Area Lawyers Among 23 Disciplined By Bar

Three San Fernando Valley attorneys were among 23 lawyers who were recently disciplined by the State Bar of California or who resigned while disciplinary charges were pending against them, it was announced this week.

Richard William Thompson, 48, of North Hollywood, was disbarred, Ronald Alan Knell, 49, of Woodland Hills, who was already on suspension because of prior actions, resigned in the face of new disciplinary charges, and Lewis E. Notrica, 71, of Encino, was publicly reproved, according to a written statement from the bar.

The bar issues reprovals and may place individuals on involuntary inactive status if they are found to pose a substantial threat to clients or the public, but only the state Supreme Court has the power to disbar or suspend attorneys, said bar spokeswoman Kim McCready.

In two consolidated personal injury cases, Thompson was charged with 26 counts of misconduct and cited for failing to provide competent legal services, failing to respond to his client’s inquiries and failing to cooperate with the bar’s investigation.

In one case, an insurance company issued four checks totaling $28,000 to settle the claims of a couple and their two children who were Thompson’s clients. The checks were cashed with forged signatures and the clients received only $8,000, according to the bar report. When the family’s medical bill was not paid, their physician won a $10,000 judgment against them, according to the bar.

Knell was the subject of disciplinary action on at least three occasions since 1990, McCready said. Notrica’s reproval is the lightest disciplinary action handed down by the bar. No details of the specific charges against Knell and Notrica were available.