Allan Dollison's Bar record is suddenly Humboldt County viral. Many of the same people who sat silent when he was hired by Gallegos - and when this record was aired here - are now incensed. It's been shopped around town, emailed, Rambo-style, to his supporters... Guess what? It's never been a secret. But anyway - here it is...
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Allan Dollison Admits to Forgery, Ethical Screw-Ups but Says He’s a New Person Now - Ryan Burns/The Journal
When Allan Dollison launched his campaign for district attorney three months ago, he made a point of addressing what he called “a mistake” he’d made early in his career. He briefly explained what happened.
In 1997, only two years after establishing his own office, Dollison said, he closed his private practice to seek employment elsewhere.
“I made a serious error in judgment by not finishing the work in three cases and representing that I had filed a motion … when I hadn’t — to a client in another case,” he said. “I apologize — then and now — profusely for that mistake. It was an error in judgment but one I have learned from. I have learned to be extra careful and exceptionally honest and hardworking. I am a Christian and I ask for forgiveness.”
...Despite Dollison’s attempts to deal with this issue preemptively, questions have continued to dog him in the campaign. It was brought up during a recent interview on KHSU, and in the Outpost‘s own elections section, a question about his state bar record received more up votes than any other question posed to any other candidate. Dollison recently posted a response, again describing his past deeds as, simply, “a mistake.”
...In response to questions from the Outpost, Dollison sent a written statement explaining that he has changed.
“I have always said you learn more from your failures in life than you do from your successes, and this is especially true in my case,” the statement says.
As an example of how he’s changed, Dollison describes a case he handled while working for the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office. Dollison makes a serious allegation of misconduct within the DA’s office and says he was responsible for righting the wrong. (The Outpost won’t print Dollison’s full statement since the allegations have not been corroborated.)
“I learned from my mistakes,” Dollison says in his statement. “I have grown from my mistakes. In the [above referenced] case, no one ever got in trouble, because I did the exact and appropriate thing. I am 47 years old and I have one unfortunate small sad chapter in my life. All I ask is to be judged by my entire life and not one aspect. I also ask that people consider that you can and do learn from your mistakes, and that you can become a better person, and a better lawyer.”
Read the whole article, at the link.
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All Allan Dollison coverage on this blog
State Bar Association:
Allan Lee Dollison - #177299
In re Allan Lee Dollison on Discipline
It is ordered that Allan Lee Dollison, State Bar No. 177299, be suspended from the practice of law for one year and until he makes restitution to Lynda Maisterra (or the Client Security Fund, if appropriate) in the amount of $837.00, plus 10% interest per annum from September 1, 1997; to Francisco and Flor Cruz (or the Client Security Fund, if appropriate) in the amount of $625.00, plus 10% interest per annum from September 24, 1997, and furnishes satisfactory proof thereof to the Probation Unit, State Bar Office of the Chief Trial Counsel; and until he has shown proof satisfactory to the State Bar Court of his rehabilitation, fitness to practice and learning and ability in the general law pursuant to standard 1.4(c)(ii), Standards for Attorney Sanctions for Professional Misconduct, that execution of suspension be stayed, and that he be placed on probation for two years on condition that he be actually suspended for 60 days and until he makes the restitution described above and provides satisfactory proof thereof to the Probation Unit. If he is actually suspended for two years or more, he shall remain actually suspended until he provides proof to the satisfaction of the State Bar of California of his rehabilitation, fitness to practice and learning and ability in the general law pursuant to standard 1.4(c)(ii), Standards for Attorney Sanctions for Professional Misconduct. Allan Lee Dollison is also ordered to comply with the other conditions of probation recommended by the Hearing Department of the State Bar Court in its Order Approving Stipulation filed March 31, 2000. It is further ordered that he take and pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination within one year after the effective date of this order or during the period of his actual suspension, whichever is longer. (See Segretti v. State Bar (1976) 15 Cal.3d 878, 891, fn. 8.) It is further ordered that if he is actually suspended for 90 days or more, he shall comply with rule 955 of the California Rules of Court, and that he perform the acts specified in subdivisions (a) and (c) of that rule within 120 and 130 calendar days, respectively, after the effective date of this order.* Costs are awarded to the State Bar and and one-half of said costs shall be added to and become part of the membership fee for the years 2001 and 2002. (Bus. & Prof. Code section 6086.10.)
*(See Bus. & Prof. Code, § 6126, subd. (c).)
