LOS ANGELES — The State Bar Court of California recently disbarred Frank Francis Barilla, a Santa Ana attorney, from the practice of law.
The March 1 order was given after it was determined that Barilla had violated the terms of his probation from a prior disciplinary matter and failed to obtain written consent from his clients for a separate matter.
Barilla allegedly represented two clients in a single auto collision matter, according to the disbarment order. The clients were the driver and a passenger from one of the vehicles involved, creating a possible conflict of interest. The attorney allegedly failed to obtain the written consent forms from each client that informed them of the possible conflict.
In October 2015, Barilla was found guilty of several misconduct charges for accepting advanced fees in loan modification services. Several conditions were given to the attorney to follow during his suspension and probation, including providing written, quarterly reports to the California State Bar’s Office of Probation. Barilla allegedly failed to submit two quarterly reports and made false statements on another. In addition, he neither attended ethics school nor complied with the state’s rules of professional conduct.
A default was entered on Barilla’s behalf for he failed to respond to a notice sent by the state bar. He also did not attend the hearing set for him despite having knowledge of the proceedings. Due to the factual findings, disbarment was recommended and ordered.
The Orange County attorney is a graduate of the Western State University School of Law. He was admitted to the California State Bar in 1982 and has a prior record of discipline. In addition to receiving probation in 2015, Barilla also was suspended in 2014.