REGULATION AND DISCIPLINE
What We Do
The State Bar’s Office of Chief Trial Counsel investigates and prosecutes disciplinary complaints against attorneys and works with law enforcement to stop those who falsely claim to be attorneys. The State Bar also distributes restitution-type funds to victims who have incurred a financial loss as a result of attorney theft or dishonest conduct through the Client Security Fund. The Regulation Division maintains the official roll of attorneys, manages the registration of law corporations and limited law partnerships, is responsible for ensuring the compliance of all licensees with various administrative requirements, and is charged with implementing the State Bar’s Client Trust Account Protection Program (CTAPP).
The State Bar Discipline System Includes
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Total cases opened
Complaints against attorneys or those engaging in the unauthorized practice of law come from many sources, including clients, judicial officers, banks, insurance companies, and other attorneys. Cases can also arise from an attorney’s criminal conviction; required attorney self-reporting of judgments for fraud or misrepresentation, orders for sanctions, or discipline by any other professional or occupational licensing agency, whether inside or outside of California; and investigations initiated by OCTC.
Attorneys disbarred
Discipline that revokes a license to practice in California.
Attorneys suspended/placed on probation
Forms of discipline that are typically less permanent than disbarment. Most require the attorney to comply with a variety of conditions before being allowed to return to practice.
Attorneys in court-ordered Lawyer Assistance Program
Some attorneys whose misconduct stems from a substance use or mental health issue receive recovery support through this attorney-funded program. (Calendar Year)
Victims reimbursed
Reimbursements paid
$6 million+
All attorneys contribute to a fund that reimburses lost money or property due to theft or dishonest conduct by a California lawyer.
Key Metrics
The State Bar collects detailed data on the attorney discipline system: its workload, operations, initiatives, and performance in fulfilling its statutory obligation to protect the public from attorney misconduct. Regular metrics reporting is used to manage this critical State Bar function, as well as to facilitate external accountability.
Spotlights on Regulation and Discipline
Streamlining OCTC for impact: a smarter, faster discipline response
In 2024, the Office of Chief Trial Counsel (OCTC) completed an internal reorganization to improve efficiency and focus expertise. The new structure includes dedicated teams for intake, criminal convictions, general investigations, pretrial and trial work, complex vertical investigations, immigration-related violations, client trust account (CTA) violations, and unauthorized practice of law (UPL). To support faster case resolutions, OCTC also adopted team-based disposition goals and streamlined its investigative process, with attorney legal advisors and investigators coordinating early to identify necessary investigative steps; and continued to implement its new diversion program, which aims to swiftly resolve complaints involving attorneys with no prior discipline whose isolated, low-risk misconduct stems from issues like practice management failures. These reforms led to faster case handling, reduced inventory, and more timely prosecution of serious attorney misconduct in State Bar Court.
Prioritizing public protection: holding attorneys accountable for serious misconduct
OCTC prioritized seeking discipline against attorneys who caused the greatest public harm. This included alleged misconduct by multiple attorneys connected to the 2013 Los Angeles Department of Water and Power billing scandal; attorney Aaron Spolin for his deceptive resentencing services and exorbitant fees charged to inmates and their families; Drexel Bradshaw for placing his personal financial gain ahead of his duty to protect his clients’ trust and property assets; and John Eastman, former attorney for President Trump, for promoting false claims of election fraud during the 2020 presidential election.
State Bar shuts down four illegal law practices in 2024
In 2024, the State Bar secured Superior Court orders to seize the operations of four individuals who falsely presented themselves as attorneys and engaged in the unauthorized practice of law. Elena Orizabal of El Monte, operating as Unity Immigration, continued offering unlawful immigration services despite a prior seizure, including filing asylum claims for vulnerable clients. Salve Esperanza of Los Angeles, through Prestige Network Resource Consulting, falsely claimed to be an attorney and charged thousands for immigration help she never delivered. Maria Leanos of El Cajon misrepresented herself as an attorney in family and immigration law, deceiving clients under the name “Law Office of Maria Leanos.” Robin Groth-Hill of Livermore, doing business as California Legal Services, unlawfully advised tenants and negotiated settlements.
Attorney-Client Bridge Program off to a great start
Soft launched in March 2024 as part of several discipline diversion programs with the Office of Chief Trial Counsel, the Attorney-Client Bridge Program helps clients and attorneys avoid the discipline system and resolve two common issues: restoring communication and, for former clients, retrieving case files. Managed by the Public Trust Liaison (PTL), the program is voluntary and gives participating attorneys 10 business days to respond. Despite not being publicly advertised, the PTL received 570 submissions from the public through December 2024.
Attorney-Client Bridge Program Bridges the Gap Between Clients and Attorneys
Advancing fairness: Board proposes automatic expungement of old discipline records
In 2024, the State Bar Board of Trustees approved a proposal—developed through the efforts of the Ad Hoc Commission on the Discipline System—to automatically expunge records of nondisbarment attorney discipline after eight years, provided no further misconduct has occurred. The reform is intended to promote fairness, reduce the long-term impact of past discipline, and address racial disparities, aligning the State Bar’s practices with broader criminal justice reforms and those of other regulatory bodies. The proposal needs the California Supreme Court’s approval. In 2025, also pursuant to the Ad Hoc Commission’s work and the Board’s direction, the State Bar retroactively removed some administrative (non-discipline) suspension records from attorneys’ profiles for more than 19,000 California lawyers.
Client trust account oversight strengthened in CTAPP’s second year
In its second year, the Client Trust Account Protection Program (CTAPP) saw 97 percent of more than 203,000 attorneys comply with the annual reporting requirement, compared to 94 percent in 2023. In 2024, California attorneys held $11.5 billion in CTAs, including $3.5 billion in non-IOLTA accounts, which banks are not yet required to report. Starting in 2026, banks must collect and share with the State Bar the names and bar numbers of attorneys responsible for all trust accounts. The number of attorneys who reported having CTA responsibilities rose significantly in 2024, from 75,000 to 117,750. Bank data enabled the State Bar to identify 9,622 IOLTA accounts not reported by attorneys—down from 15,000 in 2023—and to flag risks such as unregistered accounts held by suspended or deceased attorneys. These findings underscore the importance of protecting client funds and improving regulatory oversight.