SAN FRANCISCO (Northern California Record) — Altadena attorney Andrew Michael Vogelbach, suspended for nearly three years, has been granted relief from suspension following a recently announced California State Bar Court recommendation.
Vogelback will be entitled to resume the law practice in California once his actual suspension imposed by the California Supreme Court has expired and he has paid all applicable fees and costs, according to the 15-page decision and order granting petition for relief from actual suspension, which was issued Oct. 1 by the state bar court.
"[Vogelbach] has shown that he has strictly complied with the terms of his most recent probation, has exhibited exemplary conduct since the imposition of his last discipline, and has established that the conduct leading to his discipline is not likely to be repeated," the decision and order said. "In addition, "[Vogelbach] has demonstrated to the satisfaction of this court his present learning and ability in the general law. Accordingly, the court finds that "[Vogelbach] has demonstrated, by a preponderance of the evidence, his rehabilitation, fitness to practice law, and present learning and ability in the general law."
In September the office of chief trial counsel filed its notice of Vogelbach's petition.
Vogelbach's relief from suspension was among the dispositions filed earlier this month by the state bar court's hearing department for October. Vogelbach was admitted to the bar in California on Jan. 29, 2004, according to his profile at the state bar website.
In November 2015 Vogelbach was suspended two years and placed on three years' probation after he pleaded no contest to possession of a controlled substance, according to the decision and order and information on his state bar profile. Vogelbach's plea followed his 2012 arrest after undercover officers found a package containing cocaine in the trunk of his car.
In a previous discipline, Vogelbach was suspended for 60 days in October 2014 for five counts of misconduct in a loan modification matter.