Jurists Uphold Suspension of Lawyer Over Excessive Fee

Maverick lawyer Stephen Yagman, who specializes in police brutality and civil rights lawsuits, will be barred from practicing law in California for a year under an order issued Wednesday by the California Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court, meeting in closed session, let stand a ruling by the State Bar of California that Yagman should be suspended from the bar for collecting an “unconscionable” fee in a case against the Los Angeles Police Department.

Yagman won a $44,000 verdict in the case, took a $19,800 contingency fee from that amount and also collected $378,175 in fees awarded by the trial court. After deductions for costs and fees, each of his clients received $810.66, the bar noted.

Yagman, a Venice lawyer who also is a member of the New York bar, will have to stop practicing law in California when the court’s order takes effect in 30 days.

The yearlong suspension stems from Yagman’s representation of the families of three robbers killed in 1990 during a gun battle with police in Sunland as well as a survivor who was imprisoned after the shootout.

The bar praised Yagman’s skills in the case, calling his courtroom performance “superlative,” but faulted him for collecting an excessive fee, failing to inform his clients of a settlement offer and delays in paying the clients their share of the award.

The bar officials said Yagman should have told the judge that he was collecting the $19,800 contingency fee. That amount would have been deducted from the court-ordered fees.

The bar ruling cited the “disproportion” between what Yagman earned and the amount his clients recovered.

The bar also noted a “disturbing similarity” between the case and findings that led to Yagman’s suspension for six months in another case in 1989.

The Supreme Court order said Yagman must reimburse his clients--a step that he is believed to have taken already--and remain on probation for three years.

Arthur Margolis, an attorney for Yagman, said he was ill and unavailable for comment. Margolis declined to speculate on what would happen to Yagman’s pending cases in California.