Opinion ID: 1442616
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: the state bar recommendation

Text: The Review Department of the State Bar Court unanimously adopted (11-0) virtually all the hearing panel's findings of fact and conclusions of law. As to the Cabrera matter, both panels determined petitioner caused an intentional misrepresentation to be made to the American consul in El Salvador, thereby violating his oath to faithfully discharge his duties as an attorney (Bus. & Prof. Code, § 6067) [3] as well as his obligation not to mislead or act inconsistently with the truth (§ 6068, subd. (d)). The hearing panel also found petitioner violated section 6068, subdivision (m), by failing to respond to reasonable status inquiries by Cabrera, but the review department failed to adopt that finding. In the Martinez matters both the review department and the hearing panel agreed: (1) Pineda was petitioner's employee, and therefore petitioner violated sections 6067 and 6103 and former rule 6-101(2) by not taking responsibility for Pineda's supervision; (2) the unreasonable delay in filing Martinez's fifth-preference application violated former rule 6-101(2); [4] (3) assigning Pineda to a case he was unqualified to handle violated former rule 6-101(2); (4) the failure to file the petition for asylum violated former rule 6-101(2); and (5) falsely telling the Martinezes that the unfiled petition for asylum had been denied violated his oath of office (§ 6067) and his duty as an attorney (§§ 6068, 6103). Finally, the review department and the hearing panel concluded petitioner's amnesty law letter contained an untrue statement regarding his availability for employment and thereby violated former rule 2-101(A)(1). In aggravation, the State Bar Court observed that petitioner committed multiple acts of wrongdoing, several of which demonstrated dishonesty and concealment. Moreover, it found petitioner refused to take responsibility for the injury and inconvenience suffered by the Martinezes, and failed to exercise adequate supervision of his employed attorneys. On the other hand, the State Bar Court noted mitigating facts include petitioner's lack of prior discipline and his pro bono work. The hearing panel recommended petitioner pay restitution to the Cabreras and Martinezes, pay the costs of the disciplinary proceeding, and be actually suspended for six months, followed by an eighteen-month probation. The review department would require a two-year stayed suspension and a three-year probation, including actual suspension for at least six months and until petitioner pays restitution.