Michael Philip Richter is an active member of the California Bar and was admitted 14th December 1972. Michael graduated from California Western SOL.
Lawyer Information
| Name | Michael Philip Richter |
|---|---|
| First Admitted | 14 December 1972 (52 years, 5 months ago) |
| Status | Active |
| Bar Number | 54408 |
Contact
| Current Email | [email protected] |
|---|---|
| Phone Number | 619-944-9956 |
| Fax Number | 619-296-3700 |
Schools
| Law School | California Western SOL (San Diego CA) |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate School | San Diego State University (San Diego CA) |
Address
| Current Address | 27352 Red Ironbark Dr Valley Center, CA 92082-7207 |
|---|---|
| Map | |
| Previous Address | 438 Camino Del Rio S Ste 219 San Diego, CA 92108 |
| Previous Address | 438 Camino Del Rio S Ste 219 San Diego, CA 92108-3547 |
| Previous Address | 250 S Orange St, Ste 6 Escondido, CA 92025-4142 |
History
| 10 May 2010 | Active (15 years ago) |
|---|---|
| 9 May 2009 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (16 years ago) Discipline w/actual suspension 06-O-13915 |
| 14 October 2008 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 08-O-10232 (16 years, 7 months ago) |
| 4 June 2008 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 06-O-13915 (16 years, 11 months ago) |
| 26 April 2001 | Discipline, probation; no actual susp. 00-O-10431 (24 years ago) |
| 22 June 2000 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 00-O-10431 (24 years, 11 months ago) |
| 20 April 2000 | Public reproval with/duties 96-O-08734 (25 years ago) |
| 14 December 1972 | Admitted to the State Bar of California (52 years, 5 months ago) |
Discipline Summaries
May 9, 2009 MICHAEL PHILIP RICHTER [#54408], 67, of San Diego was suspended for two years, stayed, placed on two years of probation with an actual one-year suspension and he was ordered to take the MPRE and comply with rule 9.20 and make restitution. The order took effect May 9, 2009. Richter stipulated to misconduct in three matters.In the first matter, he was hired to obtain a visa and a status adjustment for an immigrant facing deportation. However, he did not file the required documents on time and the court ordered the client’s removal.A new lawyer filed a motion to reopen the case based on ineffective assistance of counsel. Richter admitted he “screwed up the case†and said he would provide a full refund of fees within two weeks. The court ultimately terminated the removal proceedings.In the second matter, Richter represented a client to correct the status of a criminal conviction. The client had been convicted of possession of a controlled substance in 1978 with an agreement that the conviction would be reduced to a misdemeanor if he successfully completed probation.Although the client did so, he learned in 2006 that the conviction had not been commuted. He hired Richter — for $1,350 in fees and costs — to set aside the conviction. Richter never filed the required petition and did not return a new lawyer’s numerous phone calls or a letter. Another lawyer succeeded in having the charges dismissed.Richter did not respond to a State Bar investigator’s inquiries.In the third matter, Richter was hired by the conservator of her father’s estate because a woman listed as the father’s daughter was on the death certificate. The woman allegedly had no such relationship with the father.The man’s adopted daughter wished to have the other woman removed from the death certificate and to have the trustee investigated. She paid Richter $2,000.Richter said he could not help with the trust issue and said the death certificate issue would take some time.After more than a year, the client fired Richter because no work had been done. He did not return her file or refund the advance fee.He stipulated that he failed to perform legal services competently, refund unearned fees, return client files or cooperate with the bar’s investigation and he took no steps to protect his client’s interests when he abandoned their cases.Richter was publicly reproved in 2000 for failing to comply with the conditions of an agreement in lieu of discipline and the following year he was suspended and placed on probation after stipulating that he failed to perform legal services competently, respond to client inquiries or cooperate with the bar’s investigation.April 26, 2001 MICHAEL PHILIP RICHTER [#54408], 58, of San Diego was suspended for six months, stayed, placed on probation for one year and was ordered to attend at least six hours of MCLE classes in law office management within one year. The order took effect April 26, 2001. Richter stipulated to three counts of misconduct in two matters.In a 1998 personal injury matter, Richter failed to get an endorsement of a $3,000 settlement check, payable to his client and Kaiser Permanente. He kept the check in the client’s file until April 2000, when the file was returned to the client. The check had expired and the client could not cash it. Richter failed to authorize the insurance company to issue a new check for three more months.During the time the check was in the file, Richter told his client he would negotiate with the medical providers to try to reduce the lien amounts. However, he never contacted any of them.Richter failed to perform legal services competently by not negotiating a new settlement check, obtaining the endorsement of Kaiser on the settlement check or negotiating with the medical providers as agreed. He also did not respond to the client’s repeated phone calls and certified letters over seven months.Richter also failed to respond to the bar’s investigation.Richter also received a private reproval last year for failing to perform legal services competently or return client phone calls and for improper withdrawal from representation. |