Overview of the State Bar Discipline System
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About
This Course
Receiving an inquiry from the State Bar can be unsettling, particularly for attorneys who do not know what happens next. This program offers an inside look at California’s attorney discipline system, following a complaint from its initial review and investigation through formal charges, trial, appeal, and possible alternative discipline. The speakers will also examine common disciplinary violations, explain how sanctions are evaluated, and highlight practical resources available to attorneys facing ethical or professional challenges.
Topics
- How State Bar complaints are initiated and investigated
- The life cycle of a disciplinary matter, from intake through appeal
- Formal disciplinary charges and State Bar Court proceedings
- Standards for attorney sanctions and aggravating and mitigating circumstances
- Common violations involving communication, competence, client funds, conflicts, court orders, and reporting obligations
- Default disbarment and the consequences of failing to participate in disciplinary proceedings
- The Early Neutral Evaluation Conference/Pre-Filing Settlement Conference (ENEC/PFSC) Program and Alternative Discipline Program
- State Bar ethics, trust-accounting, and lawyer-assistance resources
About the Presenters
Jonathan Arons, Esq.
Jonathon I. Arons
Practice Area: Ethics
Jonathan I. Arons is an attorney in San Francisco, California. He is the owner of a two-attorney practice with an area of expertise in professional responsibility/legal ethics. For more than 40 years he has advised lawyers on ethics matters, defense of disciplinary charges, and issues concerning admission or reinstatement to the State Bar of California. Mr. Arons also advises law firms and attorneys who want to improve office systems for protecting against rule violations, or who need advice about a particular ethical or professional conduct problem. Mr. Arons has taught CLE courses on numerous topics, including on the California State ...
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Peter Klivans, Esq.
The State Bar of California
Practice Area: Trial (+ 3 other areas)
Senior Trial CounselState Bar of CaliforniaMar 2018 - PresentOf CounselQuinn EmanuelJan 2006 - Jun 2016San Francisco Litigator in intellectual property and business litigation.Manage cases in federal district court and ITC Section 337 Investigations.Handle all aspects of litigation including discovery, depositions, trial prep, and trial work.Judicial ClerkUnited States District CourtSep 2004 - Sep 2005San FranciscoJudicial Clerk for the Honorable Samuel ContiAssistant ManagerSony Corp.Apr 1999 - Jul 2001Tokyo, JapanManaged relationships with Sony’s institutional investors and analysts. Drafted financial documents as a member of the Corporate Planning and Control Disclosure Team, including Sony’s Annual Report, earnings releases, and SEC 20F.
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Joanna Storey Mishler, Esq.
Rosing Pott & Strohbehn
Practice Area: Ethics (+ 2 other areas)
Joanna is a judge’s lawyer and a lawyer’s lawyer. She works with clients to proactively mitigate the risk of potential loss and find creative solutions when thorny problems arise. Joanna is the Chair of the Legal Ethics Committee of the Bar Association of San Francisco.She focuses her practice on professional liability, risk management, and legal ethics for lawyers and law firms. Joanna also represents judicial officers appearing before the California Commission on Judicial Performance.Joanna is a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US) and counsels law firm clients on identifying, evaluating, and managing risks associated with privacy and information security practices.As a ...
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