James Friend Jordan was admitted to the California Bar 28th June 1977, but has since been disbarred. James graduated from San Fernando Valley College of Law.
Lawyer Information
| Name | James Friend Jordan |
|---|---|
| First Admitted | 28 June 1977 (47 years, 10 months ago) |
| Status | Disbarred |
| Bar Number | 74606 |
Contact
| Current Email | [email protected] |
|---|---|
| Phone Number | 818-482-6502 |
| Fax Number | 760-453-3555 |
Schools
| Law School | San Fernando Valley College of Law (Woodland Hills CA) |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate School | California St University Northridge (CA) |
Address
| Current Address | PO Box 5461 West Hills, CA 91308-5461 |
|---|---|
| Map |
History
| 28 July 2011 | Disbarred (13 years, 9 months ago) Disbarment 06-O-13508 |
|---|---|
| 1 July 2011 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (13 years, 10 months ago) Suspended, failed to pay fees |
| 22 February 2011 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (14 years, 2 months ago) Suspended, failed to pass Prof.Resp.Exam 05-O-00935 |
| 8 May 2010 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (14 years, 12 months ago) Ordered inactive 06-O-13508 |
| 1 April 2010 | Active (15 years, 1 month ago) |
| 1 January 2010 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (15 years, 4 months ago) Discipline w/actual suspension 05-O-00935 |
| 25 July 2008 | Active (16 years, 9 months ago) |
| 1 July 2008 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (16 years, 10 months ago) Suspended, failed to pay fees |
| 4 October 2006 | Active (18 years, 7 months ago) |
| 18 September 2006 | Not eligible to practice law in CA (18 years, 7 months ago) Suspended, failed to pay fees |
| 23 October 2004 | Discipline, probation; no actual susp. 97-O-10193 (20 years, 6 months ago) |
| 12 June 2002 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 99-O-12135 (22 years, 10 months ago) |
| 16 October 2001 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 97-O-10193 (23 years, 6 months ago) |
| 28 January 1992 | Public reproval with/duties 84-O-12508 (33 years, 3 months ago) |
| 18 October 1991 | Disciplinary charges filed in State Bar Court 84-O-12508 (33 years, 6 months ago) |
| 28 June 1977 | Admitted to the State Bar of California (47 years, 10 months ago) |
Discipline Summaries
July 28, 2011 JAMES FRIEND JORDAN [#74606], 61, of Palm Desert was disbarred July 28, 2011, and was ordered to make restitution and comply with rule 9.20 of the California Rules of Court. A State Bar Court review panel upheld a hearing judge’s recommendation that Jordan be disbarred, rejecting all his claims on appeal. It found that he misappropriated more than $200,000 of his client’s settlement funds and he failed to account for his client’s funds, maintain those funds in trust or release the file to a new lawyer.The client, who had worked as a tractor driver and was retired, was nearly killed in an automobile accident and required extensive hospital treatment and convalescence for brain and head injuries. He settled his claim for damages for $739,043.72, an amount Jordan deposited in his client trust account. Jordan gave the client $238,507.81 as his share and was required to maintain $254,188 in the account for medical expenses after taking his fees. Instead, he gradually depleted the account, leaving only $9,041. His last withdrawal – of $5,000 – was made two days after the bar filed disciplinary charges against him.The client’s doctors sued him for $274,304 they believed was available to settle his medical bills. Jordan filed a cross-complaint. The client eventually fired Jordan and hired a new lawyer, who had to seek a court order to substitute into the case. Despite repeated requests, Jordan did not send the file to the new lawyer or account for client funds. The medical providers agreed to accept $162,000 of any funds recovered from Jordan, but they ultimately received nothing.Jordan was disciplined three times previously; two of the three matters included failures to properly pay out trust funds to or on behalf of clients. “We thus find a recurring and most troublesome theme of misconduct,†wrote the three-judge review panel. “Additionally, we are presented with the aggravating factors of harm to a seriously injured client of modest education coupled with Jordan’s clear indifference to rectification and lack of understanding of an attorney’s most basic ethical duties to a client.â€January 1, 2010 JAMES FRIEND JORDAN [#74606], 59, of Palm Desert was suspended for two years, stayed, placed on three years of probation with an actual 90-day suspension and he was ordered to take the MPRE and comply with rule 9.20. The order took effect Jan. 1, 2010. The State Bar Court found that Jordan committed two acts of misconduct involving failing to comply with a court order or terms of probation.He represented the defendant in a civil case, and although he filed an answer to the complaint, his client did not appear at a deposition and Jordan did not respond to a motion to compel the deposition or to a request for sanctions. The court granted the motion at a hearing that Jordan did not attend. He did not pay the sanctions or raise the subject in settlement negotiations, nor did he appear at a further hearing when the court ordered, among other things, that Jordan pay the sanctions within 10 days. He never satisfied the order.Jordan claims he represented the company, not the owner of the company and therefore the sanction order was unjust. The State Bar Court rejected his arguments and said he never challenged the sanctions order.Jordan’s failure to pay the sanction violated the terms of a 2004 probation imposed for not promptly paying out client funds.He also was publicly reproved in 1988, again for failing to promptly pay out client funds and for abandoning a client.October 30, 2004 JAMES FRIEND JORDAN [#74606], 54, of Encino was suspended for one year, stayed, placed on two years of probation and was ordered to make restitution and take the MPRE within one year. The order took effect Oct. 23, 2004. Jordan stipulated to misconduct in two matters.In a personal injury case, his client’s insurance company began a series of payments for reimbursement of medical expenses. Jordan received a total of $10,170, and although he paid two medical bills, he did not pay two others until a demand was sent by the State Bar.In a second matter, another lawyer filed a personal injury suit but asked Jordan to help negotiate a settlement. Jordan negotiated and received a $73,000 settlement, and his client’s former lawyer was holding almost $5,000 to pay a medical bill. Although he disbursed most of the money and negotiated a settlement of two medical bills, three bills were paid eight to 12 months late and he still owes more than $1,700 to his client.Jordan stipulated that he failed to promptly pay out client funds in both matters.He previously was publicly reproved in 1992 for failing to pay client funds and improperly withdrawing from a case. |