In Re Leardo

—We review the recommendation of the Review Department of the State Bar Court (hereafter review department) that petitioner be disbarred from the practice of law in California because of his 1985 conviction in the Virgin Islands on two counts of possessing controlled substances with intent to distribute ( 21 U.S.C. § 841 (a)(1)). As will appear, we conclude that a less severe form of discipline will better recognize the compelling evidence of mitigation and rehabilitation in this record, will amply protect the public and the profession, and will promote consistency with a recent decision of this court on very similar facts (In re Nadrich (1988) 44 Cal.3d 271 [ 243 Cal.Rptr. 218 , 747 P.2d 1146 ]).

In March 1986 petitioner voluntarily initiated these proceedings by informing the State Bar of his conviction in the Virgin Islands and asking that he be placed on interim suspension. Accordingly, we placed him on such suspension effective May 30, 1986, and referred the matter to the State Bar for a hearing and recommendation as to discipline. During the years 1987 and 1988 petitioner and the State Bar entered into two successive stipulations as to facts and proposed…