Rosenthal

This is a proceeding to review the unanimous recommendation of the Review Department of the State Bar Court (Review Department) that petitioner Jerome B. Rosenthal be disbarred from the practice of law in California and that he comply with the requirements of rule 955, California Rules of Court.

The Hearing Panel of the State Bar Court (Hearing Panel) unanimously recommended petitioner’s disbarment and the Review Department unanimously adopted the panel’s findings of fact and conclusions of law in making its recommendation. As shall appear, we conclude that the Review Department’s recommendation of disbarment should be adopted.

I.

In December 1985 the Hearing Panel, after consideration of more than 80 days of testimony and documentary evidence, unanimously concluded that petitioner was culpable in 13 separate counts of misconduct and recommended disbarment. In May 1986 the Review Department filed its decision in accord.

Petitioner was found by both the Hearing Panel and the Review Department to have engaged in improper conduct during his representation of Doris Day Melcher, her late husband, Martin Melcher, her son Terrence Melcher, and various of their family-owned…