On Tuesday, May 30, 2023, the Supreme Court of New Jersey permanently barred attorney Lawrence J. Weinstein from future plenary or pro hac vice admission in the state of New Jersey after the latter’s criminal conviction.
The case is entitled “In the Matter of Lawrence J. Weinstein,” with case no. 087543.
The charges cited New Jersey Rules of Professional Conduct 8.4(b) which states:
Commission of a criminal act that reflects adversely on the lawyer’s honesty, trustworthiness, or fitness as a lawyer.
The Rules of Professional Conduct can be found here.
The respondent pleaded to one count of possession of a device for intercepting communication, one count of conspiracy to possess a device for intercepting communication, one count of criminal use of a communication facility, one count of false imprisonment, two counts of invasion of privacy – viewing a photograph of a person without consent, and one count of recklessly endangering another person and criminal conviction in the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.
The Decision states:
“On August 11, 2018, E.D. called G.D. and asked him to pick her up from her friend’s house. When G.D. arrived at the friend’s home to pick up E.D., he noticed that his daughter had a white, Apple iPhone in her possession. This was out of the ordinary because G.D. had consistently monitored his daughter’s cellular phone and internet activities and the devices she used. G.D. asked E.D. for the iPhone so that he could check her activity. G.D. observed many of the same applications that were on the iPhone were also on the devices he provided to his daughter, including a text messaging application.”
The Decision continues:
“Additionally, in the written text messages, the respondent and K.D. referred to a camera they had set up in the bathroom of K.D.’s residence. Respondent referred to the camera by stating that he would “log into the camera,” and he discussed the angle of the camera view with K.D. Respondent and K.D. also referred to a specific female, Victim #1, in their text message exchange. Victim #1 was the respondent’s subordinate employee during his tenure as the Northampton Township Supervisor. Beginning on October 30, 2017, the respondent and K.D. discussed their plans for Victim #1, referring to future crimes as a “mission.” The mission included K.D. meeting Victim #1 for dinner at a local restaurant, and the respondent instructed K.D. to spike the wine in Victim #1’s wine glass with “1/2 Everclear”3 in order to intoxicate Victim #1. Respondent directed that K.D. not “let [Victim #1] go to the bathroom until she gets back to your place.”
The Decision further states:
“On November 10, 2017, respondent and K.D. exchanged text messages concerning the installation of a wireless, internet protocol (IP) camera4 in K.D.’s toilet. The investigating detectives recovered instructions from the respondent’s home concerning how to install an IP camera, including how to insert a memory card into the camera. The investigating detectives also located instructions for setting up and operating high-definition camera glasses, commonly referred to as “spy glasses.”5 K.D. sent the respondent a photograph, using the IP camera, which depicted the toilet in K.D.’s bathroom. According to the affidavit of probable cause, “based on the accompanying texts, it is clear that [respondent] is directing K.D. to change the angle of the camera so that it would better capture a female’s genitalia while using the bathroom,” because he hoped to see, via the IP camera, the labia of the individual using the toilet.”
In lieu of these foregoing facts, the Supreme Court decided to permanently bar the respondent from practicing law in New Jersey.
The Disposition states:
“It is ORDERED that Lawrence J. Weinstein is hereby permanently barred from future plenary or pro hac vice admission in this State; and it is further ORDERED that respondent reimburse the Disciplinary Oversight Committee for appropriate administrative costs and actual expense incurred in the prosecution of this matter, as provided in Rule 1:20-17.”
Mr. Weinstein practices in Millburn, New Jersey. He is licensed in New Jersey. His info can be found on weinseinlawnj.com.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
