Los Angeles, CA 90093
13 June 2013 | Disbarred (10 years, 10 months ago) Disbarment 09-O-15713 |
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5 October 2012 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (11 years, 6 months ago) Ordered inactive 09-O-15713 |
29 April 2011 | Inactive (12 years, 11 months ago) |
8 November 2010 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 09-O-15713 (13 years, 5 months ago) |
27 October 1999 | Active (24 years, 6 months ago) |
27 August 1999 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (24 years, 8 months ago) Discipline w/actual suspension 92-O-17879 |
19 October 1994 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 92-O-17879 (29 years, 6 months ago) |
2 October 1992 | Discipline, probation; no actual susp. 85-O-14505 (31 years, 6 months ago) |
12 January 1990 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 85-O-14505 (34 years, 3 months ago) |
9 January 1969 | Admitted to the State Bar of California (55 years, 3 months ago) |
June 13, 2013 JACK R. WILLIS [#43789], 73, of Los Angeles, was disbarred June 13, 2013 and was ordered to comply with rule 9.20 of the California Rules of Court. Willis stipulated to misappropriating money from settlements he received on behalf of clients in two personal injury matters. In one of the cases, Willis misappropriated $18,388.87 of a couple’s settlement money, failed to maintain funds in a client trust account and did not tell the couple for more than two years that they had received the settlement. In the other matter, Willis stipulated to misappropriating $16,594.93 and failing to maintain funds in a client trust account.Willis was previously disciplined on two occasions. In 1999, the California Supreme Court suspended him for 60 days for making material misrepresentations to opposing counsel. In 1992, he was suspended for 60 days, stayed, for misconduct in four cases: for acquiring an adverse interest in a client’s property; abandoning a client and failing to promptly pay settlement funds to a client; failing to perform in a client matter and failing to pay a court-ordered sanction; and failing to return a client’s file and provide an accounting to the client.August 27, 1999 JACK R. WILLIS [#43789], 59, of Los Angeles was suspended for one year, stayed, placed on two years of probation with an actual 60-day suspension, and was ordered to take the MPRE within a year. The order took effect Aug. 27, 1999. Willis represented a client in a personal injury action after she discharged her original law firm. When the case settled for $30,000, the insurer issued a check to Willis, the client and the original lawyers.Willis wrote to the insurance company, arguing that there was no properly asserted lien for attorneys fees and stating incorrectly that the other law firm had entered into a bankruptcy. He did not provide a copy of the letter to the other firm. The insurance company issued a new check to Willis and the client.Although Willis claimed his statement about the bankruptcy was a simple, good faith mistake, the State Bar Court found that his statement was deliberate and made for the purpose of depriving the law firm of its share of the settlement.Willis was disciplined in 1992 for misconduct involving his handling of four client matters.In mitigation, he has a record of pro bono work and presented testimony attesting to his good character. The court rejected Willis' claims that stress caused by three automobile accidents and a serious illness contributed to his misconduct. |