Rafael Arturo Cardenas was admitted to the California Bar 18th June 1974, but has since been disbarred. Rafael graduated from UCLA SOL.

Lawyer Information

NameRafael Arturo Cardenas
First Admitted18 June 1974 (51 years ago)
StatusDisbarred
Bar Number59210

Contact

Phone Number323-951-1680

Schools

Law SchoolUCLA SOL (Los Angeles CA)
Undergraduate SchoolUniversity of California at Los Angeles (CA)

Address

Current Address8447 Wilshire Blvd #117
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Map

History

27 August 2008Disbarred (16 years, 9 months ago)
Disbarment 06-O-12135
2 March 2008Not eligible to practice law in CA (17 years, 3 months ago)
Ordered inactive 06-O-12135
27 November 2007Not eligible to practice law in CA (17 years, 6 months ago)
Suspended, failed to pass Prof.Resp.Exam 02-O-14313
24 March 2007Not eligible to practice law in CA (18 years, 3 months ago)
Ordered inactive 06-O-12135
30 November 2006Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 06-O-12135 (18 years, 6 months ago)
21 December 2005Active (19 years, 6 months ago)
22 October 2005Not eligible to practice law in CA (19 years, 8 months ago)
Discipline w/actual suspension 02-O-14313
25 May 2004Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 03-O-01394 (21 years ago)
22 April 2004Active (21 years, 2 months ago)
16 April 2004Not eligible to practice law in CA (21 years, 2 months ago)
Ordered inactive 02-O-14313
5 September 2003Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 02-O-14313 (21 years, 9 months ago)
13 November 2001Active (23 years, 7 months ago)
14 October 2001Not eligible to practice law in CA (23 years, 8 months ago)
Discipline w/actual suspension 99-O-12844
24 October 2000Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 99-O-12844 (24 years, 8 months ago)
17 July 1994Discipline, probation; no actual susp. 88-O-12826 (30 years, 11 months ago)
12 July 1993Active (31 years, 11 months ago)
11 June 1993Not eligible to practice law in CA (32 years ago)
Discipline w/actual suspension 87-O-11967
26 February 1991Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 89-O-14301 (34 years, 4 months ago)
3 May 1990Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 87-O-11967 (35 years, 1 month ago)
18 June 1974Admitted to the State Bar of California (51 years ago)

Discipline Summaries

August 1, 2008

RAFAEL ARTURO CARDENAS [#59210], 68, of Beverly Hills was disbarred Aug. 1, 2008, and was ordered to comply with rule 9.20.

The State Bar Court found that in a personal injury matter, Cardenas failed to perform legal services competently, communicate with his client or cooperate with the bar's investigation. He did not respond to dozens of calls from his client between 2003-06. The client received medical bills from a hospital and a doctor that he believed were being handled by Cardenas. The hospital bill went to a collection agency.

Cardenas never filed an insurance claim or a lawsuit and the client lost his cause of action.

He has a record of four previous disciplines, although one was not considered as aggravation. His misconduct, ranging from 1993-2005, included failing to communicate with clients, return client property, perform legal services competently, supervise his employees, inform clients of significant developments or cooperate with a bar investigation and he failed to pay a court ordered sanction. He had both emotional difficulties and physical disabilities that were mitigating factors.

In recommending his disbarment, the court noted that his most recent misconduct was similar to previous actions and harmed his clients. Cardenas "has habitually repeated the mistakes of his past, resulting in additional harm to the public," wrote Judge Richard Platel.

October 22, 2005

RAFAEL ARTURO CARDENAS [#59210], 65, of Beverly Hills was suspended for 18 months, stayed, placed on 18 months of probation with an actual 60-day suspension and was ordered to take the MPRE. The order took effect Oct. 22, 2005.

Cardenas stipulated to misconduct in two cases.

In the first, he failed to communicate with a client whom he represented in a collection matter. He did not respond to 12 telephone messages from the client.

He did not perform legal services competently for another client who was seeking unpaid wages from his employer. Cardenas did not appear at a settlement conference before the labor commission and the claim was dismissed. The client then instructed Cardenas to file a lawsuit, but he did not do so.

In mitigation, Cardenas’ wife died around the time of the misconduct.

He was disciplined in 2001 for failing to perform legal services competently, communicate with his client or cooperate with the bar’s investigation, and in 1993 for similar misconduct.

October 14, 2001

RAFAEL ARTURO CARDENAS [#59210], 61, of Beverly Hills was suspended for 12 months, stayed, placed on three years of probation with a 30-day actual suspension and was ordered to take the MPRE within one year. The order took effect Oct. 14, 2001.

Cardenas filed a civil suit for breach of contract and subsequently filed two amended complaints in response to demurrers and motions to strike by the defendants. After about a year, the court notified Cardenas it intended to dismiss the suit on its own motion. Cardenas filed an objection and said he planned to file a third amended complaint.

The court removed the action from its calendar after several months and notified Cardenas again it intended to dismiss the matter. He filed an objection too late and when he did not appear at a hearing, the court dismissed the case. Cardenas did not notify his client, who learned about the dismissal more than a year later.

Cardenas stipulated that he failed to perform legal services competently, communicate with his client or cooperate with the bar’s investigation.

In mitigation, his wife of 19 years died after a six-year battle with cancer. She was his office manager and paralegal, and her illness resulted in the mismanagement of Cardenas’ law office. He was caring for her and the couple’s two children and suffered emotional distress as the result of her illness and death.

He also was disciplined in 1993.