State bar takes aim at popular Bay Area lawyer known for speaking out
SACRAMENTO The State Bar has filed a sizeable disciplinary scenario against popular Bay Area lawyer with a large social media following alleging she took tens of thousands from clients then failed them Claire White CEO of her own Suisun City firm the Dope Law Group was hit with a -count notice of disciplinary charges alleging she took fees from eight clients but produced no legal work of value in return White already faced similar assertions involving one former client when the State Bar brought this new matter on May Known as a fierce and persuasive lawyer White has a big social media presence more than Instagram followers and frequently uses the account to post legal tips In posts she warns people not to talk to police to stop snitching and celebrates acquittals and dismissals in pictures with clients with largest part posts hashtagged wefightf you But the charging records against her paint a wildly different portrait From to White is alleged to have accepted fees for legal services that weren t provided She allegedly lied in a written declaration filed under penalty of perjury about hiring a private investigator for a matter She also allegedly uses money that had been earmarked for clients legal fees on personal expenses according to the records filed by the state bar which licenses attorneys and regulates the practice of law In early she allegedly stated a client he could miss a court date to attend a funeral then failed to file the necessary motions to inform the judge The product was her client being sent to jail and losing his jobs the notice of disciplinary charges alleges White has retained a lawyer Mark Reichel to fend off the charges He issued a message describing her as a magnificent lawyer Claire is an exceptionally effective and tremendously talented attorney Reichel declared in an email If the world had more Claire White s it would be a supremely better place The cases are unresolved and the first notice of discipline has been in limbo for months After White was accused in January the state bar gave notice it had uncovered more evidence and would likely file more charges at a later date That held the January incident in place until May when the second matter was filed State bar attorneys are seeking to consolidate both cases If proved the accusations could outcome in discipline such as probation or disbarment A status conference has been set for June Steven Clark a San Jose-based lawyer who is frequently used by news media as a legal analyst commented the claims over clients money might not be White s biggest complication Attorneys have a duty of honesty both to the client and to the court Clark revealed When she s alleged to have made statements under oath that were false to the court that s one way to get into very considerable problems
