Effective January 19, 2022, Terrence Patrick Goggin of San Francisco, a former state assembly member, was summarily disbarred for a criminal conviction involving moral turpitude following his December 4, 2019, guilty plea to a felony money laundering charge in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
In connection with his guilty plea, Goggin admitted that between 2007 and 2014 he solicited $685,000 from two investors to build Peet’s Coffee retail centers at two BART stations in San Francisco. The investors’ funds were never used for the promised BART projects. Instead, Goggin diverted the funds to other business and personal uses.
Following Goggin’s guilty plea, the State Bar’s Office of Chief Trial Counsel (OCTC) transmitted evidence of his conviction to the State Bar Court. Effective March 30, 2020, that court ordered Goggin placed on interim suspension.
By law, following a felony conviction, a summary disbarment action may proceed only once the conviction becomes final, that is, after all appeals have been exhausted. Goggin was sentenced on his guilty plea on February 10, 2021, when he was ordered to serve 12 months and one day in federal custody followed by three years supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $685,000 in restitution. Thereafter, the time for appeal ran without Goggin pursuing an appeal, which he had waived as part of his plea agreement. On June 28, 2021, the State Bar moved for summary disbarment based on Goggin’s felony conviction having become final.
Mr. Goggin’s discipline history is set out on his updated profile page on the State Bar’s website.
You can search State Bar Court records and documents related to attorney discipline matters using the court’s Case Search feature. Input either the case number or attorney’s name (last, first, middle).
Effective January 19, 2022, Andrew Harris Wilson of Nevada City, in Nevada County, was summarily disbarred for a felony criminal conviction involving moral turpitude following his January 25, 2018, guilty plea to a felony charge of conspiracy to unlawfully sell unregistered securities in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
In connection with his guilty plea, Wilson admitted that he signed letters in his capacity as an attorney that contained knowingly false statements about unregistered shares of stocks owned by other coconspirators who intended, fraudulently, to sell the shares to third parties as unrestricted, or “free trading.” Wilson acted as an escrow agent for the stock sale, received and deposited $18,677 into his client trust account for a shell buyer or buyers, and knew that the stock sales were based on his letters containing false statements about the unrestricted or “free trading” status of the shares.
Wilson’s conviction record was transmitted to the State Bar Court on April 17, 2018, and he was placed on interim suspension effective June 4, 2018. He tendered his resignation with disciplinary charges pending on June 11, 2018. On January 18, 2019, Wilson was sentenced by the federal court to 60 months of probation with conditions, including seven months home confinement and the performance of 300 hours of community service. A second amended judgment issued February 25, 2020, ordered Wilson to also pay $157,750 in restitutions. Thereafter, the time for appeal expired without Wilson pursuing an appeal. On March 15, 2021, the State Bar moved for summary disbarment based on Wilson’s felony conviction becoming final.
Mr. Wilson’s discipline history is set out on his updated profile page on the State Bar’s website.
Effective January 19, 2022, Andrew Whitney Taylor of El Cerrito, in Contra Costa County, was disbarred following his default on a Notice of Disciplinary Charges alleging failure to perform with competence, failure to respond to client inquiries, and failure to cooperate and participate in a State Bar disciplinary investigation. According to the charges filed by OCTC, Taylor intentionally, recklessly, or repeatedly failed to competently represent a client from Nigeria seeking immigration asylum. Taylor failed to include in the asylum motion any information regarding changed conditions detrimental or harmful to his client due to Nigeria’s Anti-Same Sex Marriage Act passed in January 2014, and from September 2014 to May 2017, he failed to file any motions or pleadings on behalf of his client.
In addition to disbarment, the California Supreme Court ordered Taylor to pay $5,000 to the State Bar’s Client Security Fund, a discretionary fund paid for entirely by California lawyers that can reimburse clients who have lost money or property due to theft or dishonest conduct by a California lawyer.
Mr. Taylor’s discipline history is set out on his updated profile page on the State Bar’s website.
Attorney discipline matters are investigated and prosecuted by the State Bar’s OCTC, acting on behalf of the public. The State Bar Court oversees disciplinary proceedings and adjudicates charges filed by OCTC. The State Bar Court rules on whether an attorney has committed professional misconduct and may recommend that an attorney be suspended or disbarred. The State Bar Court’s recommendation is transmitted to the California Supreme Court, which determines whether to impose the recommended discipline. See rule 9.18, California Rules of Court.
Summaries of discipline imposed on San Francisco County attorneys, Nevada County attorneys, and Contra Costa County attorneys, including disbarments, suspensions, probation orders, and public reprovals are available on the State Bar’s website. A list of cease-and-desist notices issued to nonattorneys based on allegations that they have engaged in the unauthorized practice of law is also available by county through the dropdown menu.