The California Bar took the first step against Michael Avenatti

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The move is the first step towards delisting, said Teresa Ruano, Program Manager at the Office of Strategic Communications at the State Bar of California.

The filing comes after Avenatti was charged with 36 counts by a federal jury in California in April. The charges include: embezzlement, cable fraud, tax evasion, bankruptcy fraud and bank fraud related to the alleged theft of tens of millions of dollars from five clients, including a paraplegic.
Michael Avenatti accused of stealing $ 300,000 from former client Stormy Daniels
In a separate case in New York, Avenatti is accused of attempting to extort more than $ 20 million from the Nike sportswear company. He has also been charged with fraud and aggravated identity theft involving his former client, Stormy Daniels. Prosecutors accused him of stealing about $ 300,000 in advance for Daniels.

Ruano says that there are still several steps to go before Avenatti is written off, but the move to an "inactive involuntary inactive status" would prevent him from practicing law in the state of California.

Avenatti has 10 days to file an answer and request a hearing. If no answer is filed, he will have waived his right to a hearing. The state bar must file a status decision within 30 days of the hearing.

Avenatti responded to the action of the State Bar in a tweet on Monday.

"The California Bar Association's action is nothing but" fictitious "action and was fully awaited in light of the pending charges. I offered to cooperate with the bar and they instead decided to issue a press release as a waterfall.I look forward to being fully exonerated by the facts. "

Jennifer Selva and Erica Orden from CNN contributed to this report.

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