Clifford Imbro

March 13, 2002

CLIFFORD A. IMBRO [87454], 52, of San Diego was disbarred March 13, 2002, and ordered to comply with rule 955. Imbro has been suspended since 1995 as a result of his failure to make restitution ordered at that time. He was disciplined for failing to perform legal services competently, communicate with clients or maintain client funds in a trust account, and for gross negligence in handling trust funds, misappropriation, issuing checks against insufficient funds and sharing fees with a non-lawyer. As required by that order, Imbro submitted an affidavit stating he had notified his clients, opposing counsel and other pertinent parties of his suspension from practice. In fact, he did not notify a couple who were seeking permanent resident status for the wife, paying Imbro $960 in advance fees and costs. Six months later, when he had not filed the petition, Imbro had the client file it herself. Imbro was listed as attorney of record and did not withdraw from representation as he should have. He also sent a letter to his clients on his letterhead without ever notifying them he was suspended, nor did he inform the INS that he was not eligible to practice. While suspended, Imbro also placed an ad, or had someone else place an ad, in a San Diego magazine advertising his availability as an attorney and immigration law specialist. Also while suspended, he sent a letter to a bank attorney asking that she not contact his client without his consent, and he offered a legal opinion to another client. State Bar Court Judge Madge Watai found that Imbro practiced law while suspended, failed to obey a court order and committed acts of moral turpitude. He also failed to comply with probation conditions attached to the 1995 discipline; he failed to submit three quarterly reports and submitted others that stated under penalty of perjury that he was not practicing law during his suspension. Although Imbro said his actions were mistakes, Watai rejected that characterization, writing, "Respondent's misconduct is more than 'mistakes.' He blatantly continued the operation of his law office despite the order of the Supreme Court." In recommending disbarment, Watai also said she was troubled by Imbro's disregard of the court's order and "the acts of deceit surrounding that disobedience."