Lawyer Says Bar Conspired Against Him

SAN FRANCISCO (CN) - Attorney Gregory Chandler demands restitution of his right to practice law and that a monitor be assigned to The State Bar of California, to ensure that the Bar cease and desist from its "history of violating the constitutional rights of its members." Chandler claims the Bar conspired with a client who tried to extort money from him, and then suspended him.

Chandler claims his client, Hyoung Ok Lee, hired him on an immigration matter. Lee's spouse then sued her, claiming she had committed immigration fraud by "entering into a sham marriage solely for immigration benefits."

Lee then claimed that Chandler had committed immigration fraud by submitting false documents to the Department of Homeland Security, and demanded a refund of legal fees.

Chandler says her allegation that he submitted false documents is false, but raised ethical problems for him as an attorney.

"If Lee's allegations about false documents are true, Lee is subject to federal imprisonment and deportation for her role in the immigration fraud. If Lee's allegations about false documents are false, she is subject to a denial of immigration benefits on moral character grounds."

Chandler's complaint continues: "Given the ethical difficulties raised above, Plaintiff was hesitant to contest Lee's allegations involving the submission of false documents to the United States Department of Homeland Security. Eventually, Lee sought assistance from the Defendants in an effort to extort money from Chandler based for (sic) her allegations of submitting false documents to the United States Department of Homeland Security."

He claims the Bar knew that Lee's allegations "were completely and utterly unsupported by probable cause, and a total fabrication by a client who was seeking to deflect attention away from allegations of immigration fraud against her. Likewise, Defendants knew that the client only raised her allegation in a brazen attempt to extort money from Plaintiff."

Nonetheless, he says, the Bar and its officers then maliciously conspired, abused and suspended him. He wants the Bar restrained from its "culture of mendacity, excessive amounts charged for membership dues, policies, customs, practices, and supervisory misconduct (which) raises a substantial risk of irreparable injury to others".

See complaint.

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