Opinion
2012-02-28
In the Matter of Andrew L. Schwab, (admitted as Andrew Laurence Schwab), an attorney and counselor-at-law:Departmental Disciplinary Committee for the First Judicial Department, Petitioner,Andrew L. Schwab, Respondent.
Disciplinary proceedings instituted by the Departmental Disciplinary Committee for the First Judicial Department. Respondent, Andrew L. Schwab, was admitted to the Bar of the State of New York at a Term of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court for the Second Judicial Department on January 27, 1982.Jorge Dopico, Chief Counsel, Departmental Disciplinary Committee, New York (Stephen P. McGoldrick, of counsel), for petitioner. No appearance for respondent.
Disciplinary proceedings instituted by the Departmental Disciplinary Committee for the First Judicial Department. Respondent, Andrew L. Schwab, was admitted to the Bar of the State of New York at a Term of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court for the Second Judicial Department on January 27, 1982.Jorge Dopico, Chief Counsel, Departmental Disciplinary Committee, New York (Stephen P. McGoldrick, of counsel), for petitioner. No appearance for respondent.
PER CURIAM
Respondent Andrew Laurence Schwab was admitted to the practice of law in the State of New York by the First Judicial Department on January 27, 1982. At all times relevant to these proceedings, respondent maintained his principal place of business within the First Judicial Department.
In March 2011, respondent was charged in an indictment filed in Supreme Court, New York County, with four counts of grand larceny in the third degree (Penal Law § 155.35), a class D felony, and *887 scheme to defraud in the first degree (Penal Law § 190.65), a class E felony.
On August 11, 2011, respondent pleaded guilty to one count of grand larceny in the third degree in full satisfaction of the charges. Respondent admitted during his plea allocution that on or about October 6, 2008 to on or about April 18, 2010, he stole property valued in excess of $3,000 from A. Sharma.
On September 8, 2011, respondent was sentenced to an indeterminate prison term of 1 to 3 years, and certain costs and surcharges.
The Departmental Disciplinary Committee now seeks an order, pursuant to Judiciary Law § 90(4)(b), striking respondent's name from the roll of attorneys on the ground that he was automatically disbarred as of the date of his conviction of a felony as defined by Judiciary Law § 90(4)(e) (see Matter of Caro, 46 A.D.3d 136, 845 N.Y.S.2d 239 [2007]; Matter of Szegda, 42 A.D.3d 193, 836 N.Y.S.2d 181 [2007]; Matter of Lee, 25 A.D.3d 51, 802 N.Y.S.2d 667 [2005] ). Respondent, pro se, has not submitted a response to this petition.
For the purposes of automatic disbarment, conviction occurs at the time of plea or verdict ( Matter of Sheinbaum, 47 A.D.3d 49, 845 N.Y.S.2d 264 [2007] ). Respondent's conviction of the class D felony of grand larceny in the third degree constitute grounds for his automatic disbarment ( Matter of Armenakis, 86 A.D.3d 205, 924 N.Y.S.2d 84 [2011]; Matter of Bernstein, 78 A.D.3d 94, 909 N.Y.S.2d 50 [2010]; Matter of Cherry, 51 A.D.3d 119, 854 N.Y.S.2d 8 [2008]; Matter of Berenholtz, 40 A.D.3d 162, 834 N.Y.S.2d 26 [2007] ).
Accordingly, the Committee's petition, pursuant to Judiciary Law § 90(4)(a) and (b), should be granted, and respondent's name stricken from the roll of attorneys and counselors-at-law in the State of New York, effective nunc pro tunc to August 11, 2011.