A disbarred San Francisco attorney faces multiple felony charges stemming from allegations he practiced law without a license and impersonated a client.
Russell A. Robinson was arraigned on Monday afternoon on charges of unauthorized practice of law, false personation, identity theft, forgery and filing a false instrument. The San Francisco District Attorney's Office alleged Robinson defrauded two courtrooms, two insurance agencies and practiced law after his license was suspended in June 2019.
"Our legal system depends on lawyers to be truthful and act with integrity," San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin said in a statement on Monday. "Breaching that trust hurts not only the individuals who have been defrauded, but damages the confidence the public places in the legal system. Those who practice law are not above it."
Robinson was not allowed to practice law in California after the state bar declared him inactive in June 2019, according to public records. He was disbarred this July.
Prosecutors alleged Robinson continued his practice as an attorney, persuading a client to hire him. Robinson filed a lawsuit on behalf his client, a licensed attorney, in a California Supreme Court. He allegedly forged the attorney's signature, as well as those of his assistant, in documents submitted to the court.
Robinson allegedly also impersonated his client when he submitted his client's signature on documents to two insurance companies, according to public records. Those companies paid out $265,000 in settlement proceedings to Robinson based on the fraudulent documents, and he allegedly embezzled most of those funds.
Prosecutors, citing records from the State Bar Court of California, also alleged Robinson forged the signatures of a legal assistant in documents he submitted to the court’s review department. The bar court recommended his disbarment, and the California Supreme Court accepted that recommendation in a June hearing. Robinson was formally disbarred as of July 30, according to public records.
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