LOS ANGELES (Northern California Record) – San Marcos attorney Anil Kumar Singh faces disbarment by default following a May 16 California State Bar Court decision regarding six counts of misconduct.
In two of the six counts, Singh allegedly failed to deposit about $13,800 of his client's funds in a trust account and to have misappropriated $6,977 in his client's funds, the state bar court's seven-page decision and order of involuntary inactive enrollment said. In the other counts, Singh allegedly misappropriated $274 in entrusted client funds, terminated his employment without notice, failed to provide his client with an accounting and failed to provide a response to allegations after the office of chief trial counsel began its investigation, the order said.
The state bar court's recommendation included an involuntary inactive enrollment order that rendered Singh involuntarily enrolled as an inactive member of the State Bar of California. That order was effective three calendar days after service, according to the recommendation.
The state bar's recommendation 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 may request further review within the state bar court.
The recommendation noted that Singh failed to participate in person or via counsel in the proceedings and state bar's decision and order for disbarment was entered by default. In such cases, 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 state bar to recommend an attorney’s disbarment.
The state bar's entry for default was issued in November.
In February, Singh told the deputy trial counsel that "he would immediately file a motion to set aside his default" to avoid disbarment, the recommendation said. "Despite his prior statement, (Singh) did not seek to have his default set aside or vacated," the recommendation said.
Singh's recommended discipline was among the dispositions filed by the state bar court's hearing department for May.
Singh was admitted to the bar in California on June 8, 2001, according to his profile at the state bar website. Singh had no prior disciplinary matters, according to his profile and the recommendation.