Tom Girardi Downfall Casts California Bar in Unflattering Light

A racketeering lawsuit filed against Girardi & Keese by one of its local counsel has once again focused attention on the California Bar’s failure to rein in lawyers like disgraced plaintiffs’ attorney Tom Girardi.

Lawmakers and law watchers have criticized the bar for decades, alleging inaction and deficient attorney oversight particularly of Girardi, who was disbarred last month amid allegations he’d violated bar ethics rules and stolen millions of dollars from clients.

The RICO lawsuit, filed last week by Chicago-based Edelson PC, alleges the now-defunct Girardi & Keese firm operated a long-running Ponzi scheme, stealing from vendors and ...