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“The guy should be disbarred . . .”

The legal profession is self regulating and disbarments are rare. The esteemed bar disciplinary committees are tolerant of all kind of corruption within the profession.

I once hired an attorney who was a senior partner in one of my town at the time’s most prestigious firms. I gave him a $3000 retainer and provided him with the papers he requested related to the issue for which he was being hired. For two weeks after the meeting I heard nothing from him. I called his office and for the next four weeks he would not return my calls. I also wrote letters requesting a response.

After making some inquiries I found he was connected with the developer I was planning to sue, a conflict he had not apprised me of when he was hired. I then surmised he had taken my “evidence” and shared it with his friend or friends legal team. His unwillingness to talk to his actual client, or do any work on his client’s case despite having accepted advance payment for work, was a clear indication he wasn’t going to take any action on my behalf.

I contacted two other well regarded attorneys in town, neither of whom would take my case as they would not cross the first attorney. Both advised me strongly not to take any action against the attorney as he was extremely well connected across the state political circles and business community. I asked about filing a complaint with the bar association. Both advised me not to. One even laughed and said the bar association complaint process was a joke. I would be completely wasting my time. There was no way the bar committee would take action against this attorney, no matter what evidence of misconduct was presented.

I have subsequently casually asked every attorney I’ve worked with about the bar complaint process. To a man and woman they all agree the bar association is extremely reluctant to take any action unless the attorney as already been convicted of a felony in court. The bar disciplinary committees are dismissive of citizen client complaints about malfeasance or incompetence. The club protects its own which is one reason the profession is held in low esteem by the public.

Such is the situation when a profession is both self regulating and highly controlling of entry into the profession. The chances of Avenatti ever being disciplined by the bar are less than the odds Hillary Clinton will go on national television this week and praise Donald Trump as the greatest president in American history.