Ing to the ABA, the most common attorney discipline complaints filed with the bar association involve: Neglect. Lack of communication. Misrepresentation or dishonesty. Scope of representation. Fee disputes.
Good Attorney: They are clear, responsive, and timely in their communications. They make sure you understand your case's progress and legal jargon. Bad Attorney: Poor communication, delays in responses, or leaving you in the dark about your case details.
There are a variety of ways to address problems with an attorney, before filing a complaint with the State Bar. Call the State Bar's Contact Center if you have any questions at 800-843-9053 (in California) or 213-765-1200 (outside California).
The directory maintained by the state bar or its disciplinary board is sometimes called the "Roster of Attorneys" or the "Roll of Attorneys." Six (6) states do not publish a searchable database online. In those jurisdictions, you must call or email the state bar to confirm a lawyer's bar license status or bar number.
Good Attorney: They are clear, responsive, and timely in their communications. They make sure you understand your case's progress and legal jargon. Bad Attorney: Poor communication, delays in responses, or leaving you in the dark about your case details.
A good lawyer has good academic credentials, credibility and reputation. A bad lawyer will mislead his client, may be greedy, sloppy in arguments, cannot articulate well or write good drafts. A bad lawyer lacks critical thinking ability, and pretends knowledge. Good lawyers protect the interest of the client.
To verify an attorney's recent admission to, or current membership status with, the bar of U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, please use the Court's online Attorney Bar Membership Status Lookup Tool.
Check online reviews, client testimonials, and any available rankings or awards. Experience and Track Record: Ensure the firm has a history of handling cases similar to yours. The number of years in practice can be a good indicator but also look into their success rate and approach to past cases.
Skip the courtesy title and put “Esquire” after the name, using its abbreviated form, “Esq.” (“Robert Jones, Esq.” or “Cynthia Adams, Esq.”)
Attorney Bar Membership Status /cases-e-filing/cm-ecf/setting-up-my-account/ecf-registration-requirements/To verify an attorney's status with the State Bar of California visit the State Bar's website (.calbar.ca).