Harold Vincent Sullivan II was admitted to the California Bar 4th January 1967, but has since been disbarred. Harold graduated from USC Law School.
Lawyer Information
| Name | Harold Vincent Sullivan II |
|---|---|
| First Admitted | 4 January 1967 (57 years, 5 months ago) |
| Status | Disbarred |
| Bar Number | 39889 |
Contact
| Current Email | [email protected] |
|---|---|
| Phone Number | 916-395-4078 |
| Fax Number | 916-395-4087 |
Schools
| Law School | USC Law School (Los Angeles CA) |
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| Undergraduate School | University of Southern Calif (Los Angeles CA) |
Address
| Current Address | 1721 Torino Dr Stockton, CA 95205 |
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| Map |
History
| 1 January 2011 | Disbarred (13 years, 5 months ago) Disbarment 08-C-12029 |
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| 17 August 2009 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (14 years, 10 months ago) Ordered inactive 08-C-12029 |
| 7 July 2008 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (15 years, 11 months ago) Interim suspension after conviction 08-C-12029 |
| 23 May 2008 | Conviction record transmitted to State Bar Court 08-C-12029 (16 years ago) |
| 17 February 2003 | Active (21 years, 4 months ago) |
| 4 December 2002 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (21 years, 6 months ago) Discipline w/actual suspension 97-O-11988 |
| 9 August 2001 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 97-O-11988 (22 years, 10 months ago) |
| 29 September 2000 | Discipline, probation; no actual susp. 96-O-00754 (23 years, 8 months ago) |
| 2 March 1998 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 96-O-00754 (26 years, 3 months ago) |
| 20 October 1997 | Active (26 years, 8 months ago) |
| 17 July 1997 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (26 years, 11 months ago) Discipline w/actual suspension 92-O-11298 |
| 12 August 1994 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 93-O-13549 (29 years, 10 months ago) |
| 29 December 1993 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 92-O-11298 (30 years, 5 months ago) |
| 4 January 1967 | Admitted to the State Bar of California (57 years, 5 months ago) |
Discipline Summaries
January 1, 2011 HAROLD VINCENT SULLIVAN II [#39889], 71, of Stockton was disbarred Jan. 1, 2011, and was ordered to comply with rule 9.20 of the California Rules of Court. Sullivan pleaded no contest to misdemeanor conspiracy to obstruct justice, a crime involving moral turpitude. Because he also has a record of three prior disciplines, the State Bar Court’s review panel upheld a lower court judge’s recommendation for disbarment.The conviction stemmed from a capping case, in which the Los Angeles district attorney alleged that Sullivan paid Faina Bash, the owner/operator of MGB Legal Service (MGB), $5,000 per month to market his practice to the Russian community in Los Angeles and to provide him with a secretary and a translator. He represented a client whose child was killed in a hit-and-run accident, and after the case settled, Sullivan issued a check for $10,000 to MGB from his trust account. He testified that he owed MGB that amount for two months of services and denied that MGB had referred the case to him. The district attorney charged Sullivan and Bash with three felonies, including allegations that that the $10,000 payment from the hit-and-run settlement was the overt act needed for a conspiracy charge. Sullivan pleaded no contest to obstruction of justice, claiming that he entered his plea only to save money, not because he believed his dealings with Bash were illegal. He also claimed that he did not have to report either the felony charges or the misdemeanor conviction to the bar; his attorney, he said, advised him he was required only to report a felony conviction.In addition to the conviction, the review panel took note of Sullivan’s extensive discipline record, beginning with a 1997 suspension. For more than a decade, he operated a lax office management system that caused case dismissals, settlement disbursement delays, client communication failures and trust account violations. Sullivan harmed at least nine clients from 1988 to 2000, the panel said.In recommending his disbarment, the review panel said Sullivan failed to meet his professional obligations for more than two decades in four disciplinary cases. “In his first three cases, he performed incompetently and in the present case, although it occurred between his first and second discipline, he was convicted of a crime of moral turpitude that he never reported,†wrote Judge Catherine Purcell. “Overall, Sullivan has demonstrated ‘pervasive carelessness’ toward his practice and compliance with ethical rules since 1988.â€December 4, 2002 HAROLD VINCENT SULLIVAN II [#39889], 62, of Torrance was suspended for 18 months, stayed, and placed on two years of probation with a 75-day actual suspension. The order took effect Dec. 4, 2002. Sullivan stipulated to misconduct in four matters.His name was on two common trust accounts used by three lawyers. Three checks were written by his associate against insufficient funds in the accounts. He represented a client in a breast implant class action, which settled for $10,000. Sullivan received $5,000, paid the client $2,500 and paid a doctor $1,000. He did not deposit a second $5,000 settlement check or provide further funds to the client. The client has an ongoing dispute with Sullivan over his accounting because he believes more money should be paid to the doctors than the client does. The client has refused to sign the second settlement check until she is satisfied with Sullivan's accounting and proposed disbursement.In another personal injury case, Sullivan deposited a $33,000 settlement draft in his client trust account, disbursed the money and gave his client an accounting. However, he did not pay a medical provider for more than two years.In the final matter, Sullivan represented a client in a class action lawsuit. was suspended for 18 months, stayed, and placed on two years of probation with a 75-day actual suspension. The order took effect Dec. 4, 2002.Sullivan stipulated to misconduct in four matters.His name was on two common trust accounts used by three lawyers. Three checks were written by his associate against insufficient funds in the accounts. He represented a client in a breast implant class action, which settled for $10,000. Sullivan received $5,000, paid the client $2,500 and paid a doctor $1,000. He did not deposit a second $5,000 settlement check or provide further funds to the client. The client has an ongoing dispute with Sullivan over his accounting because he believes more money should be paid to the doctors than the client does. The client has refused to sign the second settlement check until she is satisfied with Sullivan's accounting and proposed disbursement.In another personal injury case, Sullivan deposited a $33,000 settlement draft in his client trust account, disbursed the money and gave his client an accounting. However, he did not pay a medical provider for more than two years.In the final matter, Sullivan represented a client in a class action lawsuit. Although the client twice signed releases so she could receive her share of settlement proceeds, and although Sullivan believed his staff had sent the release to the defendant within the required 60 days, the defendant denied receiving it. Sullivan filed a motion to enforce the settlement agreement but the hearing had not been held at the time of the stipulation. The client had received no settlement funds.He stipulated that he failed to properly maintain his client trust account, deposit settlement funds in the account, promptly disburse client funds or perform legal services competently.He also was disciplined in 1997 and 2000 for failing to perform competently, return client files or communicate with a client. Although the client twice signed releases so she could receive her share of settlement proceeds, and although Sullivan believed his staff had sent the release to the defendant within the required 60 days, the defendant denied receiving it. Sullivan filed a motion to enforce the settlement agreement but the hearing had not been held at the time of the stipulation. The client had received no settlement funds.He stipulated that he failed to properly maintain his client trust account, deposit settlement funds in the account, promptly disburse client funds or perform legal services competently.He also was disciplined in 1997 and 2000 for failing to perform competently, return client files or communicate with a client.September 29, 2000 HAROLD VINCENT SULLIVAN II [#39889], 60, of Torrance was suspended for one year, stayed, placed on two years of probation and was ordered to take the MPRE within one year. The order took effect Sept. 29, 2000. Sullivan stipulated to two counts of failing to respond to client inquiries and one count of failing to perform legal services competently.Sullivan was retained to file a personal injury complaint, but it was dismissed because he failed to appear at hearings or file necessary documents. He stipulated that he did not notify his clients of the dismissal, did not return their repeated phone calls and failed to perform legal services competently.He was disciplined in 1997 for failure to perform, return client phone calls or return client files.In mitigation, the misconduct in this discipline occurred at the same time as that in the 1997 order. His secretary hid or threw away files, pleadings, notices and other documents which were not discovered for more than a year. She concealed notices in the personal injury case which led to the current discipline. Sullivan closed three of his four offices and reduced his staff and caseload. He also was going through a divorce at the time.July 17, 1997 HAROLD V. SULLIVAN II [#39889], 56, of Inglewood was suspended for one year, stayed, placed on three years of probation with an actual 60-day suspension, and was ordered to take the MPRE within one year. The order took effect July 17, 1997. Sullivan failed to respond to clients' status inquiries, keep clients informed of developments in their cases and perform legal services competently.A personal injury attorney, he maintained four offices consisting of seven attorneys and 15 staff persons, handling about 1,600 cases. Sullivan speaks Vietnamese and Spanish, and most of his clients were Indo-Chinese or Hispanic.For about a year, one of his secretaries hid and threw away files, notices and pleadings. Only when she left did employees of the firm discover the cache of documents, which included at least one motion to dismiss an action.Among the documents were pleadings in two cases which are the subjects of this discipline; Sullivan missed several court hearings, and both cases were dismissed. However, the court found that in both cases, the problems could have been avoided if Sullivan had properly supervised the secretary and a good review system had been in place.Sullivan had sought review of a hearing judge's recommendation, arguing that the recommended 89-day actual suspension was excessive. The review judge reduced the suspension to 60 days, and reversed the hearing judge's finding that Sullivan was not culpable of failing to give a client all papers and property. The review judge also reversed one finding that Sullivan failed to keep another client reasonably informed.There was significant mitigation, including more than 21 years of blemish-free practice, and the fact that even before the State Bar began its investigation, Sullivan closed three of four offices, reduced his staff, and reduced his caseload from 1,600 to 50. The review judge therefore reduced the actual suspension from 89 to 60 days. |