Sacramento, CA 95834-3790
16 December 2023 | Active (1 year, 4 months ago) |
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1 July 2022 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (2 years, 10 months ago) Suspended, failed to pay fees |
9 April 2003 | Active (22 years ago) |
5 February 2003 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (22 years, 3 months ago) Discipline w/actual suspension 99-O-10164 |
3 August 2001 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 99-O-10164 (23 years, 9 months ago) |
2 June 1972 | Admitted to the State Bar of California (52 years, 11 months ago) |
February 5, 2003 THOMAS EUGENE HO'OKANO [#52477], 57, of San Francisco 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 one year. The order took effect Feb. 5, 2003. The State Bar Court found that Ho'Okano committed three acts of misconduct related to his client trust account. He used the account for personal and office-related expenses. Over a 15-month period, he also withdrew about $7,500 on at least 32 occasions from his trust account against insufficient funds. He used his ATM card and in-branch transactions at about the same time, and because the bank did not reconcile the withdrawals until the end of the day, Ho'Okano was able to withdraw deposited funds twice.At least 10 of the withdrawals came after Ho'Okano told the State Bar he would rectify his banking practices. The day he wrote to the bar, he made five ATM withdrawals against insufficient funds.The court found that he committed acts of moral turpitude, commingled funds and failed to account for client funds.In mitigation, Ho'Okano has no record of discipline in 26 years of practice, no clients were harmed and he presented evidence of his good character. |