Current Status: Resigned with Charges Pending

This member is resigned and may not practice law in California.

See below for more details.

Profile Information

The following information is from the official records of The State Bar of California.

Status History

Explanation of member status

Actions Affecting Eligibility to Practice Law

California Bar Journal Discipline Summaries

Summaries from the California Bar Journal are based on discipline orders but are not the official records. Not all discipline actions have associated CBJ summaries. Copies of official attorney discipline records are available upon request.

January 15, 2000

The probation of WILLIAM L. BRYAN JR. [#117084], 47, of Foothill Ranch was revoked, the previous stay of suspension was lifted, and he was given a new two-year suspension, stayed, and placed on two years of probation with a 60-day actual suspension. The order took effect Jan. 15, 2000.

Bryan was disciplined in 1998 for misconduct in three consolidated cases. His actions included failure to perform legal services competently, promptly return client papers or respond to client inquiries, improperly withdrawing from representation and false advertising.

He failed to comply with eight separate conditions of the 1998 probation, including submitting quarterly probation reports, attending ethics school, attending Narcotics Anonymous meetings and taking the professional responsibility examination.

In mitigation, the misconduct occurred at a time Bryan was suffering from severe emotional difficulties and had family problems. He and his wife were about to adopt a baby when the birth mother took the child back, an event which worsened Bryan’s manic depressive illness. In addition, he and his wife cared for his wife’s terminally ill parents at their home.

April 4, 1998

WILLIAM LITTELL BRYAN JR. [#117084], 45, of Foothill Ranch was suspended for two years, stayed, placed on two years of probation and was ordered to take the MPRE within one year. The order took effect April 4, 1998.

Bryan represented three clients in a malicious prosecution case. When he failed to appear at four court hearings, he and his clients were sanctioned, and the case was dismissed.

He stipulated that he failed to perform legal services competently, keep his clients reasonably informed about developments in a case, communicate, return files, pay sanctions and obey court orders.

Bryan filed a damages claim in another case. He then stopped working on the case but did not properly withdraw from employment. When he failed to prosecute the case, it was dismissed. He did not appear at an evaluation conference and no defendants were served with the complaint.

Bryan also stipulated that he advertised as an attorney in a false and deceptive manner by listing himself and a retired attorney as purported partners, although he had no professional association with her.

In mitigation, he has no record of prior discipline, and suffered from manic depression and substance abuse. His illness is now under control and he is sober.