Dionne Mateos was admitted to the California Bar 22nd December 1999, but has since been disbarred. Dionne graduated from Southwestern University SOL.
Lawyer Information
| Name | Dionne Mateos |
|---|---|
| First Admitted | 22 December 1999 (24 years, 6 months ago) |
| Status | Disbarred |
| Bar Number | 205959 |
Contact
| Current Email | [email protected] |
|---|---|
| Phone Number | 562-320-0552 |
| Fax Number | 310-943-3303 |
Schools
| Law School | Southwestern University SOL (Los Angeles CA) |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate School | University of California at Los Angeles (CA) |
Address
| Current Address | Law Offices of Dionne Mateos, 7032 Comstock Ave Ste 100 Whittier, CA 90602 |
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| Map |
History
| 19 October 2013 | Disbarred (10 years, 8 months ago) Disbarment 12-O-16056 |
|---|---|
| 2 July 2013 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (10 years, 11 months ago) Suspended, failed to pay fees |
| 16 May 2013 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (11 years, 1 month ago) Ordered inactive 12-O-16056 |
| 18 January 2013 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (11 years, 5 months ago) Discipline w/actual suspension 11-O-13347 |
| 24 April 2012 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 11-O-13347 (12 years, 1 month ago) |
| 28 July 2011 | Discipline, probation; no actual susp. 09-O-10348 (12 years, 10 months ago) |
| 22 December 1999 | Admitted to the State Bar of California (24 years, 6 months ago) |
Discipline Summaries
October 19, 2013 DIONNE MATEOS [#205959], 42, of Whittier was disbarred Oct. 19, 2013 and ordered to comply with rule 9.20 of the California Rules of Court and pay restitution. Mateos stipulated to misconduct in 10 client matters involving loan modification work, including commiting acts of moral turpitude, collecting advanced fees for loan modification work and failing to cooperate and participate in a disciplinary investigation, perform legal services with competence or return unearned fees.In mitigation, Mateos entered into a pre-trial stipulation. She was ordered to pay $21,200 plus interest in restitution.Mateos has two prior records of discipline. In 2011, she stipulated to failing to perform competently, to account, release a file, respond to client inquiries, cooperate in a State Bar investigation, obey court orders or return unearned fees. The misconduct, which resulted in a one-year stayed suspension and one year of probation, involved six separate client matters, most of which involved her representation of clients related to loan modification and bankruptcy services.In 2013, she stipulated to two years of actual suspension for improper withdrawal and failing to perform competently, refund unearned fees, to account, cooperate and participate in State Bar investigation, or respond to client inquiries. She also collected advanced fees for loan modification work. The misconduct involved four client matters, and the majority of the cases involved loan modifications.January 18, 2013 DIONNE MATEOS [#205959], 41, of Whittier was suspended for two years, stayed, placed on three years of probation with an actual two-year suspension and she was ordered to make restitution, take the MPRE and comply with rule 9.20 of the California Rules of Court. The order took effect Jan. 18, 2013. Mateos stipulated to 10 counts of misconduct in three loan modification matters and two additional counts in a personal injury case. She owned CBG Legal, which was retained by three individuals to obtain loan modifications.In one matter, Mateos illegally accepted an advance fee for loan modification work, a practice prohibited by state law. Although she submitted a loan modification request, it was denied. In another matter, she failed to complete the loan modification, did no work of any value for her client and didn’t refund his advance fee.In another matter, she was hired to obtain loan modifications for two properties with different lenders. Although she sent various documents to one bank, she took no substantive steps to deal with the second lender. When the client received a notice to vacate her home, she was unable to reach Mateos and hired another lawyer to file an emergency Chapter 7 petition. Mateos did not account for the client’s $3,500 fee or refund any part of the money.She stipulated that she failed to perform legal services competently, refund unearned fees, respond to reasonable status requests or account for client funds.In the personal injury case, Mateos submitted a claim to an insurance company, but it was denied. She filed a small claims action but did not appear for a hearing and it was dismissed. When the client fired her, Mateos advised that there was a statute of limitations in her matter, but did not say the statute would expire in one month. Mateos stipulated that she failed to take steps to protect her client’s interests.In all four matters, she admitted she did not respond to a State Bar investigator’s letters.July 28, 2011 DIONNE MATEOS [#205959], 40, of Whittier was suspended for one year, stayed, placed on one year of probation and was ordered to take the MPRE within one year. The order took effect July 28, 2011. Mateos stipulated to 16 counts of misconduct in five matters. Four matters involved his failure to pursue loan modifications - he was either unresponsive to clients or did not refund unearned fees. One client won a small claims judgment against him. He was fired by a client who hired him to assist with a bankruptcy petition, but didn’t refund unearned fees.Mateos prepared a draft letter to a witness in a wrongful termination case but did no further work. He didn’t respond to phone calls, account for client funds or refund any of the $2,500 advance fee, and he did not release the client’s file.Mateos has no prior discipline record, made some restitution and paid a $750 sanction. |