On Thursday, June 5, 2025, the Presiding Disciplinary Judge of the Supreme Court of Arizona reprimanded Attorney James William Alcantara for violating professional conduct rules. The disciplinary action stems from Alcantara’s actions during a personal injury case, as outlined in an Agreement for Discipline by Consent filed on May 21, 2025.
The case is entitled “In the Matter of James William Alcantara,” with case no. PDJ 2025-9034.
Alcantara faced sanctions for breaching the Arizona Rules of Professional Conduct, specifically Ethical Rule 1.7(a) regarding conflicts of interest and Rule 41(b)(7) concerning professional duties. The case involved Alcantara’s joint representation of Alyssa Padilla in a personal injury matter related to a boating accident.
According to the agreement, Alcantara and another Arizona attorney, referred to as J.W., were named in a fee agreement dated February 6, 2023, formalizing their joint representation of Padilla. Alcantara, however, failed to recognize that the agreement established a joint representation rather than a referral fee arrangement, as he believed. During the litigation, Alcantara provided legal advice to Padilla, reviewed exhibits, commented on opposing counsel’s trial strategy, and advised her on deposition preparation.
On November 4, 2023, Alcantara sent text messages to Padilla containing inappropriate sexual and lewd inquiries, which she rejected. This conduct led Padilla to request on June 18, 2024, that Alcantara’s involvement in her case be limited. On August 29, 2024, J.W. informed Alcantara via email of the impropriety of his actions, noting Padilla’s emotional distress and the ethical concerns raised. Consequently, J.W. removed Alcantara from the case, as Padilla no longer wished for his involvement.
The disciplinary agreement, accepted by Presiding Disciplinary Judge Lisa A. VandenBerg, outlined that Alcantara’s actions caused emotional distress to Padilla and required additional time and resources to remove him from the litigation. The agreement cited Alcantara’s negligence in failing to clarify his role in the representation and noted that his interest created a conflict that undermined the attorney-client relationship. The sanctions were determined based on the American Bar Association’s Standards for Imposing Lawyer Sanctions, specifically Standard 4.3, which recommends a reprimand for negligent conflicts of interest causing harm.
As part of the disciplinary measures, Alcantara was placed on 12 months of probation, requiring him to complete two CLE programs within 90 days: “10 Deadly Sins of Conflict” and “Civility, Professionalism and Ethics.” He must submit completion certificates and notes with a sworn statement. Alcantara is responsible for CLE costs and must provide evidence to the State Bar Compliance Monitor. He must also avoid further violations and pay $1,200 in administrative fees within 30 days to prevent interest from accruing.
The Disposition states:
“IT IS ORDERED that JAMES WILLIAM ALCANTARA, Bar No. 036163, is reprimanded for his conduct in violation of the Arizona Rules of Professional Conduct and Rules of the Supreme Court of Arizona, as set forth in the Agreement documents.”
According to Avvo.com, Mr. Alcantara is an admiralty and maritime attorney in San Diego, California. He acquired his law license in Arizona in 2020.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
