Struck From The Roll

The New York Appellate Division for the Second Judicial Department has accepted the resignation of an attorney who admitted

The resignor acknowledges in his affidavit that his resignation is freely and voluntarily tendered, and that he is not being subjected to coercion or duress. He acknowledges that the Grievance Committee for the Tenth Judicial District is currently investigating two complaints of professional misconduct against him. The resignor avers that he misappropriated approximately $216,000 entrusted to him as the attorney for the executor of an estate; presented the executor with a check register in which he, among other things, entered false payee names for checks actually made payable to his order or falsely recorded as “void” checks actually made payable to his order, while deliberately withholding the monthly bank statements and canceled checks from the executor; failed to properly re-register as an attorney for two consecutive registration periods (2010-2011 and 2012-2013), and failed to submit answers to pending complaints or otherwise respond to the lawful inquiries of the Grievance Committee. He states that he has now returned all of the funds due to the estate, as well as the entire legal fee he received. The resignor acknowledges that if charges were predicated on the misconduct under investigation, he could not successfully defend himself on the merits against those charges.

He was disbarred and struck from the roll of attorneys and may not seek reinstatement for seven years. (MIke Frisch)