On Thursday, February 16, 2023, the State of New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division of the Third Judicial Department disbarred attorney William J. McCullough. The case is entitled “In the matter of William J. McCullough” with case no. PM-31-23.
The New York Supreme Court initially suspended the respondent on October 2021 for the latter’s long-standing failure to comply with the biennial registration requirements of Judiciary Law § 468-a. On the other hand, the Superior Court of Connecticut earlier suspended the same from practice on an interim basis due to his failure to cooperate with an audit of his trust account made by Connecticut disciplinary authorities.
The court stated that the Attorney Grievance Committee already attempted to serve Mr. McCullough, multiple times through various methods in order to commence the proceeding against him. The court reminded that New York attorneys have an obligation to maintain contact information with the Office of the Court Administration.
The filing states:
“The purpose of this requirement, of course, is to ensure that attorneys are timely notified of registration deadlines, investigations, or complaints against them, and so that a former client can contact his or her attorney, notwithstanding the passage of time or changes in employment. Attorneys registered to practice law in New York should expect that OCA records would be utilized to communicate with them about their New York law licenses and failure to maintain this contact information deprives them of the opportunity to receive actual notice of the commencement of a disciplinary proceeding against them, at their own peril.”
On the present matter, the ACG already took reasonable efforts to apprise the respondent of the pendency of the action against him and already gave him ample time and opportunity to present his objections. The court stated that it treats the respondent’s Connecticut resignation as”tantamount to a disciplinary resignation” in the State of New York. Moreover, the court stated that the respondent’s conduct is aggravated by his failure to provide notice of the Connecticut interim suspension and disciplinary resignation orders.
The Disposition states:
“Accordingly, in consideration of all the facts and circumstances presented, including the respondent’s disregard for his fate as an attorney in New York, as demonstrated by his default in this proceeding ( see Matter of Ugwuonye, 209 AD3d 1254, 1255 [3d Dept 2022]), we find that in order to protect the public, maintain the honor and integrity of the legal profession and deter others from engaging in similar misconduct, respondent should be disbarred in this state.”
Mr. McCullough attended the Quinnipiac University School of Law, graduating in 1994. He practices in Stamford, Connecticut. He is licensed in Connecticut as well as in New York, with license no. 2700623. Mr. McCullough’s info can be found on Linkedin.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
