The seizure of a several lawyers’ law practices made the news this week.   Not the lawyer news, but the mainstream media.   Except that you might have missed that detail if you read the LA Times story quickly.  Nevertheless, the raid conducted by the State Bar with the Attorney General puts a little light on just how much power the State Bar can exercise.   That is the power to assume jurisdiction of a lawyer’s practice with the approval of the Superior Court conferred by California Bus. & Prof. Code section 6180 et seq. and section 6190, et seq.  Not many lawyers, let alone members of the general public, know that the State Bar can obtain an ex parte order without notice to the attorney allowing them to seize most the assets of a law practice, including files, computers, records, bank accounts, as well as redirect telephone and mail intended for the lawyer to the State Bar.  There is little more I can say on this topic but that the existence and exercise is sobering reminder of just how much power the State Bar of California can exercise.