State Bar Court Recommends Disbarment.

Disbarment was recommended for a lawyer admitted to practice law in California, but not in any other state, by the California State Bar Court, for the unauthorized practice of law in nine other states. He performed contract work for consumer debt companies which advertised through television and radio ads in a number of states. Clients were required to make monthly payments into the companies’ “client trust accounts,” and the companies represented that the clients’ accounts would be “handled by our legal counsel.” The lawyer contended all of the work he did for out of state clients was performed in California. The State Bar Court stated its reasons were “to protect the public, the courts, and the legal profession.”  (In the Matter of Richard Allen Lenard  April 15, 2013) Case Nos. 09-O-11175 (09-O-13870; 09-O-14231; 09-O-16534; 09-O-16777; 09-O-18627; 10-O-00425; 10-O-09953); 10-O-02737 (10-O-05950; 10-O-07962; 10-O-10524; 10-O-11144) (Cons.))