State Bar Judge Rules To Disbar Lawyer for Misappropriation

When Michael Scott Keck removed $55,000 from the trust fund of a client who was in prison in order to repay a debt to another client, the bar suspended him from practice.  Now, a State Bar Court judge has recommended that a San Francisco attorney be disbarred.  Keck has practiced law since 1986 and had no prior record of misconduct. 

At the disciplinary trial, Keck testified that the fund’s previous financial advisor authorized him to borrow the money in the trust.  However, that testimony lacked credibility since an attorney should know that the adviser would not have the authority to allow a loan from trust assets.  Keck was “dishonest, concealed material facts from [his client] and others, and acted in bad faith,” the judge said in regards to Keck’s case.  Despite Keck’s good record in his practice of law, the judge said misappropriating a client’s funds is grounds four disbarment.

See Bob Egelko, State Bar Court Judge Rules to Disbar S.F. Lawyer for Taking Funds, SF Gate, Apr. 24, 2015.

Special thanks to Joel Dobris (Professor of Law, UC Davis School of Law) for bringing this article to my attention.