In re Shalant

MEMORANDUM **

The district court has disbarred Joseph L. Shalant from practicing law in the Central District of California following Shalant’s previous disbarment in 2006 from practicing law in the state of California. Shalant appeals the district court’s order of federal court disbarment, asserting that the order of disbarment lacked due process and, therefore, he seeks to continue to practice law in the federal courts. We affirm the federal district court’s disbarment ruling.

I. BACKGROUND

Shalant’s state disbarment resulted from his representation of a medical malpractice client. Prior to this case, Shalant had been disciplined four times since his 1967 admission to the California Bar. The Office of the Chief Trial Counsel of the State Bar of California initiated this proceeding against Shalant by filing a two-count Notice of Disciplinary Charges in September of 2002.

Following a hearing, the State Bar Court Hearing Department found Shalant culpable, by clear and convincing evidence, of entering into an agreement for, charging, or collecting an illegal or unconscionable fee in violation of Rule 4-200(A) of the Rules of Professional Conduct and committing acts of moral…