Paso Robles attorney accused of improper charges
July 27, 2012
The California State Bar ruled a Paso Robles attorney improperly collected a fee from a client in 2008 and has threatened to suspend the attorney’s license for the second time in recent years. [Tribune]
The state bar judge determined Adam Ranald Fairbairn engaged in a scheme with an executor of an estate to violate probate rules and illegally obtain a $10,000 fee, which he later refused to return.
Paula Fisk hired Fairbairn to help her with her aunt Marilyn Neal’s estate of which she was the executor. Fisk wanted a portion of her aunt’s mineral rights which Neal had left to her two children. In a letter, Fairbairn demanded $20,000 from Neal’s children to be paid in fees to himself and Fisk or he threatened to take part of Neal’s heir’s mineral rights. One of the heirs paid the other did not.
Judge Pat McElroy found Fairbairn had committed an act of moral turpitude, meaning he did something dishonest or corrupt by professional standards and recommended a two-year suspension of Fairbairn’s license.
Fairbairn’s license was previously suspended after he fired a gun at two men trying to reposes his truck in 2006.
The comments below represent the opinion of the writer and do not represent the views or policies of CalCoastNews.com. Please address the Policies, events and arguments, not the person. Constructive debate is good; mockery, taunting, and name calling is not. Comment Guidelines