Maybe Never

An attorney who was disbarred in New Jersey (where he practiced) and Pennsylvania (where he had never practiced) sought reinstatement in Pennsylvania.

The 2002 disbarment was the result of a conviction for theft of substantial entrusted funds. The root cause: a gambling addiction. The attorney served a prison term.

The Disciplinary Board noted evidence that he had refrained from gambling for several years but also expressed concerns about his non-disclosures of information in the reinstatement application.

The board

We are acutely aware that Petitioner was 63 years of age at the time of the reinstatement hearing. He made the compelling argument that if he is not readmitted at this time, he probably will not get back to practicing law in the future. We have suympathy for this argument and have duly considered Petitioner’s position on this issue, but it remains that Petitioner had failed to meet his burden of proof.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court agreed. (Mike Frisch)