Gustavo Azgad Zarate was first admitted to the California Bar 8th December 1998, but is now no longer eligible to practice. Gustavo graduated from Loyola Law School.

Lawyer Information

NameGustavo Azgad Zarate
First Admitted8 December 1998 (26 years, 5 months ago)
StatusNot Eligible to Practice
Bar Number199478

Contact

Current Email[email protected]
Phone Number213-324-4909
Fax Number877-708-8683

Schools

Law SchoolLoyola Law School (Los Angeles CA)
Undergraduate SchoolUniversity of California at Los Angeles (CA)

Address

Current Address11117 Clementine Way
Loma Linda, CA 92354-6124
Map
Previous Address1021 Kimberly Ave
Redlands, CA 92374

History

12 November 2005Not eligible to practice law in CA (19 years, 5 months ago)
Discipline w/actual suspension 02-O-14739
26 April 2001Probation with conditions 99-C-10483 (24 years ago)
26 April 2001Discipline w/actual suspension; credit for prior ineligibility 99-C-10483 (24 years ago)
11 January 2001Active (24 years, 3 months ago)
26 June 2000Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 00-N-12368 (24 years, 10 months ago)
11 October 1999Not eligible to practice law in CA (25 years, 6 months ago)
Interim suspension after conviction 99-C-10483
23 August 1999Conviction record transmitted to State Bar Court 99-C-10483 (25 years, 8 months ago)
8 December 1998Admitted to the State Bar of California (26 years, 5 months ago)

Discipline Summaries

November 12, 2005

GUSTAVO A. ZARATE [#199478], 37, of Pasadena was suspended for two and a half years, stayed, placed on probation for two and a half years with a two-year actual suspension and was ordered to prove his rehabilitation, take the MPRE and comply with rule 955. The order took effect Nov. 12, 2005.

Zarate practiced law while suspended and committed acts of moral turpitude by holding himself out as an attorney when he was not eligible to do so.

He worked for a surgery center before and after passing the bar exam, and several doctors were convicted of involvement in fraudulent insurance claims. Zarate was placed on interim suspension after pleading guilty to shredding medical documents.

While suspended, he did legal work at the Immigration Solution Center (ISC), receiving a salary of $30,000 a month for more than a year.

After the interim suspension ended, Zarate was named a defendant in an action brought by the attorney general alleging that about 20 defendants participated in a scheme to defraud people seeking legal help with immigration issues and aided in the unlawful practice of law. Zarate entered into a settlement in which he agreed to pay $150,000 in civil penalties and restitution to several ISC clients.

In mitigation, he cooperated with the bar's investigation and he does community service, mentoring youth and offering no- or low-fee public interest legal services.

April 26, 2001

GUSTAVO ZARATE [#199478], 32, of Los Angeles was suspended for three years, stayed, placed on three years of probation with an actual 15-month suspension, and was ordered to take the MPRE within one year and comply with rule 955. Credit toward the actual suspension was given for the period of interim suspension which began Oct. 11, 1999, so Zarate returned to active status in January. The order took effect April 26, 2001.

Zarate was convicted in 1999 of obstructing a criminal investigation of a health care offense, a federal offense.

He worked as the office manager of a cosmetic surgery center during law school, before his admission to the bar. He was convicted of destroying surgery checklists to obstruct the criminal investigation of a cosmetic surgery insurance fraud ring.

Placed on interim suspension in 1999, Zarate was ordered to comply with rule 955, but filed the required affidavit six months late.

In mitigation, the plastic surgeon was a father figure to Zarate, whose own father died when he was young. The surgeon and his lawyer instructed Zarate to destroy office records, which Zarate says he did out of loyalty to his mentor.

He has led a life largely devoted to his church and community service.