The bar charged Silverton in April with five counts of misconduct as a result of his handling of two personal injury cases. In both, his clients agreed that if Silverton could negotiate a reduction of any medical lien, he would keep the difference as an additional fee. The charges indicate that negotiating a reduced lien is standard procedure and that the client is ordinarily entitled to any funds resulting from a lower bill. Silverton said the bar filed the charges a week after he announced his candidacy and said he will seek dismissal of the charges soon. The bar is devoted to harassing attorneys through its discipline system, he says.
Harassment is the reason dues are so high.
Any attorney accused of wrongdoing, whether civil, criminal or ethical, should have the same rights afforded all citizens by the justice system, Silverton believes. The bar's discipline budget could be better spent to improve an overburdened and underfunded legal system, he says. Clara Slifkin wants to give a voice to the state's government attorneys and to the 50,000 lawyers who belong to the State Bar's 17 sections. If elected to the board of governors, she will be the first public lawyer to represent Los Angeles on the board. In Los Angeles alone, Slifkin says, there are thousands of government lawyers working for the city, state and federal governments.