How To Check If A California Lawyer Is Licensed In 2024

Lawyer Referral Center
Feb 10, 2020
2 min read

Updated: Jan 2, 2024

How To Screen Lawyers in Los Angeles And How To Find The Best California Lawyer For Your Case

Take attorney Fergus Mahony Ginther Jr from Newport Beach, California. A quick online search reveals this attorney is listed as a "top lawyer" with 26 years experience, a very popular lawyer directory site called JUSTIA lawyers has this attorney listed as having a current and active license at the time of this post.

Even his Linkedin account shows him as Vice President and claims counsel of a major title company, not to mention his years of experience and hundreds of connections.

Anyone looking at this online footprint will be confident to hire Mr. Ginther.

Even AVVO has him listed as an active member of the California State Bar. However, a closer look into this attorney, reveals a disturbing fact, far from what it's portrayed in many lawyer directories and platforms.

Mr. Ginther was disbarred for failure to perform with competence, failure to refund unearned fees, among other charges. He's not allowed to practice law and his licensed has been revoked by the California State Bar.

How to find great lawyers in California

The best way to find reputable lawyer in Los Angeles is to follow these simple steps:

Be skeptical of marketing materials published online, many times these are not accurate or outdated.
Spend time conducting your own research, visit the California State Bar website and use the lookup tool to find specific information about the attorney you are considering.
Use a California State Bar Lawyer Referral Service to locate pre-screened attorneys in your area.

Being involved in a legal issue is difficult enough, having the wrong attorney represent you can have a disastrous outcome to your legal case.

There are great lawyers in Los Angeles out there who can really make a difference and give you peace of mind knowing you're in good hands.

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