► Attorney Michael Gertell of Phoenix; repeat offender Print
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Attorney Michael Gertell of Phoenix; repeat offender

 
The state of Arizona presented Michael L. Gertell with a law license in 1984 after he graduated from California Western Law School.
 
The Arizona State Bar found Michael guilty of engaging in the following misconduct on two separate occasions.
 
Michael’s 1st bite at the Attorney Misfit Apple Tree
  1. Misconduct motivated by dishonest or selfish motive
  2. Engaged in a pattern of misconduct
  3. Misconduct involved multiple offenses
  4. Wrote checks on insufficient account (rubber)
  5. Failed to provide regular billing statements to client
In one matter, Michael agreed to represent an existing client in a divorce proceeding. Five months later, Michael received two checks for settlement of personal injury claims for the client and her daughter and deposited the funds in his trust account. Michael then wrote a check to his client and one to himself for attorney’s fees. The remaining $11,000 was to be held in trust pending the client’s divorce and the court’s determination of a proper distribution of the other party’s community property interest.
 
Five months later, the court awarded the client the remaining trust funds of $11,000. Michael used the client’s $11,000 trust account as a personal piggy bank. In fact, the balance in the account dipped as low as $961.
As a consequence of his misconduct, the Patron Saints for Attorney Misfits sitting on the Arizona Supreme Court punished Michael by gifting him with a complimentary 120-day suspension of his law license. .
 
Michael’s 2nd bite at the Attorney Misfit Apple Tree

  1. Engaged in conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice
  2. Failed to act with due diligence (slacker)
  3. Failed to comply with client’s requests for information
  4. Failed to notify client that his law license was suspended
  5. Failed to promptly deliver client funds to client
  6. Failed to render a full accounting regarding client property held in his possession
  7. Engaged in a pattern of misconduct
  8. Misconduct involved multiple offenses
  9. Failed to abide be client decisions concerning objectives of representation
As a consequence of his misconduct, the Cheerleaders for Attorney Misfits sitting on the Arizona Supreme Court punished Michael by gifting him with a complimentary 90-day suspension of his law license. .
 
As we speak (ca. January 2013) Michael practices at 5045 North 12th Street in Phoenix, Arizona.