Convention of Consumer Attorneys Honors Anderson
Next year’s race for San Diego County district attorney is heating up with most of the controversy coming from current District Attorney Paul Pfingst’s office.
The San Diego Deputy District Attorneys Association, which consists of 300 attorneys in Pfingst’s office, announced a “no confidence” vote in Pfingst and called for his replacement in next year’s election. Sixty-eight percent of association members said they lack confidence in the district attorney.
“We believe this vote is a clear message to the voters in San Diego County,” said Richard Monroy, acting president of the Deputy District Attorneys Association. “If more than two-thirds of the deputy district attorneys are dissatisfied with Paul Pfingst, then there is quite obviously a serious problem.”
Monroy said Pfingst has “demonstrated a lack of honesty, lack of integrity and lack of ethics.” The association said there have been mounting failures within the office under Pfingst’s leadership, including lawsuits against the district attorney and top staffers, and the criminal indictment of a chief aide.
Pfingst has declined to comment on statements made by the association.
Pfingst is expected to seek re-election to a third term. He has been endorsed for re-election by the District Attorneys Investigators Association, the National Latino Police Officers Association, the Escondido Police Officers Association, and the mayors of Carlsbad, Oceanside, San Marcos, Escondido, Del Mar and Solana Beach.
Three challengers have come forward for the March 5 primary election including Superior Court Judge Bonnie Dumanis, Deputy District Attorney Mark Pettine and private attorney Michael Aguirre.
– – –
Helping Homeowners:
Clayton Anderson, a senior partner with La Mesa-based Anderson & Kriger, was recognized for work on behalf of homeowners and condominium associations at the 40th annual Convention of the Consumer Attorneys of California.
The statewide consumer advocacy organization met Nov. 11 in San Francisco and presented Anderson with the 2001 Presidential Award of Merit “for protecting homeowners with incredible courage and perseverance in the face of injustice.”
San Diego Superior Court judges recently elected North County Supervising Judge John S. Einhorn to a two-year term as assistant presiding judge as of Jan. 2. Einhorn will serve the state’s second-largest trial court with newly elected Presiding Judge Richard E.L. Strauss Patricia P. Hollenbeck, a shareholder with the law firm of Buchanan Ingersoll, has been appointed to the California State Bar Business Law Section’s Franchise Law Committee Richard R. Castillo has joined the San Diego office of Morris, Polich & Purdy LLP. The following associates have joined the San Diego office of Morrison & Foerster: Jose Patino, Davel Zaveri, David Radel, Paul Konopka, David Devernoe and Corey Salsberg.
The deadline for the next law column is Monday, Nov. 26. Send related items to dward@sdbj.com.
