Richard Gary Tarlow was admitted to the California Bar 22nd December 1976, but has since been disbarred. Richard graduated from Southwestern University SOL.
Lawyer Information
| Name | Richard Gary Tarlow |
|---|---|
| First Admitted | 22 December 1976 (47 years, 4 months ago) |
| Status | Disbarred |
| Bar Number | 72889 |
Schools
| Law School | Southwestern University SOL (Los Angeles CA) |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate School | California St University Northridge (CA) |
Address
| Current Address | 3659 Calle Joaquin Calabasas, CA 91302 |
|---|---|
| Map |
History
| 20 June 2010 | Disbarred (13 years, 10 months ago) Disbarment 07-O-15049 |
|---|---|
| 10 January 2010 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (14 years, 3 months ago) Ordered inactive 07-O-15049 |
| 24 August 2009 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (14 years, 8 months ago) Suspended, failed to pass Prof.Resp.Exam 06-N-15111 |
| 19 January 2009 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (15 years, 3 months ago) Suspended, failed to pass Prof.Resp.Exam 04-O-11880 |
| 6 July 2008 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (15 years, 10 months ago) Discipline w/actual suspension 06-N-15111 |
| 28 December 2007 | Active (16 years, 4 months ago) |
| 28 June 2007 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (16 years, 10 months ago) Discipline w/actual suspension 03-O-01735 |
| 9 February 2007 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 06-N-15111 (17 years, 2 months ago) |
| 18 May 2006 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (17 years, 11 months ago) Discipline w/actual suspension 04-O-11880 |
| 20 March 2006 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 04-O-11880 (18 years, 1 month ago) |
| 19 August 2005 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (18 years, 8 months ago) Ordered inactive 04-O-11880 |
| 16 June 2005 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 04-O-11880 (18 years, 10 months ago) |
| 22 December 1976 | Admitted to the State Bar of California (47 years, 4 months ago) |
Discipline Summaries
June 20, 2010 RICHARD GARY TARLOW [#72889], 66, of Calabasas was disbarred June 20, 2010, and was ordered to comply with rule 9.20 of the California Rules of Court. The State Bar Court found that Tarlow committed five acts of misconduct in two matters.He practiced law and collected an illegal fee while suspended from practice between August 2005 and December 2007. His actions involved moral turpitude.Tarlow substituted in to a case, prior to his suspension, on behalf of plaintiffs who were seeking compensatory and punitive damages. Nonetheless, he continued to handle the case after he was not entitled to practice, accepted fees and costs totaling more than $17,000 and settled the case. He never told the clients about his suspension.He worked on a second matter as well, filing complaints and summonses, receiving answers from the other side and signing a stipulation. His co-counsel notified the bar that Tarlow informed him of his suspension and said he was hiring Tarlow as a paralegal to assist in the case. However, neither lawyer ever notified the court of Tarlow’s status or of his withdrawal.Tarlow also did not respond to the bar’s repeated attempts to reach him. He testified that he was “on survival mode†due to several problems in his life and did not answer his mail. However, Judge Richard Platel said his “actions constitute gross negligence†that did not justify his lack of awareness of his status. He cooperated with the bar’s investigation, had emotional difficulties and presented nine character witnesses.Tarlow has been disciplined three times previously. Platel recommended his disbarment “based on the facts and circumstances involved in the present matter, the substance and nature of (his) extensive record of prior discipline, and the lack of compelling mitigating circumstances.â€July 6, 2008 RICHARD G. TARLOW [#72889], 64, of Calabasas was suspended for two years, stayed, placed on two years of probation with an actual one-year suspension and was ordered to take the MPRE within one year and comply with rule 9.20. The order took effect July 6, 2008. Tarlow was suspended in 2006 and was ordered to comply with rule 955 if the suspension exceeded 90 days. He mistakenly believed he had complied with the rule, which requires lawyers to notify their clients and other relevant parties of a suspension, when another lawyer notified the bar he had hired Tarlow. In addition, Tarlow and his employer met with Tarlow’s only client and said Tarlow could not practice. At the time, he was facing charges in three cases before the State Bar.During settlement talks between Tarlow’s lawyer and the bar, his lawyer learned that he had not filed the required affidavit, stating his compliance with rule 955. He filed the affidavit late.The bar court found that he violated a court order by filing the affidavit late.In mitigation, nine witnesses testified about Tarlow’s good character.The 2006 discipline was imposed for failure to perform legal services competently, keep clients informed of developments in their cases and cooperate with the bar’s investigation.June 28, 2007 RICHARD GARY TARLOW [#72889], 63, of Calabasas was suspended for two years, stayed, placed on four years of probation with a six-month actual suspension and was ordered to comply with rule 9.20 and prove his rehabilitation. The order took effect June 28, 2007. Tarlow stipulated to nine counts of misconduct in three personal injury cases he took on contingency. In all three matters, he failed to provide an accounting of settlement funds to his clients.In the first matter, he negotiated a reduction of an insurance lien by $300, but did not give the money to his client. He never accounted for $750 in costs that he claimed.He settled a second matter for $25,000, and after deducting his fees and costs, was required to maintain a balance of $13,865 in his client trust account. He allowed the balance to fall repeatedly and misappropriated more than $8,300 of the funds to which his client was entitled.Tarlow misappropriated nearly $37,000 from another client, again allowing the balance in his client trust account to fall below the required amount. He also did not pay any portion of a subrogation claim against the settlement proceeds by his client’s employer.He stipulated that he failed to maintain funds in trust, respond to his clients’ reasonable status inquiries, promptly pay out client funds or cooperate with the bar’s investigation.In mitigation, Tarlow practiced for 26 years without a discipline record and he repaid one client $125,000 to settle a civil action she filed against him. His life became very disorganized after his home was destroyed in a fire. He could not afford the rent on his office and had to move files into his rebuilt house; some of the files were lost. Tarlow demonstrated remorse.June 28, 2007 RICHARD GARY TARLOW [#72889], 63, of Calabasas was suspended for two years, stayed, placed on four years of probation with a six-month actual suspension and was ordered to comply with rule 9.20 and prove his rehabilitation. The order took effect June 28, 2007. Tarlow stipulated to nine counts of misconduct in three personal injury cases he took on contingency. In all three matters, he failed to provide an accounting of settlement funds to his clients.In the first matter, he negotiated a reduction of an insurance lien by $300, but did not give the money to his client. He never accounted for $750 in costs that he claimed.He settled a second matter for $25,000, and after deducting his fees and costs, was required to maintain a balance of $13,865 in his client trust account. He allowed the balance to fall repeatedly and misappropriated more than $8,300 of the funds to which his client was entitled.Tarlow misappropriated nearly $37,000 from another client, again allowing the balance in his client trust account to fall below the required amount. He also did not pay any portion of a subrogation claim against the settlement proceeds by his client’s employer.He stipulated that he failed to maintain funds in trust, respond to his clients’ reasonable status inquiries, promptly pay out client funds or cooperate with the bar’s investigation.In mitigation, Tarlow practiced for 26 years without a discipline record and he repaid one client $125,000 to settle a civil action she filed against him. His life became very disorganized after his home was destroyed in a fire. He could not afford the rent on his office and had to move files into his rebuilt house; some of the files were lost. Tarlow demonstrated remorse.May 18, 2006 RICHARD GARY TARLOW [#72889], 62, of Calabasas was suspended for one year, stayed, actually suspended for 30 days and until the State Bar Court grants a motion to terminate the suspension, and he was ordered to take the MPRE. If the actual suspension exceeds 90 days, he must comply with rule 955; if it exceeds two years, he must prove his rehabilitation. The order took effect May 18, 2006. In a default proceeding, the bar court found that Tarlow committed three acts of misconduct.He represented a plaintiff in a cross-complaint filed in a pending action in Sacramento. He and the client disagreed over how to proceed, and Tarlow did not sign a substitution of attorney form despite four requests from the client. Nonetheless, Tarlow continued to work on the case and represented the client at a status conference.He subsequently failed to appear at another status conference and the cross-complaint was dismissed. He did not inform the client about the dismissal.The court found that Tarlow failed to perform legal services competently, keep his client informed of developments in his case or cooperate with the bar’s investigation. |