 13-O-10664 (10 years, 5 months ago) |
| 16 January 2013 | Active (11 years, 3 months ago) |
| 16 November 2012 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (11 years, 5 months ago) Ordered inactive 11-O-10368 |
| 17 October 2011 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 11-O-10368 (12 years, 6 months ago) |
| 18 August 2011 | Active (12 years, 8 months ago) |
| 18 June 2011 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (12 years, 11 months ago) Discipline w/actual suspension 07-O-13888 |
| 12 December 1994 | Admitted to the State Bar of California (29 years, 5 months ago) |
Discipline Summaries
March 18, 2016 JACOB DONG CHANG [#174476], 47, of Van Nuys, was disbarred March 18, 2016 and ordered to comply with rule 9.20 of the California Rules of Court. Chang failed to appear at his disciplinary trial and his default was entered. He did not seek to have the default set aside or vacated within 45 days, and the State Bar moved to disbar him under rule 5.85 of the State Bar Rules of Procedure.In one matter, Chang failed to deposit client funds in trust or cooperate with a State Bar investigation and issued a $3,724 check when there were insufficient funds to cover it.He had two prior records of discipline. He was suspended in 2011 for misconduct in seven matters, including failing to obey court orders, report sanctions, pay out client funds, cooperate in a disciplinary investigation, competently perform legal services, refund unearned fees or promptly respond to reasonable status inquiries. In 2015, he was suspended again for failing to competently perform legal services, engaging in acts of moral turpitude by making misrepresentations to his clients and failing to refund unearned fees, account, promptly release a client’s file, cooperate in a disciplinary investigation or promptly respond to reasonable status inquiries.November 19, 2015 JACOB DONG CHANG [#174476], 47, of Van Nuys, was suspended from the practice of law for nine months and ordered to take the MPRE, make restitution and comply with rule 9.20 of the California Rules of Court. He was also placed on two years’ probation and faces a two-year suspension if he does not comply with the terms of his disciplinary probation. The order took effect Nov. 19, 2015. Chang was accepted for participation in the State Bar’s Alternative Discipline Program but repeatedly failed to comply with the conditions of the program and was terminated.The underlying discipline involved four client matters. Chang was found culpable of 12 counts of misconduct that included engaging in acts involving moral turpitude and failing to perform legal services with competence, promptly refund unearned fees, account for advanced fees, promptly return clients’ files, cooperate with a State Bar investigation, respond to letters from a State Bar investigator, adequately communicate or respond to his client’s reasonable status inquiries.Chang had a prior record of discipline. In 2011, he was suspended for failing to obey court orders, report sanctions, disperse client funds and property on request, keep agreements made in lieu of disciplinary prosecution, perform, refund unearned fees or adequately communicate with clients.June 18, 2011 JACOB DONG HUN CHANG [#174476], 43, of Fullerton was suspended for two years, stayed, placed on two years of probation with a 60-day actual suspension and he was ordered to take the MPRE within one year. The order took effect June 18, 2011. Chang stipulated to 12 counts of misconduct in seven matters.In many cases, he failed to perform legal services competently or respond to his clients’ inquiries. For example, a client who hired him to handle her uninsured motorist claim against an insurance carrier was unable to reach him for several months. He finally submitted a demand for arbitration but didn’t file timely discovery responses. He basically took no action and the client hired a new lawyer.Another client hired Chang to set aside a judgment won by a creditor. Although he wrote to the creditor’s lawyer and included a “draft†motion to set aside the default, he never filed it. He did not respond to voicemails from the creditor’s counsel or from his client, who demanded a refund, which he provided.In another matter, he failed to pay or report to the State Bar five court-ordered sanctions totaling more than $13,000. He had filed an employment lawsuit but did not oppose a variety of motions, which were granted by the court. Chang subsequently failed to serve discovery responses and the court dismissed the case.He filed a motion to vacate the dismissal, claiming he had unexpected family difficulties, was unable to attend to his regular office work and did not return to the office until after a hearing for terminating sanctions. Because his declaration essentially admitted he had abandoned his clients, the court vacated the dismissal. The case was dismissed a second time when Chang didn’t oppose further terminating sanctions. His clients hired a new lawyer who settled the matter. Over the course of the litigation, Chang was sanctioned five times.In mitigation, he has no discipline record, suffered from depression caused by marital problems and financial pressure, and receives assistance from the Lawyer Assistance Program. Chang believed the sanctions did not have to be reported to the bar. |