Bakersfield, CA 93304
5 April 2007 | Resigned (17 years ago) Resignation with charges pending 07-Q-10468 |
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2 February 2007 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (17 years, 2 months ago) Vol.inactive(tender of resign.w/charges) |
22 April 2006 | Discipline, probation; no actual susp. 05-O-01809 (18 years ago) |
19 March 2005 | Discipline, probation; no actual susp. 03-O-05115 (19 years, 1 month ago) |
18 June 1974 | Admitted to the State Bar of California (49 years, 10 months ago) |
April 22, 2006 DONNALEE H. HUFFMAN [#60021], 74, of Bakersfield was suspended for one year, stayed, and placed on three years of probation. The order took effect April 22, 2006. Huffman filed a petition for writ of habeas corpus for an incarcerated client. The court of appeal denied the petition, leaving open the option for filing it in superior court. Instead, Huffman told the client the petition was denied and she was withdrawing from the case.The client complained to the bar when he heard nothing from Huffman for three years and she did not return his file.She stipulated that she improperly withdrew from representation and failed to perform legal services competently.Huffman was disciplined last year for failing to perform competently and for committing an act of moral turpitude.In mitigation, she cooperated with the bar’s investigation.March 19, 2005 DONNALEE H. HUFFMAN [#60021], 73, of Bakersfield was suspended for two years, stayed, placed on two years of probation and was ordered to prove her rehabilitation and take the MPRE within one year. The order took effect March 19, 2005. Huffman stipulated that she committed moral turpitude in one case and failed to perform legal services competently in another.In the first, she worked for a non-profit law firm that handles special education issues and represented a mother who was seeking special accommodations for her child. Huffman prevailed at a due process hearing and was awarded fees and costs. When the school district failed to pay the fees and costs, Huff-man won a federal court order that the district pay. Although the district paid the mother, it did not provide the agreed upon accommodations. The mother pursued another due process hearing and again Huffman prevailed. The school district paid $20,840 for attorney fees and costs to Huffman, who turned the money over to the mother without notifying the law firm. The money allowed the mother to recoup some of the costs of private education for her child, pending completion of the second due process hearing.Huffman’s failure to notify the law firm of the monetary award constituted gross negligence, since the firm had a claim to the fees.In the second matter, Huffman was hired to prepare a limited conservatorship for a client’s disabled child and received a retainer fee of $1,001.50. She never completed the paperwork.In mitigation, Huffman has no prior record of discipline. |