The State Bar of California is fighting to keep Michael Avenatti from practicing law in the state, saying he poses a 'substantial threat of harm to clients or the public'.

It has asked the State Bar Court to place Stormy Daniels' former lawyer on involuntary inactive enrollment as he fights three different criminal cases.

The bar said it expects to eventually disbar Avenatti, noting he has been charged with engaging in a 'major misappropriation of client funds'.

Avenatti has 10 days to file a response and seek a hearing. The attorney said he looks forward to being 'fully exonerated by the facts'.

The State Bar of California is fighting to keep Michael Avenatti from practicing law in the state

Avenatti is charged in Los Angeles federal court with stealing millions from clients, including Gregory Barela. He's also charged in New York with misappropriating $300,000 from Daniels, the porn actress he represented in a lawsuit against President Donald Trump. He denies all the allegations.

Steven Bledsoe, Barela's attorney, said he was 'grateful' the California State Bar was taking action against Avenatti.

Madoff famously masterminded a ponzi scheme worth $64.8 billion. He was sentenced to more than 150 years i njail in 2009

'Mr Avenatti has stolen money from multiple clients, violated their trust, and shoulder never be allowed to practice law again,' he told Fox News.

'Mr Avenatti is the Bernie Madoff of attorneys. He belongs disbarred and behind bars.'

Madoff famously masterminded a ponzi scheme worth $64.8 billion. He was sentenced to more than 150 years i njail in 2009.

Avenatti has denied the allegations, telling reporters last week that he was in the fight of his life 'against the ultimate Goliath, the Trump administration'.

The same day, Avenatti pleaded not guilty through his lawyer in the Daniels case.

Then, he announced four separate times that he was '100 percent not guilty' when a judge asked him to answer each charge in a case accusing him of trying to extort up to $25million from Nike.

In the Stormy Daniels case, Avenatti is charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.

Prosecutors said Avenatti diverted two $148,750 installment payments from Daniels' $800,000 book advance, after sending her literary agent a letter that forged her signature, and directed that money be sent to his bank account.

It has asked the State Bar Court to place Stormy Daniels' former lawyer on involuntary inactive enrollment as he fights three different criminal cases

According to the papers, Avenatti spent some of the diverted funds on lease payments for the Ferrari, hotels, airfare, restaurant meals, car service and business expenses.

In the Nike case, Avenatti is charged with one count of extortion, one count of sending interstate communications with intent to extort and two counts of conspiracy.

Federal prosecutors in New York allege that Avenatti tried to shake down Nike for millions of dollars so he wouldn't reveal allegations the apparel company paid off high school basketball players.

Prosecutors allege that Avenatti approached Nike with his allegations of malfeasance, and demanded that he either be paid to conduct an internal audit of the company, or given more than $20 million to maintain his silence.

Avenatti is charged in New York with misappropriating $300,000 from Daniels, the porn actress he represented in a lawsuit against President Donald Trump

Nike has denied wrongdoing, and assisted prosecutors prior to Avenatti's arrest.

Avenatti also faces dozens of charges in southern California, where prosecutors on April 11 accused him of stealing millions of dollars from clients to pay for personal and business expenses, and lying to the Internal Revenue Service and a Mississippi bank about his finances.

If convicted on all charges, Avenatti could face more than 400 years in prison, but would likely face a lesser punishment.

Avenatti has claimed the prosecutions were to punish him for representing Daniels and criticizing Trump.

'I look forward to a jury hearing all of the evidence and passing judgment on my conduct,' Avenatti wrote on Twitter after the indictments were announced.

'At no time was any money misappropriated or mishandled. I will be fully exonerated once the relevant emails, contracts, text messages, and documents are presented.'