On Wednesday, April 26, 2023, the Supreme Court of California ruled on the disciplinary charges against San Diego attorney Kelly Duford Williams accusing the latter of misappropriation of funds and impersonating a lawyer.

The case is styled ‘In re Kelly Duford Williams’ and was brought by the State Bar of California, Office of Chief Trial Counsel, under case no. SBC-22-O-30161.

The charges cited Rules of Professional Conduct Rules 1.15(a), 1.15(d)(4), 1.15(d)(7), 5.5(a)(2), 8.4(a), and 8.4(b).

The rules of professional conduct can be found on The State Bar of California page.

The Notice of Disciplinary Charges charged Williams with 16 counts of misconduct, accusing Williams of failing to deliver settlement money to clients, misappropriating client funds, and impersonating a lawyer. Williams was further alleged to have aided in the unauthorized practice of law. failed to cooperate and participate in the disciplinary investigation.

The filing states:

“On or about April 24, 2021, respondent stated to a Hurricane, Utah Police Dispatcher that she was a Deputy District Attorney from San Diego named (“Amanda Mathis”), and that she had received a text message from her niece claiming that there was an emergent situation regarding the niece’s child, when respondent knew that all the statements were false and misleading since respondent knew her name was not “Amanda Mathis,” she was not employed as a Deputy District Attorney, she was not related to the person she identified as her niece, and that she did not receive a text message from the person she identified as her niece claiming that there was an emergent situation regarding her child.”

The filing continues:

“From on or about June 11, 2021, through present, respondent knowingly assisted Adrienne Couraud, who is not licensed to practice law in California, in holding out to the public that Adrienne Couraud is admitted to practice law in California, by listing Adrienne Couraud as a“senior attorney” on respondent’s law firm’s, Slate Law Group’s, website when respondent knew Adrienne Couraud was not licensed to practice law in California.”

The filing further alleges:

“On or about March 1, 2021, respondent received on behalf of respondent’s client, Anna Koparanova, aggregate settlement funds in the amount of $61,750 from Berkley Insurance Company and Solo Group Management, Inc., made payable to Slate Law Client Trust Account relating to the settlement of Anna Koparanova employment dispute. On or about March 11, 2021, respondent deposited the $61,750 in settlement funds into respondent’s client trust account at Western Alliance Bank (Torry Pines Bank), account number XXXXXX78851, on behalf of the client, Anna Koparanova.

Between or about March 16, 2021andApril16, 2021, respondent willfully and intentionally misappropriated $40,910or the respective portion of the $61,750 settlement amount that the respondent’s client, Anna Koparanova, was entitled to receive.”

The filing additionally notes:

“On or about July 22, 2021, respondent deposited $42,500in settlement funds into respondent’s client trust account at Mechanics Bank, account no. xxxxxx8550, on behalf of respondent’s client, Kia M. Vaara, to whom respondent owed a contractual, statutory, or other legal duty. Of this sum, the client was entitled to $15,200 or her respective portion of the $42,500 settlement amount.”

Accordingly, the Court ruled against Williams and entered an order disbarring the latter for his violation of the above-cited rules of professional conduct.

The disposition reads:

“The court orders that Kelly DuFord Williams(Respondent), State Bar Number 295646, is disbarred from the practice of law and that Respondent’s name is stricken from the roll of attorneys.”

Williams was ordered to pay restitution to Anna Koparanova, totaling $14,910 with an additional 10 percent interest per year starting from March 11, 2021. Similarly, she was also ordered to pay restitution to Kia Vaara in the amount of $28,333.33, along with 10 percent interest per year starting from July 22, 2021.

Williams was further ordered to pay monetary sanctions to the State Bar of California Client Security Fund in the amount of $5,000.

Williams was once named Woman of the Year in 2021 by a San Diego Magazine, and now has become a fugitive with a revoked law license. Williams closed her practice and disappeared, with a grand theft warrant issued. The U.S. Marshals are pursuing her, but her current status remains unknown.

Williams practiced in San Diego, and she had been licensed in California, license no. 295646. Her online bio can be found on LinkedIn.

A copy of the original filing can be found here.