A New York appellate court disbars an elder law attorney who pleaded guilty to felonies after filing forged documents in a probate case. Matter of Robbins (N.Y. Sup. Ct., App. Div., 1st Dept., No. M-4123, Nov. 17, 2016).
Manhattan elder law attorney James Robbins misplaced a client's will and made false claims to cover up the fact that he failed to perform work on the case. Mr. Robbins filed with the court forged receipts, a consent to probate form bearing a forged signature, and an affirmation of tardiness form containing false information.
The state pursued criminal action against Mr. Robbins, and he pled guilty to two felony counts of criminal possession of a forged document and one felony count of offering a false document for filing. The court sentenced Mr. Robbins to a three-year conditional discharge and 500 hours of community service.
The New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department, disbars Mr. Robbins. According to the court, because Mr. Robbins pleaded guilty to felonies, "he ceased to be an attorney by operation of law."
For the full text of this decision, go to: https://www.nycourts.gov/reporter/3dseries/2016/2016_07766.htm
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For a New York Law Journal article on the case, click here.
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