Riverside, CA 92502
10 October 2008 | Disbarred (16 years, 8 months ago) Disbarment 07-O-12140 |
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9 May 2008 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (17 years, 1 month ago) Ordered inactive 07-O-12140 |
10 January 2008 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (17 years, 5 months ago) Ordered inactive 07-O-12140 |
1 November 2007 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 07-O-12140 (17 years, 7 months ago) |
31 March 2006 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (19 years, 2 months ago) Discipline w/actual suspension 00-O-14661 |
8 July 2005 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 05-O-00886 (19 years, 11 months ago) |
22 February 2005 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 04-O-10130 (20 years, 3 months ago) |
7 January 2005 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 04-O-10599 (20 years, 5 months ago) |
14 October 2004 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 04-O-12931 (20 years, 8 months ago) |
25 August 2004 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 04-O-11269 (20 years, 10 months ago) |
27 May 2004 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 00-O-14661 (21 years ago) |
26 May 2003 | Law Practice Restricted 03-TH-01402 (22 years ago) |
2 June 1997 | Admitted to the State Bar of California (28 years ago) |
October 10, 2008 SCOT DOUGLAS STIRLING [#188063], 43, of Riverside was disbarred Oct. 10, 2008, and was ordered to comply with rule 9.20 of the California Rules of Court. He failed to comply with probation requirements attached to a 2007 disciplinary order: he submitted two deficient quarterly reports and did not submit three others, he did not meet with his probation deputy or prove that he contacted complaining witnesses to offer binding fee arbitration, he failed to join the State Bar’s Law Practice Management and Technology Section or submit a law office management plan to his probation monitor and he did not complete trust accounting or ethics school.In the underlying matter, the bar court found that Stirling committed misconduct in 32 matters, generally for failing to perform legal services competently or refund unearned fees.He did not participate in the disbarment proceedings, and Judge Richard Honn wrote that Stirling’s disbarment is necessary “to protect the public, preserve public confidence in the profession and maintain high standards for attorneys.â€March 31, 2006 SCOT DOUGLAS STIRLING [#188063], 41, of Riverside was suspended for two years, stayed, placed on seven years of probation with an actual one-year suspension and was ordered to prove his rehabilitation, take the MPRE, make restitution and comply with rule 955. The order took effect March 31, 2006. Stirling stipulated to misconduct in 32 consolidated cases; eight more cases were dismissed.Stirling was employed on an hourly basis by Ronald Ask, an attorney with offices in Riverside and Palm Springs. When Ask began serving a one-year suspension, Stirling took over his practice and Ask acted as a law clerk, providing guidance on business matters and on practicing law as a business owner. At the time, Stirling was 33, had been admitted to practice for two years and had no experience running a law firm or any other business.Stirling became the chief executive and financial officer and the sole director of the Inland Empire Law Corp. (IELC) and employed Ask and Ask’s other employees. IELC occupied the same location as the Ask firm and used all its office equipment. When Ask’s suspension ended, he worked for IELC as an attorney. (Ask is currently suspended.)All the cases, which ranged from immigration matters to probate to medical malpractice, involved either Stirling’s failure to perform legal services competently and/or to refund unearned fees. He agreed to make restitution totaling almost $70,000 to 31 people.In mitigation, he cooperated with the bar’s investigation. |