Why You Need an Experienced California State Bar Defense Attorney
I have successfully represented dozens of lawyers through the California State Bar disciplinary system. I can help defend you before the bar and then offer assistance if you are preparing your Moral Character Application. Additionally, I can offer ethics advice before a lawsuit or complaint ever materializes.
Becoming an attorney in California is no easy task. You must demonstrate good moral character. You must operate within the ethical framework established by the State Bar. Failure to meet these requirements could make it impossible to practice law in California. Reasons you could need a California State Bar defense attorney include:
- Judicial Sanctions. You could be sanctioned for many reasons, and you must self-report most sanctions over $1,000.00 to the State Bar within thirty days. The courts must report certain other sanctions against you to the State Bar. Sanctions are a serious matter and could jeopardize your ability to practice law in California.
- Criminal Convictions. You can be disciplined for any criminal conviction, even if it had nothing to do with your law practice. The courts must report your conviction or plea to the State Bar. Your personal life is under increasing scrutiny, and regulation, by the State Bar. Don’t wait until after you are convicted or plead guilty to get advice on State Bar defense.
- California Moral Character Application. You need to demonstrate that you are of good moral character to practice law in California. You should contact my office right away if the State Bar has expressed any reservations about your application. Obviously, you have invested too much time, energy and money in your legal education to squander it now.
- Reinstatement and Mini-Reinstatements. Are you a disbarred attorney or an attorney who resigned? Were you suspended, subject to an “and-until” requirement? You could benefit from my services. I can walk you through the process of reapplying for your license to practice law in California.
- Appeals and Trials. “The man who defends himself in court has a fool for a lawyer and a jackass for a client.” The attribution of this maxim varies, but it is no less true. When accused of misconduct, you need an attorney with experience taking on the California bar.
How My Services as a California State Bar Defense Attorney Can Help You
You should not wait to contact me if you are under investigation by the State Bar. If formal charges are filed against you, then you have little time to act.
The California State Bar only has six months to dismiss, settle or file charges on a complaint. Settling potential charges at the investigation stage is more difficult now than in years past. For instance, in 2015, an audit put more pressure on the State Bar to prosecute lawyers for ethical violations. This is one of many reasons why you should contact an experienced California State Bar defense attorney during the earliest stages of the complaint process.
If you are submitting your California Moral Character Application, then I can also help. Keep in mind, if you fail to disclose information on this application, then the bar could revoke your license to practice in California after your admission. My services can help during any stage of the application process. If you are facing an investigation for allegedly failing to disclose information on your application, then I can also help.
When it comes to your career as a California attorney, rely on an experienced California State Bar defense attorney. California State Bar defense attorney Samuel C. Bellicini has years of experience helping attorneys and law students resolve issues with the State Bar of California. Contact me today if you have questions about how I can help your potential case.