When Things Go Wrong…

1. When Things Go Wrong… International Conference of Regulators Sept. 28, 2012 Jayne Kim, Chief Trial Counsel of the State Bar of California

2. State Bar of California • Largest state bar in the United States • Mandatory membership • 237,000 attorneys ; 170,000 active • Governed by a Board of Trustees (23 members) • Office of Chief Trial Counsel (prosecutors) • Independent , professional State Bar Court

3. Common Allegations (2011) • Professional Employment • Fees • Funds • Performance • Duties to Client • Interference With Justice • Personal Behavior • Duties to State Bar • Loan Modification Complaint • Debt Resolution • UPL • No complaint articulated • 595 • 6,038 • 2,674 • 14,406 • 4,240 • 4,318 • 6,075 • 120 • 4,451 • 160 • 491 • 270

4. Common Sources of Complaints • Client Complaints • Courts • Media/press • Law Enforcement • Regulatory Agencies • State Bar Investigation Often a Reactive Process

5. Goals of Attorney Discipline Primary Purposes: To protect the public, To protect the courts, and To protect the legal profession

6. Raising the Bar (2012) Coordination w/ Law Enforcement Coordination w/Courts State Bar Law Enforcement CoordinatorsState Bar Standing Court Liaisons

7. Identifying Trends & Concerns • Business “Partnerhips” with Non-Attorneys • UPL • Illegal Fee Splitting • Failure to Supervise • Taking Advantage of a Downward Economy • Loan Modification/Foreclosure Relief • Bankruptcy • Debt Consolidation • Aging Lawyer Population

8. Recent Proactive Efforts • Coordination with Law Enforcement • Consumer protection summits • Task forces • Joint efforts with CA Attorney General’s Office • Law Enforcement Coordinator • Communications with Court Systems • Bankruptcy fraud meetings • Incorporation of training • Court representatives/liaisons

9. The Role of a Regulator When Things Go Wrong...