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State Bar of California

Nonattorney Unauthorized Practice of Law Online Complaint

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Instructions Your Information Nonattorney's Information Court Information Attachments Translation Information Review

To file a nonattorney unauthorized practice of law complaint, please fill out the online form. Please read the instructions below and then click Next at the bottom of this page to begin the complaint.

For questions call 800-843-9053.

If you are unable to fill out the form online, you may print and mail the Complaint Form to the State Bar’s Intake Department.


Instructions

Your Information

  • Please provide your name, address, zip code, email address (if available), and telephone numbers (work, home and cell).

Nonattorney’s Information

  • Provide the full name, address, and phone number of the nonattorney you are complaining about. If you wish to complain about more than one nonattorney, complete a separate statement of complaint for each nonattorney.
  • If any of the blank spaces do not apply to your case, write N/A (Not Applicable).
  • In the Statement of Complaint section, tell us in your own words what the nonattorney did or failed to do that you believe may warrant State Bar action. We need to know the background of your case.
    • If your complaint is about the nonattorney you hired, tell us: When did you hire the nonattorney? What agreement did you make with the nonattorney? Was the agreement verbal or in writing?
    • If the complaint is about a nonattorney who has not represented you, please tell us: What is the connection you have with this nonattorney? If the nonattorney is representing a person or entity in a dispute with you, please identify that person or entity and explain the nature of the dispute.

Court Information

  • If your complaint involves a court case, please provide information (if known) in this section.

Attachments

  • As part of the online complaint form, you will be limited to 10 attachments, with a maximum of 4 MB each.
  • Provide any helpful documents. Send only copies and keep the originals. All documents you send, originals or copies, become the property of the State Bar and are subject to future destruction.
    • If you are complaining about a nonattorney who represented you, provide copies of written fee agreements, payments or other letters (written or electronic) to the nonattorney. It may be helpful to provide copies of the front and back sides of all canceled checks and/or copies of receipts showing your payments to the nonattorney. Any documents in your possession could be very helpful.
  • If you have already submitted a complaint and you would like to add additional supporting documents, please click here.

Translation Information

The State Bar accepts complaints in over 200 languages. If you need translation services to communicate with the State Bar, please let us know by completing the Translation Information section. We will communicate with you through a translation service in the language of your choice. If you have a trusted friend or family member whom you would prefer to provide translation assistance and that person will accept communications from the State Bar in English, please provide their contact information in the Translation Information section.

After You Submit

The State Bar will review and evaluate your complaint to determine whether investigation and litigation is appropriate. You will be notified of our decision in writing. Thank you for your cooperation.

If you are unable to fill out the form online, you may print and mail the Complaint Form to the State Bar’s Intake Department.


Important Information You Should Know

The State Bar's Office of Chief Trial Counsel (OCTC) reviews complaints of alleged unauthorized practice of law. Should OCTC seek court action relating to your complaint, you may be required to testify in court and/or provide a written declaration signed under penalty of perjury in order to prove charges against the nonattorney(s) involved. Below is a partial list of what OCTC can and cannot do when it considers a complaint against a nonattorney:

  • If an investigation is initiated, OCTC will refer your complaint of unauthorized practice of law, which is a crime, to the appropriate law enforcement agencies or other regulatory agencies. OCTC will continue to conduct its own investigation of the complaint.
  • OCTC cannot act as your attorney or otherwise help you in legal matters connected with your complaint. For example, OCTC cannot give you legal advice or perform legal service for you but can seek extensions which is legal service. You may have legal remedies available to you, but OCTC cannot advise you on your rights in a given situation or what you should do. OCTC cannot seek civil remedies for you.
  • OCTC cannot give you the name of a particular attorney to help you with your legal matters. The State Bar does certify lawyer referral services, and a list of certified lawyer referral services is available on the State Bar's website or by calling 800-843-9053. The State Bar pamphlet Finding the Right Lawyer is also available online.
  • If you have further questions, you may call the complaint line at 800-843-9053.

If you are unable to fill out the form online, you may print and mail the Complaint Form to the State Bar’s Intake Department.

1. Your Information

Check here if you wish to submit your complaint anonymously:
(If you check this box, you should skip and not enter any information in the spaces that request identifying information, i.e., name, address, phone, email.)

Please note that this may make it more difficult or impossible to investigate and pursue disciplinary charges as the State Bar will not have a way to contact you to obtain additional information and, if you are the lawyer’s client, will not be able to establish a waiver of attorney-client confidentiality for purposes of the investigation.

Check here if you would prefer that the State Bar not disclose your identity as the complainant to the lawyer during the course of the investigation:

Please note that the State Bar will attempt to honor this preference, but: (1) if you are the client of the lawyer complained about, the State Bar will be required to disclose your identity to establish a waiver of attorney-client confidentiality for purposes of the investigation; (2) during the investigation the State Bar will be required to disclose to the lawyer the facts and circumstances being investigated, which may enable the respondent to identify you as the complainant; and (3) if the State Bar decides to proceed with filing disciplinary charges, the State Bar likely will be required to disclose your identity as the complainant as part of discovery in connection with a pre-filing settlement conference or with the disciplinary proceeding.

Required fields are marked with an asterisk (*)

If you prefer to communicate by email, please provide an email address. Complaints are confidential unless charges are filed. So that we may promptly communicate with you, please provide an email address to which you have exclusive access and is not shared with others.

2. Nonattorney's Information

First Name Last Name Address
 
Required fields are marked with an asterisk (*)

Complaint Information

To better achieve the State Bar’s mission to protect the public, please answer the following questions:

If answering yes, to any of the questions below, please describe in the section, "Statement of Complaint".

* Did you hire the nonattorney?

* Did the nonattorney provide legal services (for example appear in court, give legal advice or prepare legal documents)?

* Did the nonattorney say he or she was an attorney?

* Does this complaint involve allegations of nonattorney unauthorized practice of law where a person 65 years of age or older was victimized?

* Does this complaint involve allegations of nonattorney unauthorized practice of law where a person who is incapacitated, infirm, disabled, incarcerated, an immigrant, or a minor was victimized?


Additional Complainant Information

Please select one of the options below to specify relationship to the complaint:


Was there any harm to the nonattorney’s client? Select from the options below:


Statement of Complaint

* 



3. Related Court Case Information (If known)

If your complaint involves a court case, answer the following, if known:

 

4. Attachments

Attach copies of pertinent documents such as a copy of the fee agreement, cancelled checks or receipts, and relevant correspondence or other communications.

  • The maximum number of files allowed to attach are 10 files.
  • The maximum file size allowed is 4 MB and the following file extensions can be attached: .pdf, .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .xlsm, .jpg, .jpeg, .tif, .png, .txt, .csv and .msg.

 

5. Translation Information



The State Bar accepts complaints in over 200 languages. If you need translation services to communicate with the State Bar, please let us know by completing this section of the complaint form. We will communicate with you through a translation service in the language of your choice. Do you need translation services?

* State the language in which you need formal translation


* 

The State Bar’s mission is to protect complainants regardless of their immigration status. Complainants who are unable to complete this form due to disability, language restrictions or other circumstances may obtain help by calling the complaint line at 800-843-9053.

More information about complaints involving the unauthorized practice of law is available on the State Bar of California website.
 

Review Complaint


1. Your Contact Information



3. Related Court Case Information


4. Attachments



5. Translation Information


The State Bar accepts complaints in over 200 languages. If you need translation services to communicate with the State Bar, please let us know by completing this section of the complaint form. We will communicate with you through a translation service in the language of your choice. Do you need translation services?


6. Submission


* 

Your complaint is submitted when you click on the "Submit" button. You will have the option to print your complaint after you click "Submit". If you provide an email address, you will also receive an email confirmation that will enable you to download or print the submitted complaint.

Complaints submitted on business days after 4:30 pm PT, on weekends, or on holidays, will be deemed received on the next business day.

Thank you!

Your complaint was sent to the State Bar of California. Please save or print a copy of your complaint for reference using the Print button below.


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