The license to practice law is an affirmation of character and commitment to supporting the law, not attacking it. La Jolla attorney Alan Man (State Bar Number 262025) has been permanently disbarred by default, effective September 28, 2025, for a prolonged and severe pattern of unethical behavior that involved harassment, threats, and disrespect toward the judiciary.
Man’s case demonstrates that the State Bar will impose the maximum penalty when an attorney’s conduct crosses the line from aggressive litigation into targeted harassment and moral turpitude.
The Core Misconduct: A Campaign of Intimidation
The disbarment was based on three counts of professional misconduct, all stemming from a campaign of abusive conduct:
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Moral Turpitude (Threats and Harassment): The most serious finding was that Man’s conduct involved moral turpitude. Over the course of a single year, Man sent more than 3,000 text messages, emails, and voicemails to several individuals. These communications included unsubstantiated accusations of serious crimes, such as “tax fraud, wire fraud, and human trafficking,” along with threats to destroy one individual’s “personal life.”
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Violating Court Orders: As a direct result of Man’s harassment, two temporary and two permanent restraining orders were issued against him, all of which the State Bar found he subsequently violated.
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Failing to Maintain Respect Due to the Court (Bus. & Prof. Code $\S$ 6068(b)): Man sent threatening and harassing emails directly to the judge who issued the restraining orders, making demeaning and insulting claims, including that the judge’s rulings were due to her “PMS.”
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Failing to Support the Law: His entire pattern of conduct was deemed a failure to support the laws of California.
The Final Sanction: Disbarment by Default
The disbarment was finalized because Man failed to respond to the disciplinary charges:
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Default Judgment: Man failed to participate, either in person or through counsel, in the disciplinary proceeding. When an attorney defaults, the State Bar Court treats the factual allegations in the charges (including the campaign of harassment and the moral turpitude finding) as admitted.
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Maximum Penalty: Based on the admitted facts of severe and sustained misconduct, the State Bar Court determined that disbarment was the only appropriate recommendation to protect the public.
Conclusion: Civility and Respect are Mandatory
The permanent disbarment of Alan Man sends an unambiguous message: An attorney who uses their position to wage a campaign of harassment, threaten individuals, and disrespect judicial officers is unfit to practice law.
The State Bar emphasizes that attorneys must maintain the highest levels of civility and respect, even when personally involved in litigation. Man’s failure to do so, coupled with his failure to comply with the disciplinary process, resulted in the permanent loss of his license.
