SoCal Fire Victims Warned to Beware of and Report Legal Services Fraud
Board Sends Attorney Expungement Plan to California Supreme Court
L.A. Legal Services Seized for Exploiting Filipino Immigrants
The State Bar of California is warning the public to beware of and report potential fraud in response to the fires in Southern California. For vulnerable fire victims who may need a wide range of legal advice, legal services fraud can be committed by nonattorneys, such as “notarios,” or by licensed lawyers.
The State Bar of California seized the offices of Salve Esperanza of Los Angeles for engaging in the unauthorized practice of law (UPL). Esperanza, doing business as Prestige Network Resource Consulting, Inc. (PNRC, Inc.), falsely represented herself as an attorney and charged individuals—many of them Filipino immigrants—significant sums.
Understand the critical duty of confidentiality under Business and Professions Code section 6068(e) and Rule of Professional Conduct 1.6. This video covers key ethical requirements, exceptions, and the importance of safeguarding client information. Learn how upholding these rules reinforces trust and integrity in the legal profession in this short explainer: