Michael Henry Clepper was admitted to the California Bar 11th January 1961, but is now resigned. Michael graduated from UC College of the Law, San Francisco.

Lawyer Information

NameMichael Henry Clepper
First Admitted11 January 1961 (63 years, 4 months ago)
StatusResigned
Bar Number30863

Schools

Law SchoolUC College of the Law, San Francisco (San Francisco CA)
Undergraduate SchoolStanford University (Stanford CA)

Address

Current Address209 Iris Way
Ventura, CA 93004
Map

History

15 July 2015Resigned (8 years, 9 months ago)
Resignation, no charges pending
27 April 2015Not eligible to practice law in CA (9 years ago)
Inactive - Vol. resignation tendered
18 July 2013Active (10 years, 9 months ago)
2 July 2013Not eligible to practice law in CA (10 years, 10 months ago)
Admin Inactive/MCLE noncompliance
30 August 2001Active (22 years, 8 months ago)
1 July 2001Not eligible to practice law in CA (22 years, 10 months ago)
Discipline w/actual suspension 96-O-07619
22 February 2000Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 96-O-07619 (24 years, 2 months ago)
29 June 1990Discipline, probation; no actual susp. 84-O-16319 (33 years, 10 months ago)
25 August 1988Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 88-0-00158 (35 years, 8 months ago)
11 January 1961Admitted to the State Bar of California (63 years, 4 months ago)

Discipline Summaries

July 1, 2001

MICHAEL HENRY CLEPPER [#30863], 66, of Riverside was suspended for three years, stayed, placed on probation for two years with a 60-day actual suspension, and was ordered to take the MPRE within one year and prove his rehabilitation and fitness to practice. The order took effect July 1, 2001.

Clepper stipulated to failing to perform competently, return unearned fees, release files, respond to client inquiries or cooperate with the bar’s investigation.

In 1990, an Alaska resident hired Clepper to register a divorce judgment, paying him $1,500 in advance fees. For nearly six years, Clepper failed to respond to the client, who finally demanded the return of her fees and file. Clepper, in turn, sent her a bill for $1,334.25

In another case, he took $3,500 in advance fees to handle a divorce in 1998, then did little more than send a letter or two to the opposing party and conduct one telephone conference, a $793 value. The client demanded her money back, but Clepper did not repay the rest of the fees until he was under pressure by a State Bar investigation. In the third case, he substituted as attorney in a family law case, then did not return calls related to a child support matter in which payments were increasingly in arrears.

Clepper showed a pattern of misconduct and has a prior record of discipline. In 1990, he received two years of probation for improperly withdrawing from employment, failing to perform and failing to return unearned fees.

In mitigation, in 40 years of practice, he was disciplined just once, a decade ago. He served as a judge advocate for the U.S. Air Force and has received honors and awards for his services as an attorney.