Opinion ID: 1293440
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Additional Evidence Introduced at the Hearing

Text: Petitioner admitted at the State Bar hearing that at the time of his misconduct he was spending approximately $3,000 per month on cocaine and alcohol. He testified to a long history of alcohol abuse that began in high school and included two drunk driving convictions. Petitioner characterized his alcohol and drug addiction as primarily an alcohol problem. He said that his use of alcohol caused depression, which he relieved by using cocaine. Petitioner attributed his misconduct in part to work pressure and insufficient income. He testified he had moved his office and increased his monthly overhead from $400 to $5,500. He also acknowledged having grossly overextended his personal finances. He testified he worked 12-hour days during the week and also worked through the weekend. Although petitioner was carrying a sizable active caseload, he characterized much of the work he did as pro bono because it was not fee-generating. [2] Petitioner also blamed his financial difficulties on charging too low a fee in a time-consuming child abuse homicide case in Sacramento. He explained that without knowing the precise circumstances of the death and the defendant's prior history in a related matter, he had agreed to defend the action for the total sum of $2,500. Additionally, petitioner offered the following evidence in mitigation. He has admitted his alcoholism and no longer has the urge to drink. He was married after his conviction and now has a stable family life. In June 1986, he moved with his family from the Monterey Peninsula to San Bernardino County, near his mother and other members of his extended family. Since his suspension from the practice of law, he has worked as a law clerk/paralegal. Several attorneys, including his current and former employers, testified to the high quality of petitioner's legal work. The attorneys knew of petitioner's misconduct either because of the publicity in the Monterey area at the time of the criminal trial or because he had admitted it to them. Most of the attorneys testified that petitioner's misconduct was inconsistent with what they otherwise knew to be his character. If petitioner were reinstated, they would not hesitate to hire or work with him. Petitioner submitted declarations from other attorneys (including three from prosecutors), generally attesting to the high quality of his work and to his good character. In addition, petitioner submitted letters in his support from former clients, including one from Carrillo. Psychologist Edward Conolley testified that he had conducted a four-hour interview of petitioner, and that in his opinion petitioner could now be trusted to represent clients. Nonetheless, Conolley suggested that, if petitioner were reinstated to the practice of law, it would be preferable for petitioner to work for as long as 24 months in a controlled environment, under a supervising attorney and without personal access to client funds.