After a controversial five-year tenure, the lawyer in charge of investigating and prosecuting attorney misconduct is stepping down, the California State Bar announced.
Jayne Kim, Chief Trial Counsel, tendered her resignation last week.
In a statement announcing her May 2 departure, the bar’s executive director, Elizabeth Parker, praised Kim’s work leading the organization’s efforts to rein in and punish attorney misconduct.
“Jayne has done remarkable work,” Parker said. “She’s been tireless in her commitment to public service and has energetically worked to strengthen an office whose function is vital to protecting the public interest.”
But Kim bore the brunt of several controversies the bar became embroiled in over the past several years. Her resignation came days after lawmakers criticized Kim’s office for failing to act on a high number of complaints filed against people practicing law without a license.
A state audit last summer also criticized Kim for reducing the punishment for some attorney misconduct in an effort to reduce a backlog of cases.
Kim defended her record in a statement, but acknowledged it was time for her to leave the post.
“This is the right time for me to move on,” the statement reads. “In declining to seek reappointment I leave with a strong sense of accomplishment and confidence that the bar is on the right track to become an exemplary model of a mission-driven agency.”
A former federal prosecutor in Los Angeles, Kim took the chief trial counsel job on an interim basis in August 2011 and was elected by the State Bar board to an official four-year term in January 2012. She was re-elected to the position in December, but will not serve out the term.
While Kim garnered widespread support by most of the bar’s leaders – her election in December came with a 14-1 margin – she faced some internal issues while in the office. She filed a whistleblower complaint last year against Joseph Dunn, the executive director of the State Bar at the time, which ultimately led to his firing.
Kim will be replaced on an interim basis by Assistant Chief Trial Counsel Gregory Dresser while a full-time replacement is sought.
Local Expansion
In a bold statement about its future in Los Angeles, Woodbury, N.Y.-based Kaufman Dolowich & Voluck announced last week that it was folding all nine attorneys from El Segundo’s Waxler Carner Brodsky into its Santa Monica offices.
Co-Managing Partner Michael Kaufman said the firm hired a recruiter to track down candidates as it looks to aggressively expand in the region.
“You’d think it would be easy to find quality attorneys in L.A., but it isn’t always,” Kaufman said. “To get the (Waxler Carner) firm is a great thing for us.”
Kaufman said the firm’s goal was to have 25 attorneys in its Santa Monica office by next year. The firm is trying to up its numbers in Los Angeles to take advantage of the employment practice liability market and expand the Kaufman Dolowich brand on the West Coast – the firm has an office in San Francisco.
“L.A. is a huge market for professional liabilities coverage – and everything really,” Kaufman said. “California has a lot of complex litigation that we excel in.”
Andrew Waxler, one of the founding partners of his now-absorbed eponymous firm, said his group has deep experience in the region – it’s been around for 16 years – and was excited to be joining Kaufman Dolowich’s national practice.
“We weren’t looking to be bought or to merge with anyone, but ever since we were first approached it seemed like a great match,” Waxler said. “We’re looking forward to practicing with KDV for many years to come.”
Comings and Goings
Sony Pictures Entertainment’s long-serving executive vice president and head of global litigation, Leonard Venger, has stepped down and will rejoin his old law firm, Buchalter Nemer, as a senior adviser and litigation and entertainment practice group chair in its downtown L.A. office. … Kelley Drye & Warren continued its hiring splurge at its Century City office, poaching Michael Gallion, Kate Visosky, and David Van Pelt from Sheppard Mullin’s labor and employment team. … Manatt Phelps & Phillips brought on Richard E. Gottlieb as a partner in its West L.A. office from BuckleySandler. … Bill Ellis has joined the real estate group at Akerman’s downtown L.A. office. Ellis left his position as general counsel for Reading International Inc., a real estate ownership and development conglomerate, to join the firm. … Thompson Coburn has tapped Art Silbergeld as a partner in its Century City office. Silbergeld was most recently at Norton Rose Fulbright.
Staff reporter Henry Meier can be reached at [email protected] or (323) 549-5225, ext. 221.
