| To find pre-screened bankruptcy lawyers call at | | | | Lee finally admitted he was not licensed in any state, |
| 661-310-7999 | | | | the report said. He was immediately suspended, and |
| A former associate at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & | | | | on that day sent a change of address form to the |
| Rosati in Palo Alto was arrested late last month in | | | | California State bar, requesting a duplicate bar card |
| connection with allegations that he was not licensed | | | | belonging to Steve Y.C. Lee, listing Wilson as his new |
| to practice law and had attempted to falsify | | | | employer. Less than a week after he was fired, Lee |
| credentials. | | | | submitted a resume to an executive legal search firm |
| Steven Young Lee, 31, who had worked in the | | | | to find new work as a lawyer, the report said. |
| prestigious law firm’s securities litigation division | | | | “This was an obvious attempt on his part to |
| since last August, was fired last month when the firm | | | | steal Steve Y.C. Lee’s bar number,” |
| found out that the Boston College law graduate had | | | | concluded the report. The Sacramento lawyer, |
| lied about being licensed to practice law in California | | | | meanwhile, said this week that he is considering a |
| or anywhere else. | | | | negligence suit against Wilson, Sonsini. “At the |
| Lee’s attorney, Lucy McAllister, did not return | | | | bare minimum, Wilson was negligent,” said Steve |
| phone calls, and when reached Monday, Lee himself | | | | Y.C. Lee. “All it takes is one search. ... What firm |
| said “I don’t want to comment.” | | | | doesn’t do a background check?” |
| After his arrest April 29, Lee was charged with | | | | Scott defended the firm’s hiring practices, even |
| felony grand theft and the unlawful practice of law. If | | | | as he stressed that such an incident would never |
| convicted of both charges, Lee faces up to five | | | | happen again. |
| years behind bars, according to Santa Clara County | | | | “We check references, and we did so in this |
| Assistant District Attorney Al Weger. | | | | case,” he said. The state bar’s Web site, |
| While at Wilson, Sonsini, Lee conducted interviews, | | | | which lists Steve Y.C. Lee’s bar number and that |
| took depositions, gave legal advice and made court | | | | of other lawyers, is accessible to anyone. |
| appearance in L.A., San Francisco and San Mateo. The | | | | Ironically, Steven Y. Lee had gotten over what to |
| firm has returned to clients a total of $219,865.95 | | | | most aspiring lawyers are the hardest parts of the |
| that was billed for Lee’s work, and it brought | | | | process -- getting through law school and passing a |
| the matter to prosecutors’ attention, Weger | | | | required test. Prosecutors said he has passed the bar |
| said. | | | | in at least two states, and in 1993, he graduated |
| “The work he did seemed adequate,” said | | | | from Boston College Law School. |
| Wilson, Sonsini lawyer Timothy Scott, chair of the | | | | Shortly afterward, though, Lee made what would |
| firm’s litigation department. “The other | | | | prove to be a terrible mistake. It wasn’t that he |
| lawyers seemed to have liked him.” | | | | failed the Massachusetts exam (more than half of |
| According to a report by District Attorney | | | | test-takers do), but that he lied about the results to |
| Investigator Gary Medlin, the allegations unfolded April | | | | land a job with a firm in that state, prosecutors said. |
| 13 when partner Leo Cunningham overheard his | | | | When the firm found out, it fired Lee. |
| secretary talking to someone from the State Bar, | | | | In 1994, Lee moved to New York and took the bar |
| which grants individuals licenses to practice the | | | | exam for that state. He passed, but because of the |
| profession. The secretary, according to the report, | | | | incident in Massachusetts, he was rejected in a |
| was doing a routine verification to make sure Lee | | | | review of ethical conduct -- a step almost |
| was in good standing with the bar. (To practice law in | | | | perfunctory to many lawyers. After that, said |
| California, an individual must pass a bar exam and an | | | | prosecutors, he told the law firm of Dickstein, |
| ethics review.) | | | | Shapiro, Morin & Oshinsky that he was indeed |
| The bar, however, told the secretary that the | | | | licensed -- and worked there until his lie was |
| number she provided did not belong to Lee. | | | | discovered 15 months later, prosecutors said. |
| Cunningham then confronted the associate, according | | | | In 1997, Lee moved to work at Brian Cave LLP in |
| to the report, and Lee said that he must have | | | | Los Angeles. He lasted there less than two weeks |
| incorrectly written the number down. He said he | | | | when the firm found out he didn’t have a license |
| would check his bar card and give the correct | | | | to practice in California, prosecutors said. Last |
| number to Cunningham, the report said. | | | | February, Lee passed the California bar exam. But, |
| Lee later provided Cunningham with another number, | | | | said the report, “He never followed through with |
| which state bar records showed was registered to a | | | | the procedures necessary to become licensed. |
| Steve Y.C. Lee who lived in Sacramento. Steven Y. | | | | |