Former Attorney Admits Stealing From Clients

A former attorney from Santa Monica who admitted stealing more than a quarter of a million dollars from nearly a dozen clients was sentenced Wednesday to three years in county jail, prosecutors said.

David Robinson, 44, pleaded no contest last year to 10 felony counts of grand theft of personal property and one felony count of practicing law without a license. He admitted stealing $367,953 from 11 clients and one employee between April 2007 and April 2010, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office.

Robinson would settle cases on behalf of his clients, deposit the money in a trust, then withdraw it for personal use, according to deputy D.A. Fernando Guzman.

He was a California attorney from February 1995 until he resigned in January, 2010. When Robinson's license was suspended for one year in 2007, he continued representing clients, the D.A.'s office said.

Robinson has so far paid $75,000 in restitution. He still owes victims $293,000, Guzman said.

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