Restitution Leads To Sanction Reduction

The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania approved a joint petition for a two-year suspension in a matter where an attorney had converted to his own use fee payments due to his firm. The court decision appends a lengthy agreed statement of facts that lays out the particulars in detail. The discussion of sanction options is of particular interest– the attorney had no prior discipline and had made restitution to the firm. These factors were considered to merit a sanction somewhat less than that imposed in other cases involving law-firm conversion. (Mike Frisch)