Lawyer suspended for fake photos with celebritie

SVITLANA E. SANGARY [#232282], 41, of Los Angeles, was suspended from the practice of law for six months and ordered to comply with rule 9.20 of the California Rules of Court and take the MPRE. She was also placed on three years' probation and faces a two-year suspension if she does not comply with the terms of her disciplinary probation. The order took effect April 26, 2015.

A State Bar Court judge found Sangary culpable of false advertising for transposing her image into multiple celebrity photos, including those with Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, George Clooney and Paris Hilton, which she put on her website to drum up business. Sangary was also found culpable of two counts of failing to participate in a State Bar investigation.

In another matter, Sangary failed to discuss the status of a client's case after he fired her. She then refused to turn over the client's file to his new attorney, despite multiple requests. When the State Bar got involved, she handed over a portion of the file, withholding important documents. It wasn't until the new attorney contacted the State Bar that Sangary gave up the remainder of the file.

In mitigation, Sangary had no prior record of discipline.