On Thursday, June 12, 2025, the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Judicial Department publicly censured attorney Arnold Pennington Keith, Jr. for professional misconduct related to his attorney registration statement. The court’s decision followed a disciplinary proceeding initiated by the Attorney Grievance Committee (AGC) for the First Judicial Department.
The case is entitled “In the Matter of Arnold Pennington Keith, Jr.,” with case number 2023-02706.
Keith faced multiple allegations of misconduct stemming from his biennial attorney registration. The AGC served Keith with a Notice and Petition for Charges on May 26, 2023, outlining three counts of violations of the New York Rules of Professional Conduct. Specifically, the charges included false certification regarding the completion of Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits and the retention of related certificates.
In his response dated May 31, 2023, Keith admitted to all three charges. The court subsequently upheld these charges in an unpublished confidential order dated June 14, 2024, based on Keith’s admissions and supporting documentary evidence. The court appointed a Referee to conduct a sanctions hearing.
The Referee’s report revealed that Keith had falsely certified the completion of required CLE credits during the registration cycle from 2017 to 2019 and had misrepresented his possession of proof for these credits. Additionally, Keith did not complete the mandatory CLEs, which constituted a violation of Rule 8.4(h) of the New York Rules of Professional Conduct.
During the hearing, the Referee noted that Keith was aware of his failure to complete the CLE requirements at the time he made the false certifications. Despite this knowledge, he continued to assert his claims regarding the certificates even after the AGC began its investigation. On February 24, 2022, Keith testified under oath, maintaining his position.
In considering mitigating factors, the Referee acknowledged that Keith accepted responsibility for his actions and did not attempt to excuse his behavior. He expressed remorse and indicated a commitment to improving his recordkeeping practices to prevent future misconduct. The Referee also noted that Keith has no prior disciplinary history and that no clients were adversely affected by his actions. He reported experiencing significant stress and sleepless nights due to the investigation.
The AGC initially sought a six-month suspension for Keith but later requested that the court confirm the Referee’s findings and impose a sanction deemed appropriate. The Referee recommended a public censure, which the court ultimately agreed was appropriate given Keith’s acknowledgment of guilt and commitment to improvement.
The order state:
“Wherefore, it is Ordered that the motion by the Attorney Grievance Committee for the First Judicial Department to confirm the Referee’s findings, pursuant to 22 NYCRR 1240.8(b), is granted, and respondent, Arnold Pennington Keith, Jr., is publicly censured.”
According to Avvo, Mr. Keith is a criminal defense lawyer in New York, NY. He acquired his law license in New York in 1983.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
