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PUBLI[C MATTER
STATE BAR OF CALIFORNIA
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF TRIAL COUNSEL
JAYNE KIM, No. 174614
CHIEF TRIAL COUNSEL
JOSEPH R. CARLUCCI, No. 172309
DEPUTY CHIEF TRIAL COUNSEL
MELANIE J. LAWRENCE, No. 230102
ASSISTANT CHIEF TRIAL COUNSEL
ANTHONY J. GARCIA, No. 171419
SENIOR TRIAL COUNSEL
1149 South Hill Street
Los Angeles, California 90015-2299
Telephone: (213) 765-1089
FILED
O C T 2 9 2 0 1 3
STATE BAR COURT
CLERKS OFFICE
LOS ANGELES
STATE BAR COURT
HEARING DEPARTMENT - LOS ANGELES
In the Matter of:
RAYMUNDO PACELLO, Jr.,
No. 207694,
A Member of the State Bar.
Case No. 12-O-16459
NOTICE OF DISCIPLINARY CHARGES
NOTICE - FAILURE TO RESPOND!
IF YOU FAIL TO FILE A WRITTEN ANSWER TO THIS NOTICE
WITHIN 20 DAYS AFTER SERVICE, OR IF YOU FAIL TO APPEAR AT
THE STATE BAR COURT TRIAL:
(1 ) YOUR DEFAULT WILL BE ENTERED;
(2) YOUR STATUS WILL BE CHANGED TO INACTIVE AND YOU
WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO PRACTICE LAW;
(3) YOU WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO PARTICIPATE FURTHER IN
THESE PROCEEDINGS UNLESS YOU MAKE A TIMELY MOTION
AND THE DEFAULT IS SET ASIDE, AND;
(4) YOU SHALL BE SUBJECT TO ADDITIONAL DISCIPLINE.
SPECIFICALLY, IF YOU FAIL TO TIMELY MOVE TO SET ASIDE
OR VACATE YOUR DEFAULT, THIS COURT WILL ENTER AN
ORDER RECOMMENDING YOUR DISBARMENT WITHOUT
FURTHER HEARING OR PROCEEDING. SEE RULE 5.80 ET SEQ.,
RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE STATE BAR OF CALIFORNIA.
The State Bar of Califomia alleges:
JURISDICTION
kwiktag

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1. Raymundo Pacello, Jr. (Respondent) was admitted to the practice of law in the State
of Califomia on June 9, 2000, was a member at all times pertinent to these charges, and is
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currently a member of the State Bar of California.
COUNT ONE
Case No. 12-O-16459
Rules of Professional Conduct, rule 3-110(A)
[Failure to Perform with Competence]
2. On or about May 14, 2012, Esther Edwards employed Respondent to perform legal
services, namely represent her in a personal injury matter against a defendant represented by
Allstate Insurance Inc., which Respondent intentionally, recklessly, or repeatedly failed to
perform with competence, in willful violation of Rules of Professional Conduct, rule 3-110(A),
by the following:
After Edwards PI matter settled, between on or about July 16, 2012 and in or about
November 2012, Respondent made no attempt to reduce Edwards medical liens or to pay
any of her medical liens despite having knowledge of the liens.
COUNT TWO
Case No. 12-O-16459
Business and Professions Code, section 6106
[Moral Turpitude - Forgery]
3. On or about July 16, 2012, Respondent, or someone at Respondents direction, placed
the signature of Esther Edwards on Edwards settlement check without Edwards knowledge
and/or consent and placed the signature of James Parziale on Edwards settlement check without
James Parziales knowledge and/or consent, and deposited the settlement check, or caused it be
deposited, into Respondents client trust account maintained at US Bank when Respondent
knew, or was grossly negligent in not knowing, that neither Edwards nor Parziale signed the
settlement check nor gave their permission for Respondent or anyone else to sign their names to
the settlement check, thereby committing .an act involving moral turpitude, dishonesty or
corruption in willful violation of Business and Professions Code, section 6106.
///
///
///
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COUNT THREE
Case No. 12-O-16459
Rules of Professional Conduct, rule 4-100(A)
[Commingling Personal Funds in Client Trust Account]
4. From in or about August 2012 through October 2012, Respondent did not promptly
remove funds which Respondent had earned as fees from Respondents client trust account at US
Bank, account no. xxxx xxxx 0842 and during the same period issued the following checks from
those funds in said account for the payment of personal expenses, in willful violation of Rules of
Professional Conduct, rule 4-100(A):
Check
~
Check Date Check Amount
0000
~
Wilow Tia Ann Perys 8/13/12 $1,000
0000 Janine Menhennet 8/15/12 $373
0000 7
t~
Avenue Cleaners 8/15/12 $102.97
0000 Adrian Rowe 8/15/12 $97.50
0000 Stephanie Kelley 9/20/12 $91.22
0004 Clerk of the Court 10/15/12 $435
0006 Clerk of the Court 10/15/12 $435
COUNT FOUR
Case No. 12-O-16459
Business and Professions Code, section 6104
[Appearing for Party without Authority]
5. On or about October 16, 2012, Respondent corruptly or willfully, and without
authority, appeared as attorney for a party to an action or proceeding, namely Esther Edwards, by
filing a lawsuit against James Parziale for tortious interference with prospective economic
advantage, among other things, in Edwards v. Parziale et al., San Diego Superior Court, 37-
2012-53577, in willful violation of Business and Professions Code, section 6104.
COUNT FIVE
Case No. 12-O-16459
Business and Professions Code, section 6090.5(a)(2)
[Attorney/Client Agreement Not to File Complaint]
6. In or about October 2012, Respondent, while acting as a party sought agreement from
James Parziale, the complaining witness, that in order for Respondent to agree to mediate their
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The first four checks in this list did not have printed check numbers on their face and the bank records refer to
them as check numbers 0000.
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legal dispute, James Parziale shall withdraw a disciplinary complaint or shall not cooperate with
an investigation or prosecution conducted by the State Bar in willful violation of Business and
Professions Code, section 6090.5(a)(2).
COUNT SIX
Case No. 12-O-16459
Rules of Professional Conduct, rule 4-100(B)(3)
[Failure to Render Accounts of Client Funds]
7. On or about July 16, 2012, Respondent received on behalf of Respondents client,
Esther Edwards, a settlement check from Allstate Insurance Co. made payable to Respondent,
Esther Edwards, and James Parziale, in the sum of $250,000. Respondent thereafter failed to
render an appropriate accounting to the client regarding those funds following the termination of
Respondents employment on or about November 21, 2012, in willful violation of the Rules of
Professional Conduct, rule 4-100(B)(3).
COUNT SEVEN
Case No. 12-O-16459
Rules of Professional Conduct, rule 4-100(B)(4)
[Failure to Pay Client Funds Promptly]
8. On or about July 16, 2012, Respondent received on behalf of Respondents client,
Esther Edwards, a settlement check from Allstate Insurance Co. made payable to Respondent,
Esther Edwards, and James Parziale in the sum of $250,000. Of this sum, Esther Edwards was
entitled to approximately $167,500. On or about November 21, 2012, Esther Edwards requested
that Respondent deliver the funds to her new attorney. From that date until in or about
September 2013, Respondent failed to pay promptly, as requested by Respondents client, any
portion of the $167,500 that were in Respondents possession in willful violation of Rules of
Professional Conduct, rule 4-100(B)(4).
III
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III
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COUNT EIGHT
Case No. 12-O-16459
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Rules of Professional Conduct, rule 3-700(D)(1)
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[Failure to Release File]
9. Respondent failed to release promptly, after termination of Respondents employmenl
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or about November 21, 2012, to Respondents client, Esther Edwards, all of the clients
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papers and property following the clients request for the clients file on or about November 21,
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2012, in willful violation of Rules of Professional Conduct, rule 3-700(D)(1 ).
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NOTICE - INACTIVE ENROLLMENT!
YOU ARE HEREBY FURTHER NOTIFIED THAT IF THE STATE BAR
COURT FINDS, PURSUANT TO BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE
SECTION 6007(c), THAT YOUR CONDUCT POSES A SUBSTANTIAL
THREAT OF HARM TO THE INTERESTS OF YOUR CLIENTS OR TO
THE PUBLIC, YOU MAY BE INVOLUNTARILY ENROLLED AS AN
INACTIVE MEMBER OF THE STATE BAR. YOUR INACTIVE
ENROLLMENT WOULD BE IN ADDITION TO ANY DISCIPLINE
RECOMMENDED BY THE COURT.
NOTICE - COST ASSESSMENT!
IN THE EVENT THESE PROCEDURES RESULT IN PUBLIC
DISCIPLINE, YOU MAY BE SUBJECT TO THE PAYMENT OF COSTS
INCURRED BY THE STATE BAR IN THE INVESTIGATION, HEARING
AND REVIEW OF THIS MATTER PURSUANT TO BUSINESS AND
PROFESSIONS CODE SECTION 6086.1 0.
DATED: October 29, 2013
Respectfully submitted,
THE STATE BAR OF CALIFORNIA
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF TRIAL COUNSEL
~
iounsel
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DECLARATION OF SERVICE
by
U.S. FIRST.CLASS MAIL / U.S. CERTIFIED MAIL / OVEENIGHT DELIVEP, Y / FACSIMILE-ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION
CASE NUMBER(s): 12-O- 16459
I , th e u n d e r s ign e d , am o v e r th e age o f e igh te e n ( 18 ) y e ar s an d n o t a p ar ty to th e with in ad d o n , wh o s e b u s in e s s ad d r e s s an d p l ac e o f e m p l o y m e n t is th e S tate B ar o f
C al if o r n ia, 1149 S o u th H il l S tr e e t, L o s A n ge l e s , C al if o r n ia 90 0 15 , d e c l ar e th at:
- o n th e d ate s h o wn b e l o w, I c au s e d to b e s e r v e d a tr u e c o p y o f th e with in d o c u m e n t d e s c r ib e d as f o l l o ws :
NOTICE OF DISCIPLINARY CHARGES
U By U.S. First-C lass Mail: (C C P ~ 1 0 1 3 and 1 0 1 3 (a)) [~] By U.S. C ertified Mail: (C C P ~ 1 0 1 3 and 1 0 1 3 (a))
in ac c o r d an c e with th e p r ad d c e o f th e S tate B ar o f C al if o r n ia f o r c o l l e c tio n an d p r o c e s s in g o f m ail , I d e p o s ite d o r p l ac e d f o r c o l l e c tio n an d m ail in g in th e C ity an d C o u n ty
o f L o s A n ge l e s .
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r e p o r te d b y th e f ax m ad n in e th at I u s e d . Th e o r igin al r e c o r d o f th e f ax tr an s m is s io n is r e tain e d o n f il e an d av ail ab l e u p o n r e q u e s t.
By Electronic Service: (C C P 1 0 1 0 .6) to:
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ad d r e s s e s l is te d h e r e in b e l o w. I d id n o t r e c e iv e , with in a r e as o n ab l e tim e af te r th e tr an s m is s io n , an y e l e c tr o n ic m e s s age o r o th e r in d ic atio n th at th e tr an s m is s io n was u n s u c c e s s f u l .
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832 5th Ave # 2-5
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I am r e ad il y f am il iar with th e S tate B ar o f C al if o r n ia s p r ac tic e f o r c o l l e c tio n an d p r o c e s s in g o f c o r r e s p o n d e n c e f o r m ail in g with th e U n ite d S tate s P o s tal S e r v ic e , an d
o v e r n igh t d e l iv e r y b y th e U n ite d P ar c e l S e r v ic e ( U P S ) . I n th e o r d in ar y c o u r s e o f th e S tate B ar o f C al if o r n ia s p r ac tic e , c o r r e s p o n d e n c e c o l l e c te d an d p r o c e s s e d b y th e S tate B ar o f
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d ay .
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af te r d ate o f d e p o s it f o r m ail in g c o n tain e d in th e af f id av it.
I d e c l ar e u n d e r p e n al ty o f p e r ju r y , u n d e r th e l aws o f th e S tate o f C al if o r n ia, th at th e f o r e go in g is tr u e an d c o r r e c t. Exe c u te d at L o s A n ge l e s ,
C al if o r n ia, o n th e d ate s h o wn b e l o w. , ~- ~/~
DATED: October 29, 2013 SIGNED: Atta--B-d~saru Nercl~sian
Dl~clarant
State Bar of California
DECLARATION OF SERVICE