Articles in this category cover the ethical rules that govern attorneys and what happens when those standards are violated, including conflicts of interest, confidentiality breaches, dishonesty, fee disputes, and mishandling client funds. It also addresses disciplinary investigations and sanctions, malpractice overlap, reporting obligations, and how clients can file complaints or protect their rights when misconduct occurs.
Misuse of client trust funds is one of the fastest ways an attorney can be disciplined—often leading to suspension or disbarment in every U.S. jurisdiction. Most reports begin with a written grievance to your state bar and supporting trust-account records (settlement statements, ledgers, canceled checks, and correspondence). This guide explains how IOLTA/trust accounts work, what […]
A California attorney who misuses client trust funds can be reported to the State Bar of California, which investigates and may impose discipline up to disbarment. Trust-account misuse often involves IOLTA/client trust accounts and can harm clients quickly through missing settlement or retainer money. This step-by-step guide explains what qualifies as misconduct, how to document […]
A lawyer can be sanctioned—even disbarred—for filing a brief that cites a fake case, even if he claims he didn’t write the citation. Courts treat attorneys as responsible for verifying every authority submitted under their name, and they increasingly scrutinize AI‑generated or copied citations. This article explains how the sanction happened, what rules were violated, […]
Disbarment is the most severe attorney discipline, resulting in a lawyer losing the right to practice law, permanently or for a set term. A disbarred attorney must surrender their license and cannot represent clients, appear in court, or give legal advice. This article explains the disbarment process, common causes, and what happens after disbarment. Disbarment […]
