“The State Bar Allowed Some Attorneys Whom it Otherwise Might have Disciplined or Even Disbarred to Continue Practicing Law.”
By: Libi Uremovic | Original Article at patch.com
A report by the office of State Auditor Elaine Howle
In June, Howle ripped the State Bar of California. This is from AP:
The nation’s largest state bar failed to consistently protect the public from bad lawyers by settling hundreds of complaints, many without adequate discipline for botched cases or ethical violations, according to a scathing audit released Thursday that also found the organization has spent money with little financial accountability. …
As the state bar scurried to settle more than 5,100 backlogged complaints in 2010 and 2011, the severity of discipline imposed against attorneys decreased, according to the State Auditor’s report.
In 2012, the California Supreme Court rejected settlements reached with 27 attorneys because of insufficient discipline; 21 of those attorneys later got harsher punishments, including five who were disbarred, the audit said. Additionally, 131 attorneys whose complaints were settled in 2010 and 2011 later were disciplined after new complaints were filed, including 28 disbarments.
To reduce its backlog, the state bar allowed some attorneys whom it otherwise might have disciplined more severely – or even disbarred – to continue practicing law, placing the public at risk,” State Auditor Elaine Howle wrote to the governor and legislative leaders Thursday.