State Bar orders suspension of former OC Supervisor Andrew Do's law license

Disgraced former Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do is set to have his law license suspended on Feb. 10, a precursor to potential disbarment.

Do pleaded guilty to a felony charge of bribery in late October, nearly a year after LAist began investigating millions in taxpayer dollars meant to feed seniors that Do directed to a nonprofit where his daughter, Rhiannon Do, held top roles. Federal prosecutors determined that only 15% of the money earmarked for meals was actually used for that purpose. The rest was diverted to several entities that then funneled money to Rhiannon Do and her older sister, according to prosecutors.

Andrew Do is scheduled to be sentenced in federal court on March 31. He faces up to five years in prison.

LAist emailed and called Do’s lawyer for comment. We will update this story when we get a response.

What is the State Bar’s role?

Do has been licensed by the State Bar to practice law in California since 1990. The State Bar Court has the authority to suspend Do’s license to practice law, or revoke it, called disbarment.

According to State Bar rules, an attorney will be summarily disbarred if the State Bar Court determines that the attorney’s felony offense involved moral turpitude, or the "specific intent to deceive, defraud, steal or make or suborn a false statement."

On Jan. 17, the State Bar Court ordered Do’s suspension pending finalization of his criminal case. The order characterizes Do’s crime as “a felony involving moral turpitude.”

Read the order:

What’s next?

After Do’s law license suspension goes into effect Feb. 10, he is required by State Bar rules to notify his clients, as well as co-counsel and opposing counsel in any ongoing legal cases. He also has to return to clients their legal papers and any other property, and refund them any unearned fees.

Following Do’s sentencing in federal court, the State Bar Court will determine discipline, including potential disbarment. Like most states, California does not automatically bar convicted felons from being attorneys.

What if Do appeals his conviction?

As part of his federal plea agreement, Do agreed not to appeal his conviction, unless he claims his guilty plea was involuntary.

His daughter Rhiannon Do’s diversion agreement, in which prosecutors agreed not to charge her with a crime, is conditional upon her father’s compliance with the plea agreement. That agreement calls for three years probation for Rhiannon Do.

Can Do's daughter still become a lawyer?

Maybe. Rhiannon Do is a third-year law student at UC Irvine. As part of her father’s plea deal, she admitted to participating in mortgage fraud related to the $1 million Tustin home she purchased with kickbacks from a company that benefited from Do's contract awards. Her diversion agreement requires her to work and/or attend school, including preparing for the State Bar exam.

For Rhiannon Do to become a licensed lawyer in California, she has to establish that she has "good moral character," according to State Bar rules, including "qualities of honesty, fairness, candor, trustworthiness, observance of fiduciary responsibility, respect for and obedience to the law, and respect for the rights of others and the judicial process."

Applicants to the State Bar have to go through a background check and submit a moral character application that gets reviewed by the Bar. Under the State Bar rules, applicants need to disclose pending criminal matters.