Palo Alto attorney Zollie S S Stringer III has been disbarred by the California State Bar for not complying with the state bar's minimum continuing legal education requirement, according to a recent decision.
Stringer allegedly misrepresented under penalty of perjury that he had fully complied with the minimum continuing legal education requirement from Feb. 1, 2011, to Jan. 31, 2014, according to the state bar’s six-page decision and order of involuntary inactive enrollment, disbarring Stringer. "[Stringer] knew or was grossly negligent in not knowing he had failed to complete the MCLE requirements for that period," the decision said.
The state bar handed down the decision July 19.
The state bar filed its notice of disciplinary charges against Stringer Jan. 24, according to the decision. When Stringer failed to respond, on Feb. 22 the bar filed its motion for default, according to the decision. The state bar's entry for default was entered March 13.
Factual allegations in the state bar's notice of disciplinary charges are considered admitted by the entry of the default in support of finding that Stringer violated a statute, rule or court order that would warrant the imposition of discipline, according to the decision.
The state bar's decision is pending final action by the California Supreme Court, an appeal before the state bar's review department or expiration of time in which parties to may request further review within the State Bar Court.
Stringer was admitted to the bar in California on Oct. 3, 1995, according to his profile at the state bar website.
Stringer failed to participate in person or via counsel and state bar's decision and order for disbarment was entered by default. In cases such as this one, in which an attorney fails to participate in a California State Bar disciplinary proceeding despite adequate notice and opportunity, the bar invokes Rule 5.85, which provides the procedure for the bar to recommend an attorney’s disbarment.
In previous discipline, Stringer was suspended in July 2016 for failing to pay his state bar membership dues, according to information included on his state bar website profile. In November 2014. Stinger was listed as not being in compliance with the state bar's minimum continuing legal education, according to his profile.