On Thursday, July 17, 2025, the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Judicial Department disbarred attorney Matthew C. Browndorf, effective retroactively to September 5, 2024, following his convictions for federal felonies. Browndorf faced disciplinary action initiated by the Attorney Grievance Committee (AGC) for the First Judicial Department.
The case is entitled “In the Matter of Matthew C. Browndorf,” with case number 2024-02031.
Browndorf’s disbarment stems from two separate criminal cases. On July 13, 2023, he pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin to willful failure to collect or pay over tax, violating 26 USC § 7202. He was sentenced on November 30, 2023, to 48 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $831,260.06 in restitution.
The New York Supreme Court later deemed this a “serious crime” under Judiciary Law § 90(4)(d), leading to his immediate suspension from practicing law and an order to show cause upon release.
Subsequently, on September 5, 2024, Browndorf pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland to wire fraud and money laundering. On March 6, 2025, he received two concurrent 66-month prison terms, three years of post-release supervision, and was ordered to pay $1,351,795.64 in restitution.
The AGC argued that these federal convictions were “essentially similar” to New York felonies: scheme to defraud in the first degree and grand larceny in the fourth degree, both class E felonies.
Court documents reveal Browndorf misappropriated funds from Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts held for two clients of a law group owned by his holding company. He transferred these funds to personal accounts and entities he controlled, using them for business expenses, personal credit card payments, mortgage payments, and luxury goods purchases. These actions met the criteria for the New York felonies, as they involved fraudulent schemes and theft exceeding $1,000.
The court’s ruling, supported by precedents like Matter of Cline and Matter of Goldfarb, found the federal convictions sufficient for automatic disbarment.
Browndorf is barred from practicing law, appearing as an attorney, or providing legal advice. He must comply with rules for disbarred attorneys and return any secure pass issued by the Office of Court Administration.
According to Avvo, Mr. Browndorf is a litigation lawyer in Philadelphia, PA. He acquired his law license in New York in 2004.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
