Stealing From The Blind

The New York Appellate Division for the First Judicial Department has disbarred an attorney as reciprocal discipline for a sanction imposed in the Virgin Islands.

There were two instances of misappropriation, one of the particularly ugly variety:

The second matter involved Fitzgerald Morris, a blind man who retained respondent to represent him in a lawsuit. Although respondent settled Morris’ action for $250,000, he retained $37,654.98 of the settlement proceeds and promised that payment would be forthcoming. Respondent, however, failed to remit the funds to Morris, who, in September 2005, filed a grievance with the EGC.

(Mike Frisch)