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State Bar wants to stop Michael Avenatti from working in California

Michael Avenatti speaks to the media on March 25 after being arrested on charges of trying to extort Nike for up to $25 million.
Michael Avenatti speaks to the media on March 25 after being arrested on charges of trying to extort Nike for up to $25 million.
(Stephanie Keith / Getty Images)
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Former Stormy Daniels attorney Michael Avenatti says he’ll fight a bid by the State Bar of California to keep him from practicing law in the state.

The bar on Monday asked the State Bar Court to place Avenatti on involuntary inactive enrollment. It mentioned accusations that Avenatti stole nearly $840,000 from former client Gregory Barela and said it expects to eventually disbar him.

Avenatti has 10 days to file a response and seek a hearing. Avenatti said he looks forward to being “fully exonerated by the facts.”

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Avenatti is charged in Los Angeles federal court with stealing millions of dollars from clients, including Barela. He’s also charged in New York with misappropriating $300,000 from Daniels, the porn actress he represented in a lawsuit against President Trump.

Avenatti had denied all the allegations.

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