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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA RECORD

Thursday, March 28, 2024

San Francisco attorney summarily disbarred following 2015 felony arson conviction

Discipline
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SAN FRANCISCO (Northern California Record) — Longtime San Francisco attorney Kevin Lee Thomason has been summarily disbarred following a June 24 California Supreme Court decision and his 2015 felony conviction for arson.

The state high court issued its disbarment order June 24 and Thomason's effective disbarment date was July 24, according to a recent announcement on the State Bar of California's website. The court also ordered Thomason to pay costs.

The Supreme Court's order followed a California State Bar Court recommendation for summary disbarment issued in February.

A conviction of arson involves "such a flagrant disrespect for the law or for societal norms, that knowledge of the attorney's conduct would be likely to undermine public confidence in and respect for the legal profession," the four-page recommendation said. "Accordingly, Thomason’s felony conviction qualifies him for summary disbarment."

Under California law, Thomason's conviction rendered him not entitled to a state bar court hearing to determine whether he could receive a lesser discipline and he did not respond to a state bar request for summary disbarment, according to the decision and order.

Thomason was admitted to the bar in California on Dec. 2, 1997, according to his profile at the state bar website. Thomason had no prior discipline before the state bar but had been on interim suspension since Nov. 13, according to his profile.

In September 2015, Thomason entered a no contest plea to 13 counts, including arson of property of another, which the state bar classified as involving moral turpitude in the disciplinary proceedings against him, according to the state bar court's recommendation. Thomason also pleaded no contest to resisting executive officer, threatening a public officer, criminal threats, vandalism more than $400 damage, unlawful firearm activity, possession of ammunition by prohibited person, drawing or exhibiting a firearm and vandalism less than $400 damage.  

Thomason did not appeal within the statutory period that ended in September 2018 and the state bar court issued an interim suspension order the following month.

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