Legal service in Orange seized by State Bar for unauthorized practice of law - OCRegister

A business operating as a law office has been seized by the California State Bar after an investigation found the primary owner had never been licensed to practice law in California, officials said Tuesday.

SoCal Latino Legal Services and Ortega Legal Services, based out of Orange, advertised as a legal service specializing in family law, criminal law, medical malpractice, evictions and small claims, according to its now-defunct Yelp page.

An investigation by the State Bar revealed the business, primarily owned by Erika Ortega, misled mostly Spanish-speaking clients seeking help.

One client paid Ortega over $2,000 to help terminate a commercial lease contract after a business downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic between August and September 2020. The client received no meaningful assistance for months and eventually faced an eviction, bar officials said. Ortega did not return the client’s money after they asked for a refund, according to State Bar documents.

In January 2021, the client reported Ortega to the State Bar. During the course of the investigation, Ortega denied she was an attorney and said she was a process server. Her LinkedIn profile lists her as an assistant.

Texts messages between Ortega and the client showed otherwise.

The Superior Court of Orange County granted the State Bar jurisdiction over over the practice on Sept. 20, 2021 which allowed the Bar to seize 200 client files. The next month, the court granted a permanent order and injunction prohibiting Ortega from providing unauthorized legal services.

Clients who may have legal files at SoCal Latino Legal Services and Ortega Legal Services and would like them returned can call 213-765-1742.

source: https://www.ocregister.com/2021/11/02/legal-service-in-orange-seized-by-state-bar-for-unauthorized-practice-of-law

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