On Monday, March 13, 2023, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania administratively suspended attorney Andrew S. Hurwitz.

The case is entitled “Office of the Disciplinary Counsel v. Andrew S. Hurwitz” with case no. 170 DB 2021.

On December 29, 2021, the Office of the Disciplinary Counsel and Mr. Hurqitz filed a petition in support of the discipline of consent against the latter. This is in regard to the respondent’s misconduct that involved engaging in a law-related activity despite the fact that he did not have an active Pennsylvania law license. The respondent was placed in an administrative suspension on October 19, 2014, by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania for failure to comply with the Pennsylvania Rules of Disciplinary Enforcement.

The filing states:

“With his Petition, Respondent disclosed in response to Reinstatement Questionnaire No. 7(a) regarding employment history during the period of administrative suspension that he served as President of Studio 1200 in Ardmore, Pennsylvania from January 2018 to March 2020. Respondent acknowledged that he engaged in the law-related activity of “contracts” in his work for Studio 1200, even though he did not have an active Pennsylvania law license.”

The filing continues:

“As part of its routine background investigation relating to the Petition, ODC discovered that Respondent’s Linkedin account for “Andy Blackman Hurwitz,” a pseudonym that he reportedly uses as an author of children’s books, provided information about Respondent’s work at Studio 1200.”

The filing further states:

“As an administratively suspended, formerly admitted Pennsylvania attorney, Respondent violated Pa.R.D.E. 2170) and engaged in the unauthorized practice of law in violation of RPC 5.5 in his work at Studio 1200. Respondent attributes his unauthorized practice of law in Pennsylvania to his erroneous belief that his role at Studio 1200 did not actively involve the practice of law.”

The filing additionally notes:

“After ODC’s inquiries, Respondent took the remedial action of revising his LinkedIn account so it no longer states that he is a “licensed attorney” and that he served as General Counsel at 30 AMP Circuit. Respondent’s LinkedIn account now states he is an “Entrepreneur, Educator & Advocate of the Arts” and “Former Attorney with a decade of experience in Entertainment and Arts law.”

In consideration of these facts, a joint petition in support of discipline on consent was filed before the court requesting that the respondent be suspended for six months from the practice of law. This was followed by the Disciplinary Board’s certification that the respondent had already filed a verified statement showing compliance with the order of suspension.

The disposition states:

“AND NOW, this 13th day of March 2023, on certification by the Disciplinary Board that Andrew S. Hurwitz, who was suspended on consent for a period of six months, has filed a verified statement showing compliance with the Order of Suspension and Pa.R.D.E. 217, and there being no other outstanding order of suspension or disbarment, Andrew S. Hurwitz shall be returned to administrative suspension status.”

Mr. Hurwitz practices in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is licensed in Pennsylvania and New York, with license no. 2880201. His info can be found on lawyers.findlaw.com.

A copy of the original filing can be found here.