Novation Law Center

Agency: California State Bar
Description:

On April 25, 2013, Bruce Steven Weiner was disbarred from the State Bar of California and is prohibited to practice law in California by order of the California Supreme Court. The State Bar found Weiner committed 51 counts of misconduct in 15 loan modification matters, ten of which were undertaken in states where he was not authorized to practice law.

According to the State Bar’s Discipline summary states that while operating as owner and attorney for Novation Law Center, the All State Law Group and the Realty Law Center, Weiner used fee agreements that attempted to divide the services his companies provided into prequalification and post-qualification services to bypass laws that prohibit attorneys from receiving compensation in loan modification matters until all services have been performed. Several of the fee agreements required the clients to pay in full following the completion of prequalification services which consisted of basic tasks such as interviewing the client or setting up a file. Clients paid thousands of dollars in advanced attorney fees and did not receive any modifications.

Weiner was found guilty of, among other charges, failing to perform legal services with competence, violating loan modification provisions, failing to return unearned fees, collecting illegal fees, failure to cooperate with a disciplinary investigation and the unauthorized practice of law in another state. He has been ordered to pay $41,052.50 in restitution, plus interest.  Weiner has a record of past disciplines with the State Bar.