News Releases

State Bar Announces Investigations of Mark Geragos and Brian Kabateck

The State Bar of California’s Board of Trustees Chair Ruben Duran announced today that the State Bar is investigating attorneys Mark John Geragos (State Bar No. 108325) and Brian Stephen Kabateck (State Bar No. 152054) in connection with the Armenian Genocide insurance settlement funds from which dispersals were made in the U.S. and France.

“The State Bar is charged with protecting the public,” said Ruben Duran, Board Chair. “Confidence in our ability to do so has unfortunately been shaken in recent times by the Girardi matter and what it represents. Restoring and maintaining the public’s trust in the disciplinary apparatus of this agency is imperative. To that end, it is important to emphasize that the State Bar investigates possible misconduct wherever it might occur. The status of attorneys, or the size of their practice, cannot and will not impact our decisions to investigate misconduct. I want to stress that in and of itself this announcement is not an indication of any misconduct by the attorneys being investigated. Lastly, the State Bar expresses gratitude to the LA Times for its excellent reporting on the distribution of Armenian Genocide settlement funds.”

Today’s announcement is made pursuant to California Business and Professions Code section 6086.1(b)(2), which authorizes the State Bar’s Board Chair, when warranted for protection of the public and after notice to the licensee, to issue an announcement confirming the fact of an investigation, clarifying the procedural aspects and current status of the investigation, and defending the right of the licensee to a fair hearing. Details of the investigation must remain confidential to comply with statutory limitations on disclosure.  
 
A State Bar investigation seeks to determine whether there is a basis for filing a Notice of Disciplinary Charges. An attorney who is the subject of an investigation has a right to a fair hearing and must be presumed innocent of any misconduct warranting discipline until any charges that might be brought have been proven in a proceeding before the State Bar Court.

Attorney discipline matters are investigated and prosecuted by the State Bar’s Office of Chief Trial Counsel (OCTC), acting on behalf of the public. The State Bar Court adjudicates charges filed by OCTC and rules on whether an attorney has committed professional misconduct.