Felony Assault Leads To Automatic Disbarment

The New York Appellate Division for the Third Judicial Department imposed disbarment for a felony offense

Respondent was admitted to practice by this Court in 2014 and most recently served as a Greene County Assistant Public Defender. In January 2022, respondent pleaded guilty to the class D violent felony of assault in the second degree (see Penal Law § 120.05 [1]; see also Penal Law § 70.02 [1] [c]) upon his admission to repeatedly punching his then-girlfriend with a closed fist, fracturing her skull and causing a brain bleed and resulting brain damage.

Sanction

The conviction of any attorney of a New York felony results in that attorney’s automatic disbarment by operation of law (see Judiciary Law § 90 [4] [a], [e]) and, for purposes of this proceeding, respondent’s plea of guilty serves as the functional equivalent of a conviction.

(Mike Frisch)