2 former Girardi Keese attorneys are disciplined for roles in theft scandal

A State Bar Court judge ruled that two former attorneys at Girardi Keese law firm should be disciplined for their alleged roles in the misappropriation of tens of millions of dollars that led to the downfall of famed plaintiffs attorney Thomas V. Girardi.

State Bar Court Judge Phong Wang recommended a six-month suspension of Keith D. Griffin's license and ordered David R. Lira - Girardi's son-in-law - to practice with limitations as he awaits criminal prosecution alongside Girardi in federal court in Chicago.

Girardi Keese dissolved by January 2021. Lira is an active Los Angeles trial attorney at Engstrom, Lipscomb & Lack.

Griffin also litigates in Los Angeles.

Last June, State Bar Trial Counsel Eli D. Morgenstern and Kristina B. Ramos moved to disbar Griffin and Lira. They accused both of them of helping Girardi misappropriate more than $743,000 in settlement funds meant for families of victims of a 2018 Indonesian air crash. Both denied that they had any knowledge of or influence over the handling of client funds by Girardi.

Girardi, who also faces federal charges in Los Angeles, is accused of stealing $18 million from clients. Girardi was disbarred in 2022 without appearing in State Bar Court.

Griffin was the first attorney to face a State Bar trial last October over the allegations surrounding Girardi.

Wang found Griffin culpable of seven of his eight charges, which included several counts of moral turpitude, concealment from clients and law colleagues and a failure to act with competence and reasonable diligence. A charge that accused him of false testimony in a contempt hearing was dismissed. In the Matter of Keith David Griffin, SBC-23-0-30691 (State Bar Ct., filed June 14, 2023).

"Based on the seriousness of the misconduct while considering the full context including Griffin's lack of venality, and after weighing the factors in mitigation and aggravation with comparison to case law, the court recommends discipline to include a sizable actual suspension period of six months," Wang wrote in Griffin's order Friday.

Griffin's attorney, Ryan D. Saba of Rosen Saba LLP, said in a statement Sunday: "Mr. Griffin is grateful for the hard work put into the thoughtful and lengthy decision by Judge Wang. While Mr. Griffin disagrees with some of the findings of fact and conclusions, he is relieved that this ordeal is near a conclusion so he can move on with his career."

State Bar Chief Trial Counsel George Cardona said in a statement Monday: "We are also pleased that the court has found Mr. Griffin culpable on some of the most serious disciplinary charges against him."

However, because bar prosecutors sought disbarment, Cardona said his office "will be looking at the court's decision and the underlying record in detail to determine whether we will seek review of the level of discipline imposed."

Lira's disciplinary proceedings were abated by Wang last year on grounds of self-incrimination protection as he awaits trial in Chicago. He faces bar charges on two separate cases related to settlement fund misappropriation for the Lion Air crash victims and clients in a 2014 San Bernardino dump truck collision lawsuit. In the Matter of David Richard Lira, SBC-0-30689, SBC-0-30690 (State Bar Ct., filed June 14, 2024).

Morgenstern and Ramos filed the involuntary inactive enrollment application against Lira soon after Wang's abatement ruling. They argued in several motions that the abated charges were "two significant matters" that showed evidence he had caused substantial harm to multiple clients and was a risk to the public.

Lira's counsel argued the prosecutors' case lacked "clear and convincing evidence" and urged Wang to impose interim remedies against him instead.

Wang, in her order, wrote that Lira successfully pleaded his case. The judge placed limitations on his law practice that include "prohibiting his control over client trust accounts and requiring co-counsel supervision over all client communications."

Wang also ordered Lira to cooperate with the State Bar Office of Probation to ensure compliance and provide quarterly certifications.

State Bar Court "retains jurisdiction to revoke the order of interim remedies and to impose an order placing Lira on inactive enrollment on any substantive violation," the judge added.

Lira's counsel at Rogers Joseph O'Donnell and Long & Levit LLP did not respond to inquiries by press deadline Monday.

Cardona said his office is "pleased that the court has concluded that the evidence we presented demonstrated that we are reasonably likely to succeed on some of the more serious disciplinary charges against Mr. Lira. ... We hope these strict conditions, with compliance to be supervised by the Office of Probation, will be sufficient to protect the public during the pendency of the disciplinary proceedings."