Jose Jess Alvarez is an active member of the California Bar and was admitted 18th December 1975. Jose graduated from UC Berkeley SOL.
Lawyer Information
| Name | Jose Jess Alvarez |
|---|---|
| First Admitted | 18 December 1975 (48 years, 4 months ago) |
| Status | Active |
| Bar Number | 65039 |
| Sections | Family Law |
Contact
| Current Email | [email protected] |
|---|---|
| Phone Number | 510-908-2820 |
| Fax Number | 510-221-6063 |
Schools
| Law School | UC Berkeley SOL (Berkeley CA) |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate School | California St University Fresno (Fresno CA) |
Address
| Current Address | 1300 Clay St Ste 600 Oakland, CA 94612-1427 |
|---|---|
| Map | |
| Previous Address | 1901 Harrison St Ste 1550 Oakland, CA 94612 |
History
| 3 June 2007 | Discipline, probation; no actual susp. 05-O-03825 (16 years, 11 months ago) |
|---|---|
| 18 December 1975 | Admitted to the State Bar of California (48 years, 4 months ago) |
Discipline Summaries
June 3, 2007 JOSE JESS ALVAREZ [#65039], 60, of Oakland was suspended for two years, stayed, placed on three years of probation and was ordered to take the MPRE within one year and prove his rehabilitation. The order took effect June 3, 2007. Alvarez stipulated to five counts of misconduct in two matters.The first involved a Spanish-speaking client who hired Alvarez to obtain a court order releasing a lien on her house. She signed a fee agreement written in English that was not understandable to her, and Alvarez did not advise her to seek independent legal advice. Among other things, the agreement required the client to engage in mandatory fee arbitration.She also signed a promissory note securing his fee, requiring her to pay $300 a month and obligating her to pay $5,000 a year later whether or not she wished to terminate Alvarez’ services. The note waived any protest to the fees and was secured by her home.The client’s consent to both the fee agreement and the promissory note was not informed consent and the terms of the note were not fair. The note also gave Alvarez an interest adverse to his client.Alvarez did no substantive work for the client, who ultimately hired a paralegal to help her file the necessary documents to remove the lien on her home.He stipulated that he failed to perform legal services competently or respond to his client’s inquiries about the status of her case and he improperly withdrew from representation and acquired an interest adverse to his client.In a divorce matter in which Alvarez represented the husband, he again had his Spanish-speaking client sign a fee agreement and a promissory note whose terms were not explained. The note was for $8,500. The client’s consent was not informed.After three years, Alvarez had the client sign a substitution of attorney form substituting him out of the case. At the same time, he had the client sign a new promissory note, secured by his home, for $11,000. Alvarez claimed the note was provided in consideration of reducing his legal fee to $11,000. He never filed the substitution of attorney.He stipulated that he acquired an interest adverse to his client.In mitigation, Alvarez had no prior discipline record. |