The California State Bar recently began proceedings to disbar David Lira and Keith Griffin, attorneys formerly associated with the law firm Girardi Keese. This move follows a string of allegations surrounding their involvement in the firm’s alleged theft of millions from clients.
A Betrayal of Trust
Lira, son-in-law of Tom Girardi, and Griffin are accused of severe misconduct involving the settlement funds of five Indonesian families who lost relatives in the Lion Air Flight 610 crash in 2018.
According to disciplinary charges, the attorneys, in collaboration with Edelson PC, brokered a settlement with Boeing Co. but kept the families and Edelson in the dark when the funds were received. Partial payments were made despite court orders mandating the immediate disbursement of funds.
Delving into the Depths of Deception
David Lira’s misconduct takes center stage with the California State Bar accusing him of misappropriating over $743,000 from the client settlement funds. Lira allegedly wrote 270 checks from these funds to pay other individuals and entities unrelated to the case.
Lira is also facing separate disciplinary charges in relation to an earlier case. He is accused of presenting his clients with falsified documents and stealing over $369,000 from their settlement funds.
Keith Griffin, on the other hand, faces eight counts including failure to notify clients regarding the receipt of settlement funds and concealment from clients and Edelson.
The Bigger Picture: A History of Bad Faith Conduct
The malfeasance doesn’t stop with Lira and Griffin. Tom Girardi, a once-famed attorney best known for the landmark Pacific Gas & Electric case that inspired the movie “Erin Brockovich,” has a long history of misconduct. Last year, Girardi was disbarred following over 200 complaints since the early 1980s.
An outside investigation revealed that Girardi maintained an unblemished record by showering bar employees, board members, and their relatives with unreported jobs, money, and gifts.
Girardi, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, faces trial in August on embezzlement charges despite his diagnosis. Federal prosecutors allege that he lied to clients and misappropriated over $15 million from 2010 to 2020.
Echoing the Need for Transparency and Integrity in Legal Practice
The state bar’s Office of Chief Trial Counsel is leading the investigation, while the State Bar Court will determine if the attorneys committed professional misconduct. The California Supreme Court will make the final decision on suspension or disbarment.
The revelations surrounding the conduct of Girardi, Lira, and Griffin echo the pressing need for transparency and integrity within the legal profession. This case highlights the catastrophic consequences when attorneys engage in bad faith conduct.
Clients place their trust in legal practitioners often during the most trying times in their lives. It is incumbent upon the legal community to honor this trust and ensure that those who breach it face the full force of justice.
As these proceedings unfold, the victims and the legal fraternity will be looking to the California State Bar and the judiciary to deliver a message of zero tolerance for such egregious breaches of trust and professional misconduct.
By Samuel Lopez, Legal News Contributor for USA Herald
Read Samuel’s bio here.
