SAN FRANCISCO — Beverly Hills attorney Leslie Victor Amponsah faces suspension and probation following a California State Bar Court recommendation for allegedly failing to comply with the conditions of a previous probation.
Amponsah allegedly failed to notify clients, co-counsel and others of his suspension last summer and failed to comply with the conditions of probation handed down at the same time, according to the 22-page decision issued July 20 by the state bar court.
The state bar court found Amponsah "by clear and convincing evidence" culpable of the alleged probation violation and recommended he receive a stayed two-year suspension and be placed on two years' probation with a year of actual suspension.
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.
Amponsah's recommended discipline was among the dispositions filed earlier this month by the state bar court's hearing department for July.
Amponsah was admitted to the bar in California on June 10, 1993, according to his profile at the state bar website.
In July 2017, Amponsah received a stayed two-year suspension and was placed on two years' probation with 90 days of actual suspension, after he stipulated to having deposited personal and business funds into his client trust account, according to the decision and information on his state bar profile. Amponsah also stipulated to having written checks for personal and business expenses out of his client trust account and commingling funds.
The Office of Chief Trial Counsel (OCTC) initiated proceedings against Amponsah in December over the alleged probation violations. The state bar court considered Amponsah's clean record prior to last summer's discipline to be a mitigating factor in the more recent charges. "[Amponsah]'s misconduct was aggravated by multiple acts, but tempered by 22 years of discipline-free practice, and cooperation with OCTC," the decision said.
"[Amponsah]'s prior misconduct is a serious aggravating factor."