The State Bar of California
  • Log in
  • News
  • Forms
  • Contact
About Us:
  • Our Mission
  • |
  • Who We Are
  • |
  • News
  • |
  • Careers
  • |
  • Business Opportunities
  • Public
    • Need Legal Help
      • Look Up a Lawyer
      • Using a Certified Lawyer Referral Service
        • Certified Lawyer Referral Services Directory
          • LRS FAQs for Consumers
          • File a Complaint about an LRS
          • How to Become a Certified LRS
      • Free Legal Help
    • Complaints & Claims
      • How to File a Complaint
        • Before You File
        • Why File a Complaint
        • Attorney Complaint
        • After You File
        • Después de presentar una queja
        • Nonattorney Complaint
        • Discipline Referral
      • Unauthorized Practice of Law Complaint
        • After You File
        • Después de presentar una queja por práctica no autorizada
      • Fee Disputes
        • FAQ
      • Client Security Fund
        • Client Security Fund Application Process
        • Application Instructions
      • Lawyer Referral Service Complaints
        • Certified Lawyer Referral Service Complaints
        • Uncertified Lawyer Referral Service Complaints
      • FAQ
    • Free Legal Information
      • Before Selecting an Attorney
        • Finding the Right Lawyer
        • What a Certified Lawyer Referral Service Can Do for You
        • Your Initial Consultation
      • Working with an Attorney
        • What to Expect from Your Attorney
        • How to Work with Your Lawyer
        • What to Expect Regarding Fees and Billing
        • How to Avoid Problems
      • Resolving Problems
        • Problem with a Lawyer
        • Lawyer Fee Dispute
          • Lawyer Fee Dispute FAQ
        • Client Security Fund
      • Unauthorized Practice of Law
        • Avoiding Fraud by Immigration Consultants
        • Práctica no autorizada de la abogacía
        • Evite el fraude por parte de los consultores de inmigración
      • For Immigrants
        • Buscando ayuda con asuntos de inmigración
        • Immigration Legal Services Providers
        • Proveedores de servicios legales de inmigración
      • Legal Help After a Disaster
      • For Veterans & Service Members
      • Legal Services Fraud Alert for Homeowners
        • Alerta a Propietarios Referente al Fraude de Servicios Legales
      • Legal Services Fraud Alert for Renters
        • Alerta a Arrendatarios Referente al Fraude de Servicios Legales
      • Legal Guide Pamphlets
      • FAQ
    • Discipline
      • Attorney Discipline
      • Nonattorney Actions
      • Discipline Statistics
      • Look Up a Lawyer
    • En español
  • About Us
    • Our Mission
      • Protecting the Public
        • Regulation Overview
        • Public Comment
          • Public Comment Guidelines
          • Public Comment Archives
            • 2022 Public Comment
            • 2021 Public Comment
            • 2020 Public Comment
            • 2019 Public Comment
            • 2018 Public Comment
            • 2017 Public Comment
              • 2017-12
            • 2016 Public Comment
            • 2015 Public Comment
            • 2014 Public Comment
            • 2013 Public Comment
            • 2012 Public Comment
            • 2011 Public Comment
            • 2010 Public Comment
        • Reports
        • Public Records
      • Promoting Justice in California
      • Promoting Diversity and Inclusion
    • Who We Are
      • Board of Trustees
        • Roster
        • Meetings
        • Audit Commitee
          • Roster
        • Board Executive Committee
          • Roster
        • Finance Committee
          • Roster
        • Regulation and Discipline Committee
          • Roster
        • Public Comment Guidelines
        • Supreme Court Appointments
        • Board Task Forces
      • Committees
        • Meetings
        • Ad Hoc Commission on the Discipline System
          • Roster
        • Blue Ribbon Commission
          • Resources
          • Roster
        • California Board of Legal Specialization
        • California Paraprofessional Program Working Group
          • Roster
          • FAQ
        • Client Security Fund Commission
          • Roster
        • Closing the Justice Gap Working Group
          • Roster
        • Committee of Bar Examiners
          • Committee of State Bar Accredited and Registered Schools
            • Roster
          • Law School Council
            • Roster
        • Committee on Professional Responsibility and Conduct
        • Committee on Special Discipline Case Audit
          • Roster
        • Council on Access and Fairness
          • Roster
        • Judicial Nominees Evaluation
          • Background
          • Appointments
          • Review Committee of the Commission on Judicial Nominees Evaluation
          • Roster
          • FAQ
          • JNE Demographics Reports
        • Lawyer Assistance Program Oversight Committee
          • Roster
        • Legal Services Trust Fund Commission
          • Roster
        • Privacy Law Group
      • Archived Committees
      • Staff
      • State Bar Holidays
    • News
      • Fact Sheets
      • Reports
      • Multimedia
      • Public Meetings Calendar
      • California Bar Journal Archive
    • Careers
      • Job Listings
      • Benefits
      • Salary
    • Business Opportunities
      • Previous Opportunities
  • Attorneys
    • For Attorneys
      • About Your State Bar Profile
        • Fees & Payment
          • Agency Billing
          • Annual Fees FAQs
          • Voluntary Contributions
          • Fees and Charges
        • Status Changes
        • Address Change
        • Reporting Requirements
        • Certificate of Standing
      • Fingerprinting Rule Requirements
        • For In-State Attorneys
        • For Out-of-State Attorneys
        • For Out-of-Country Attorneys
          • Out-of-Country Deadline Extension Request
        • Multijurisdictional Practitioner
        • FAQ
        • Penalty Schedule
        • Limited Accommodations
        • Glossary
      • Lawyer Assistance Program
        • Voluntary LAP for Attorneys
        • Voluntary LAP for Law Students and Applicants
        • Monitored LAP
        • LAP Resources
        • LAP FAQ
      • Mandatory Fee Arbitration
        • Approved Programs
        • Forms & Resources
        • Arbitration Advisories
      • Opening and Managing Law Office
        • Insurance Programs
        • Limited Liability Partnerships
          • Forms
          • Rules
        • Law Corporations Program
          • Forms
          • Rules
        • Revoking Law Corporation
      • For Judges
      • FAQ
    • MCLE & CLE
      • Requirements
        • Types of MCLE Credit
        • Proportional Requirement
        • MCLE Recordkeeping
        • Attorney Exemptions
        • Attorney Exemptions FAQ
        • Approved Jurisdictions
        • Education Approval
          • Evaluate Credit
          • MCLE Credit Request
        • New Admittees
        • Inactive or Not Eligible Status
        • Out-of-State Residents
        • Good Cause Modification
      • Compliance
        • Who Must Report Compliance
        • Compliance Groups
        • Audit FAQ
      • New Attorney Training Program
      • E-Learning Portal
      • MCLE Providers
        • Provider Search
        • Single Activity Providers
        • Multiple Activity Providers
        • Provider Record Keeping
        • Qualifying Activities
        • ADA
      • MCLE Self-Study
        • MCLE Self-Study FAQs
      • CLE
        • Online CLE
        • CLE Self-Study
      • Rules
        • Rules Specific MCLE Credits
      • FAQ
    • Conduct & Discipline
      • Lawyer Regulation
      • Self-Reporting FAQ
      • State Bar Court
      • Client Trust Accounting & IOLTA
        • Guidelines
        • Client Trust Accounting Handbook
        • Client Trust Accounting Resources
        • Update Form
        • IOLTA-Eligible Banks
        • Interest Rates
        • FAQ
      • Rules
        • Rules of the State Bar
          • Title 1 Global Provisions
          • Title 2 Rights and Responsibilities of Licensees
          • Title 3 Programs and Services
          • Title 4 Admissions and Educational Standards
          • Title 5 Discipline
          • Title 6 Governance
          • Title 7 Miscellaneous
          • Appendixes
          • New and Amended Rules
        • Rules of Professional Conduct
          • Current Rules
            • Chapter 1. Lawyer-Client Relationship
            • Chapter 2. Counselor
            • Chapter 3. Advocate
            • Chapter 4. Transactions with Persons Other than Clients
            • Chapter 5. Law Firms and Associations
            • Chapter 6. Public Service
            • Chapter 7. Information About Legal Services
            • Chapter 8. Maintaining the Integrity of the Profession
          • Previous Rules
        • Selected Legal Authority
          • Constitution Excerpts
          • The State Bar Act
          • California Rules of Court
          • Statutes
      • Ethics
        • Hotline
        • Opinions
          • 2009-176 to Present
          • 1998-152 to 2008-175
          • 1992-126 to 1997-151
          • 1988-96 to 1991-125
          • 1984-76 to 1987-95
          • 1979-48 to 1983-75
          • 1971-24 to 1977-47
          • 1965-1 to 1970-23
        • Rules Spotlight Videos
        • Ethics Schools
          • Class Schedule
          • Ethics School FAQ
        • Ethics & Technology Resources
          • Ethics Opinions Related to Technology
          • Ethics Articles on Technology
          • Online Participatory MCLE Programs
          • Online Communication
          • Electronic Files
          • Law Firm Websites
          • Social Media
          • Internet/Email Scams
          • Miscellaneous
        • Senior Lawyers Resources
          • Rules
          • Opinions
          • Publications
            • Wellness Guide
          • Articles
          • MCLE
          • Links
          • Closing a Law Practice
          • Contact Us
          • Attorney Surrogacy
        • ADA Claims Information
        • Judicial Ethics
        • Attorney Civility and Professionalism
        • Publications
          • Ethics News
          • Hotliner Articles
            • Archives
          • Pub 250
          • Compendium on Professional Responsibility Index
        • Committees
          • COPRAC
            • Education
              • Ethics Symposium
            • Opinion Requests
            • Rules
            • Roster
          • Rules Revision
            • Rules Commission 2017
              • Summaries
              • Proposed Rules
              • Roster
            • Rules Commission 2014
              • Action Summaries
              • Meetings
              • Roster
    • Ethics
    • Legal Specialization
      • About Certified Specialization
      • Becoming a Certified Specialist
        • Exam Information
          • Exam Preparation Information
          • Laptop Computers
          • Testing Accommodations
      • Current Certified Specialists
      • Legal Specialty Areas
      • Specialist Search
      • MCLE Requirements for Certified Specialists
      • Education Providers
      • Governance
        • Board of Legal Specialization
          • Roster
      • Rules & Standards
        • Advertising
      • FAQ
    • Volunteer
      • Special Master
        • FAQ
        • Rules
        • List
  • Admissions
    • Requirements
      • Registration
      • Education
        • Pre-Legal Education
          • College Equivalency Education
        • Legal Education
          • Fixed Facility
          • Correspondence or Distance Learning
          • Law Office or Judge's Chamber
          • Foreign Education
            • Foreign Law Degree
      • Social Security Exemption
      • Attorney Applicants
    • Examinations
      • Dates and Deadlines
      • Safelisting Tips for Email
      • California Bar Examination
        • July 2022 California Bar Exam
        • Laptops for Bar Exam
        • July 2022 Bar Exam FAQs
        • Instructions for Essay Questions and Performance Test
        • Testing Centers
        • California Bar Examination Scope
        • Exam Results
          • Bar Exam Pass List
        • Past Exams
        • Grading
        • Scaling
        • Refund of Fees Policy
        • Virtual Oath Packet
        • Attorney's Oath
      • First-Year Law Students' Examination
        • June 2022 First-Year Exam
        • Laptops for First-Year Exam
        • Exam Results
        • First-Year Exam Grading and Scope
      • Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination
      • Requesting Testing Accommodations
      • Exam Administration
        • Becoming a Grader
        • Becoming a Proctor
    • Moral Character
      • Moral Character Statement
      • Governing Law
      • Process
      • Factors and Conduct
      • Further Investigation and Informal Conferences
      • Guidelines
    • Special Admissions
      • Multijurisdictional Practice (MJP) Program
        • MJP Program Requirements and Process
        • MJP Program Types
      • Pro Hac Vice
      • Out-of-State Attorney Arbitration Counsel (OSAAC)
      • Foreign Legal Consultants (FLC)
        • FAQ
        • Foreign Legal Consultants List
      • Practical Training of Law Students
      • Provisionally Licensed Lawyers
        • Search
    • Law School Regulation
      • Law Schools
      • Committee of Bar Examiners Meetings
        • Minutes
        • Minutes Archive
        • Roster
      • Exam Statistics
  • Access to Justice
    • Initiatives
      • California Justice Gap Study
        • Justice Gap Study Survey Data
        • California Law Student Survey Data
      • Publications
      • Leadership Banks
    • Pro Bono
      • Pro Bono Directory
        • Central Coast and Eastern Sierra
        • Central Valley Area
        • Los Angeles Area
        • Sacramento and Northern California
        • San Diego and Imperial Valley
        • San Francisco Area
        • Statewide
      • Pro Bono Practice Program
      • Volunteer After a Disaster
      • Volunteer Opportunities to Assist Veterans and Service Members
      • FAQ
    • Grants
      • Legal Aid Funding
      • 2022 Grant Recipients
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • Lawyer Referral Services
    • Financial Institutions
      • IOLTA-Eligible Financial Institutions
  • News
  • Fact Sheets
  • Reports
  • Multimedia
  • Public Meetings Calendar
  • California Bar Journal Archive
Seal of The State Bar of California The State Bar of California

News Releases



Media Contact

Office of Communications | 213-765-1388 | barcomm@calbar.ca.gov

State Bar Shuts Down Unauthorized Law Practice Targeting Farmworkers

Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share on LinkedIn
Share with Email
Friday, November 30, 2018
   Categories: News Releases

The State Bar of California obtained an interim order to shut down an unlicensed law practice that targeted and took advantage of immigrant farmworkers.

The Los Angeles County Superior Court order assumes jurisdiction of the unauthorized law practice, which allows the State Bar to shut it down and reclaim client files and other records of the office of Vincent Enriquez. Enriquez has been doing business as NVE Associates, Inc. The court order obtained by the State Bar also authorizes the State Bar to freeze any bank account associated with the office and includes an injunction against Enriquez. A court date in this matter is set for December 11.

The State Bar argues that Enriquez offered legal services to farmworkers on California’s Central Coast, portraying himself as an immigration attorney. He was retained by several people in Santa Maria, ensured them they qualified for green cards, and provided legal advice. Following this, he filed asylum applications that resulted in removal proceedings being initiated against two of the clients. Enriquez has fraudulently charged over $12,000 in legal fees in these two matters.

The State Bar has previously sent Cease and Desist Notices to Enriquez regarding his unauthorized practice of law. When he did not comply with those notices, the State Bar initiated these additional enforcement actions.

The State Bar will attempt to return seized client files or documents to Enriquez’s former clients and inform them that it may be in their best interest to seek other legal counsel. Former clients should contact the State Bar directly at 213-765-1636 to inquire whether any of the seized documents or files belong to them. Multilingual interpretation is available.    

The State Bar of California has a dedicated unit to investigate and address the unauthorized practice of law, including those who give unlicensed legal advice and people posing as attorneys. If consumers consult immigration consultants for example, the law allows them to translate answers to questions on state or federal forms, obtain copies of supporting documents and refer their clients to legal representation. The use of the term notario is prohibited in California. Immigration consultants can't represent clients in court, however, or provide specific legal advice. If they do, they could be prosecuted for the unauthorized practice of law.

If an attorney practices law while their license is suspended or they are disbarred, it is also considered the unauthorized practice of law.

People who have been targeted by someone who is unlicensed can file an unauthorized practice of law complaint with the State Bar against a non-attorney. There is no cost to file a complaint. U.S. citizenship is not required to file a complaint and the State Bar will not ask about citizenship or immigration status.

The State Bar advises anyone in California to avoid fraud from attorneys and unlicensed legal providers, including non-attorneys using the title notario, by taking some of the following steps:

  • Ask for the attorney's full name and State Bar number. Before hiring the attorney or paying any sum of money, look up the attorney on the State Bar website (www.calbar.ca.gov), or the state in which they are licensed, to see if their license is active and whether they have any history of discipline. Consumers can also call the State Bar at 800-843-9053.
  • If the attorney is representing you in immigration matters, make sure they are licensed to practice before the Executive Office of Immigration Review.
  • Make sure to get your contract in writing as well as receipts for payments you make.
  • Be wary if someone requires cash payments. If you must pay in cash, be sure to have a written receipt.
  • Also be wary of those who threaten to report your immigration status if you do not pay them immediately.
  • Keep a paper trail. If you don't have a bank account, use a cashier's check, and insist on a written receipt. If you've already made a payment, you are entitled to ask for an accounting of your bills.

Additional State Bar resources for consumers:

  • File a complaint about the unauthorized practice of law
    (complaint forms are available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Russian)
  • File a complaint about an attorney
  • Look up an attorney to check the status of their license and whether there is a history of discipline
  • Multilingual State Bar legal resources for consumers
Previous Article
Next Article
Bar Seal
Protecting the public & enhancing the administration of justice.
  • Public
  • About Us
  • Attorneys
  • Admissions
  • Access to Justice
  • News
  • Forms
  • Careers
  • Staff Log in
  • San Francisco (Main Office)
    180 Howard St.
    San Francisco, CA 94105
    415-538-2000
  • Los Angeles
    845 S. Figueroa St.
    Los Angeles, CA 90017
    213-765-1000
Copyright © 2022 The State Bar of California
  • FAQ
  • User Policies
  • Contact
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn