On Thursday, November 13, 2025, the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Judicial Department publicly censured attorney Ryan Heath Asher for professional misconduct related to his handling of multiple client matters. The censure follows a motion filed jointly by Asher and the Attorney Grievance Committee (AGC) for the First Judicial Department, pursuant to the Rules for Attorney Disciplinary Matters.
The case is entitled “In the Matter of Ryan Heath Asher,” with case number 2025-02083.
Asher has been found to have mishandled three separate client cases, leading to five charges of professional misconduct. The allegations stem from incidents occurring while Asher was employed by the law firm Asher & Associates, PC, starting around 2003.
One case involved a client, I.K., who retained Asher’s firm in June 2008 for a lawsuit against the City of New York and the New York City Police Department. While a settlement was reached in June 2019, the court found that Asher failed to finalize the settlement documents or move the case forward in the subsequent six years.
Another instance involved a client, E.O., who initially retained Asher’s firm in July 2020, before switching representation to attorney D.B. Shortly after E.O. retained D.B., E.O. sent a letter to Asher’s law firm informing them of the change in representation, instructing them to cease work on the case, and to arrange for the transfer of the file to D.B. Despite being notified of the change in representation, Asher’s firm filed a summons and verified complaint in the Supreme Court, Bronx County, identifying Asher as E.O.’s counsel. It took approximately three years for Asher to provide D.B. with a stipulation discontinuing the action. Asher admitted to sparse communication with E.O. between July 2020 and June 2023.
The third case involved a client, M.M., who retained Asher’s firm in 2003 for a lawsuit against the NYPD. Despite remaining counsel of record for 22 years, the lawsuit remains unresolved. The court noted lengthy periods of inactivity and infrequent communication between Asher and M.M. The case saw a deposition eight years after retention, and further delays in depositions of the defendant officers.
The court considered an aggravating factor: a prior Admonition issued to Asher in June 2009 for neglecting a client’s matter and failing to obtain consent regarding strategic actions. Mitigating factors included Asher’s cooperation with the AGC’s investigation, the absence of personal profit motive or dishonesty, his overall positive reputation, and letters attesting to his good character from former judges and clients.
Asher admitted to violating all five charges alleged in the AGC’s petition. The court, in its decision, referenced precedents where public censure was deemed appropriate in cases involving negligence, lack of diligence, and failure to communicate, without evidence of dishonesty. Asher has reportedly taken steps to reform his practice, including implementing computer-generated calendaring notices and utilizing video conferencing to improve client communication.
According to Avvo, Mr. Asher is a litigation lawyer in New York, NY. He acquired his law license in New York in 1999.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
