On Thursday, October 5, 2023, the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Division, Third Judicial Department issued a Memorandum and Order suspending 44 attorneys from practicing law in New York.

The case is entitled “In the Matter of Attorneys in Violation of Judiciary Law § 468-a,” with case number PM-238-23.

The order came in response to a motion by the Attorney Grievance Committee for the Third Judicial Department (AGC). In the motion, the AGC sought to suspend attorneys who had failed to fulfill their biennial registration obligations under Section 468-a of the Judiciary Law and Section 118.1 of the Rules of the Chief Administrator of the Courts.

Under these provisions, all attorneys admitted to practice in New York must file a registration statement with the Office of Court Administration (OCA) every two years. This requirement applies regardless of where an attorney works or resides, and continues even if an attorney has been suspended or retired. After initial registration upon admission to the bar, attorneys must re-register based on their birthday, with a 30-day grace period to comply.

The AGC presented documentary evidence that 44 attorneys listed on an attached schedule had failed to meet their registration obligations and remained delinquent.

The attorneys facing suspension included: Zak Ahmad Aljaludi; Thomas Tracy Aquilla; Ormand R. Austin; Kathryn M. Barber; Andrea Benson; Claire Sylvia Berman; Robert S. Bramson; Gerard Martin Carey Jr.; James Joseph Casuscelli; Mylene Chan; Anne Solomon Clavel; Morton R. Covitz; Harold N. Diamond; Richard W. Eady; John Brian Enders; Susan Morgan Foster; Reuben Goldwaser; Daniel Amo Gronda; William L. Handler; Joseph John Hanna Jr.; Ronald Robert Haus; David Frederick Jung; Sun M. Lee; John Louis Martin; Kimberly A. McConnell; Bo Yeon McDowell; Charles K. Mone; Leon Guanzon Moya Jr.; Nancy Leppert Myers; Anthony Emeka Nze Nwosu; George Joseph Parnham; Todd Barry Piller; Manuel M. Ramos Mora; Samuel N. Reiken; David A. Roach; Andrew J. Rogers; Scott Randall Rotman; Romeo L. Salonga; George Leo Schneider; Edward Sibley; Melvin Simon; Generoso George Squitieri; Morton Lee Susman; and Itzhak Zisman.

Based on the documentary evidence presented by the AGC, the court granted the motion and suspended the 44 attorneys, effective immediately, from practicing law in New York until further order of the court. The attorneys were also ordered to comply with rules governing suspended attorneys and provide an affidavit of compliance.

A copy of the original filing can be found here.