State Bar Seizes a San Fernando Valley Practice Engaged in Eviction-Related Legal Fraud Monday, May 10, 2021 Categories: News Releases The State Bar of California has seized an unauthorized law practice that operated in Woodland Hills and Canoga Park under a variety of business names, including Freedom Financial Firm, Freedom Financial, Inc., Evictions Firm, and Eviction Lawyers of Los Angeles. Kasra Hossein Barghi and Mark Friedman advertised on Craigslist and Yelp, presenting themselves as lawyers who could help landlords and tenants and handle bankruptcies and family law cases, though neither has a license to practice law in California. Kasra Barghi is also known as Kaz Barghi and Kaz Kelley. They deliberately misled clients, preying on vulnerable tenants at risk of losing their housing during the pandemic, collecting thousands of dollars in most cases. They deceptively built up their Yelp review profiles with positive reviews from family members. They impersonated a California attorney without his knowledge and consent. In one example described in the petition filed by the State Bar requesting the Superior Court of Los Angeles County’s permission to take over and shut down the practice, a woman with three children hired the firm in fall 2019 to prevent her eviction. After the case was mishandled and the family was evicted in late January 2020, the woman filed an attorney misconduct complaint with the State Bar. It was only then that she learned that the individuals were not lawyers. In another instance, one of the two men assured a landlord he knew how to use exceptions to get around California's eviction moratorium during the pandemic. The State Bar’s petition also outlines lawsuits by former clients who were victimized by these two individuals. On May 5, 2021, the Superior Court of Los Angeles County assumed jurisdiction over this unauthorized law practice after granting the State Bar’s request for an interim order and injunction. This allowed the State Bar to immediately seize client files, freeze business-related bank accounts, begin the process of disabling business-related telephone numbers and websites, and redirect telephone calls and mail to the State Bar. The State Bar will again appear in superior court on May 24, 2021, when the court will decide whether to grant a permanent order and injunction prohibiting these two men from providing unauthorized legal services. The State Bar is seeking to return client files to their owners and has established a dedicated phone number for former clients who wish to reclaim their files or documents: 213-765-1687. The State Bar has a unit dedicated to investigating and addressing the unauthorized practice of law, including those who give legal advice without a license or otherwise pose as attorneys. People who have been targeted by someone who is not licensed to practice law can file an unauthorized practice of law complaint with the State Bar. There is no cost, and U.S. citizenship is not required; the State Bar will not ask complainants about their citizenship or immigration status. The online complaint form is available in English, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese. In 2020, the State Bar opened more than 600 cases in which a nonattorney was alleged to have engaged in the unauthorized practice of law. The agency referred more than 300 such cases to law enforcement last year. The State Bar seized more than 1,000 client files in 2020 and has since returned about a third of those to their owners. The State Bar advises Californians to take the following precautions to avoid fraud by attorneys and unlicensed legal providers: Ask for the attorney's full name and State Bar number. Before hiring an attorney or paying any sum of money, look up the attorney on the State Bar website or the website of the state in which they say they are licensed, to see if their license is active and whether they have any history of discipline. You can also call the State Bar at 800-843-9053 for information. Get your contract in writing, and make certain to get receipts for payments you make. Be wary if someone requires cash payments. If you must pay in cash, be sure to get a written receipt. Keep a paper trail. If you do not have a bank account, use a cashier's check, and insist on a written receipt. If you have already made a payment, you are entitled to ask for an accounting of the fees and a description of the services being provided. If the attorney is representing you in immigration matters, make sure they are licensed to practice before the U.S. Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review. The office posts a list of practitioners who are not currently authorized to practice or have been disciplined by the office. Do not hire anyone who threatens to report your immigration status if you do not pay them immediately or for any other reason. Additional State Bar resources for consumers: COVID-19 fraud alert Legal guides in seven languages, including guides for immigrants on seeking legitimate legal help and avoiding immigration fraud Immigration legal resources ### Follow the State Bar online LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram The State Bar of California's mission is to protect the public and includes the primary functions of licensing, regulation and discipline of attorneys; the advancement of the ethical and competent practice of law; and support of efforts for greater access to, and inclusion in, the legal system. Previous Article Next Article