California Attorney Discipline
State Bar Defense
If you are a licensed California attorney who has been contacted by the State Bar, you may have many questions. Do you represent yourself? Do you retain counsel? Should you remain silent? Do you have a duty to cooperate?
The Business & Professions Code states that a California licensed attorney has a duty to cooperate in the State Bar’s proceedings. However, the attorney has the right to counsel at all stages in the disciplinary process. The State Bar disciplinary process consists of intake, investigation, and trials.
At Unlock Legal, we suggest that you hire an attorney very early in the process—at the intake level—and not let the complaint move from intake to investigation without hiring counsel. We have the experience and know-how to successfully represent you. Cooperation with the State Bar may be mandated, but we are well-versed in what is required to share, and what could be unnecessary to reveal. We know what the State Bar investigators are looking for in order to make their case. And we have found through experience that most allegations can be dropped if mitigated at an early stage.
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Moral Character Application Process
Law school graduates, we can assist you with your Moral Character Application Process. It can be challenging to properly disclose any past criminal convictions or other issues. Knowing what to disclose—and how—can be difficult, so please don’t hesitate to let us help you.
After you submit your Moral Character Application, should the committee have additional questions for you, we will represent you through the Moral Character Committee’s Inquiry Process.
If the Committee has concerns about your application, a Voluntary Informal Conference may be arranged by you. This conference, though voluntary and informal, is extremely important, and we suggest that you have representation for it as well.
If there is an unfavorable decision, we can help you appeal within 60 days.
Moral Character Application Process
Law school graduates, we can assist you with your Moral Character Application Process. It can be challenging to properly disclose any past criminal convictions or other issues. Knowing what to disclose—and how—can be difficult, so please don’t hesitate to let us help you.
After you submit your Moral Character Application, should the committee have additional questions for you, we will represent you through the Moral Character Committee’s Inquiry Process.
If the Committee has concerns about your application, a Voluntary Informal Conference may be arranged by you. This conference, though voluntary and informal, is extremely important, and we suggest that you have representation for it as well.
If there is an unfavorable decision, we can help you appeal within 60 days.
Attorney Petitions for Reinstatement
If you have resigned or been disbarred, we can prepare a Petition for Reinstatement for you. This petition will require your moral and ethical qualifications, proof of your rehabilitation, a personal statement, proof of passage of the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination, and evidence that you possess current learning and ability in the law. If you were disbarred, you must wait five years from the date of their disbarment before we can file a Petition of Reinstatement for you.
Disclosures for Attorneys
Unlock Legal can also assist law school graduates in disclosing criminal convictions on your State Bar application. And we can help you if you are a licensed lawyer who needs to disclose the filing of criminal charges (felonies), or convictions (misdemeanors).