ANNUAL REPORT - 2009The Attorney Grievance Committees are mandated to investigate, review, and prosecute complaints ofattorney misconduct within the Fourth Judicial Department, pursuant to Judiciary Law, §90 and Section1022.19 of the Rules of the Appellate Division, Fourth Department (22 NYCRR §1022.19). The GrievanceCommittees also serve to protect the public, educate the bar and preserve the integrity of the legal profession.The Committees have jurisdiction over approximately 11,000 lawyers within a 22-county geographic areawith three district offices, located in Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse. Each District has its own GrievanceCommittee comprised of 21 volunteer members, including three non-lawyers. Serious allegations ofmisconduct are reviewed by the Committee and forwarded to the Appellate Division for disposition and/ortrials.

The disciplinary rules, procedures and decisions concerning the Attorney Grievance Committees canbe found on the Appellate Division, Fourth Department's website located at www.nycourts.gov/ad4.

ATTORNEY DISCIPLINARY ACTIVITIES

FOURTH JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT

PERIOD COVERED: 1/01/09 - 12/31/09

I. Matters Processed:*

A. Matters Pending at Start of Period 523

B. New Matters During Period 2507

C. Closed Matters Reactivated During Period 43

D. Total Matters to be Processed During Period (A+B+C) 3073

E. Total Matters Disposed of During Period 2396

F. Matters Pending at End of Period 677

II. Matters Disposed of by Committee: Cases** Matters

A. Rejected as Failing to State a Complaint 1043 1222

B. Referred to Other Disciplinary Committees 129 132

C. Referred to Other Agencies 3 3

D. Dismissed or Withdrawn 586 628

E. Dismissed through Mediation 0 0

F. Letter of Caution 164 203

G. Letter of Admonition 32 62

H. Admonition (or reprimand) 0 0

I. Referred to Appellate Division (Disc. Proc) 71 146

http://www.courts.state.ny.us/ad4/ag/4thDept.AGC.Annual.htm

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Total Disposed of During Period (Same as I.E.) 2028 2396

III. Cases Processed in all Courts:**

A. Cases Pending at Start of Period 27

1. Disciplinary Proceedings 18

2. Other 9

B. Cases Received During Period 71

1. Disciplinary Proceedings 27

2. Other 44

C. Total to be Processed During Period 98

D. Cases Closed

1. Disbarred 5

2. Disciplinary Resignations 6

3. Suspended *** 13

4. Censured 9

5. Private Censure 0

6. Remanded to Grievance Committee 7

7. Discontinued 5

8. Dismissed 1

9. Reinstatements Granted 6

10. Reinstatements Denied 3

11. Non-Disciplinary Resignations 9

12. All other Dispositions 8

13. Total Closed 72

E. Total Cases Pending at End of Period 26

1. Disciplinary Proceedings 19

2. Other 7

For the purposes of this report, the term "Matters" includes the following:

1. Complaints

2. Inquiries (Excluding telephone inquiries)

3. Sua Sponte investigations

* Matters represents individual complaints and inquiries.

** Cases refers to the number of respondent/attorneys. As some attorneys are subject of multiplecomplaints, the number of matters may exceed the number of cases.

*** Includes definite, interim and indefinite suspensions.

http://www.courts.state.ny.us/ad4/ag/4thDept.AGC.Annual.htm

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FOURTH DEPARTMENT

GRIEVANCE COMMITTEES

Membership

GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE

for the Fifth Judicial District

2010 - 2011

Edward Z. Menkin, Esq. - Chairperson

Robert W. Applegate, Esq.

Robert A. Barrer, Esq.

*William A. Chambers, C.P.A.

John D. Conners, Esq.

Keith A. Eisenhut, Esq.

Deborah K. Field, Esq.

Philip I. Frankel, Esq.

Catherine A. Gale, Esq.

Joseph P. Giruzzi, Esq.

Lawrence W. Golden, Esq.

Cindy A. Granger, Esq.

*Joseph F. Grant, Jr., Ed.D.

Amy L. Hallenbeck, Esq.

*Christopher J. Harris

Eugene J. Langone, Jr, Esq.

Kathlene M. Loconti, Esq.

Garry L. Outtrim, Esq.

Roy D. Pinsky, Esq.

GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE

for the Seventh Judicial District

2010 - 2011

Thomas N. Trevett, Esq., - Chairperson

Richard E. Alexander, Esq.

Robert E. Barry, Esq.

Alan S. Biernbaum, Esq.

*Garry Brower

June Castellano, Esq.

*Dr. Timothy Dennis

James A. Gabriel, Esq.

Richard T. Galbato, Esq.

Valerie G. Gardner, Esq.

Michael T. Harren, Esq.

LaMarr J. Jackson, Esq.

Mary Jo S. Korona, Esq.

John M. Lockhart III, Esq.

Judith A. Palumbo, Esq.

Paul E. Richardson, Esq.

Martha A. Roberts, Esq.

Elizabeth A. Sammons, Esq.

GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE

for the Eighth Judicial District

2010 - 2011

Deanne M. Tripi, Esq. - Chairperson

Laurie Styka Bloom, Esq.

Benjamin J. Bonarigo, Esq.

David G. Brock, Esq.

Thomas R. Cassano, Esq.

John J. DelMonte, Esq.

*Wesley L. Hicks, Jr., M.D.

Nicholas G. Jonas, Esq.

Thomas F. Keefe, Esq.

Joseph L. Leone, Jr., Esq.

*Valerie A. Leuthe

Charles R. Loveland, Esq.

Jeffrey R. Martin, Esq. .

James A. Musacchio, Esq.

David H. Nelson, Esq.

John R. Nuchereno, Esq.

John J. Ottaviano, Esq.

Dale C. Robbins, Esq.

*Raymond F. Shirtz, Jr.

http://www.courts.state.ny.us/ad4/ag/4thDept.AGC.Annual.htm

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Kathy L. Quencer, Esq..

Steven A. Smith, Esq.

Jeffrey E. Squires, Esq.

Mary Walpole-Lightsey, Esq.

*Michael Wiedemer

Ellen Swartz Simpson, Esq.

Sheldon K. Smith, Esq.

*Lay Member

ATTORNEY GRIEVANCE COMMITTEES

FIFTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Committee Meetings 4 4 4 3 4 4 3 4 6 6

Appearances 15 14* 14* 9* 13* 14 15 14 25 27

Caution Letters 23 64 40 42 26 21 76 37 32 33

Admonition Letters 4 6 7 7 4 8 5 5 10 14

Petitions Referred to theAppellate Division

4 5 4 2 8*** 5 11 8 8 12

Complaints Received -(Includes ReopenedComplaints)

650 649 610 562 584 601 577 597 631 634

SEVENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Committee Meetings 3 3 5 3 3 5 3 5 6 5

Appearances 12* 14* 17* 8 12* 15 7 17 18 16

Caution Letters 25 25 37 33 39 35 30 45 44 42

Admonition Letters 3 4 4 2 5 3 5 2 6 7

Petitions Referred to theAppellate Division

5** 5 7 4 5 12 15 18 17 6

Complaints Received -(Includes ReopenedComplaints)

626 621 663 730 758 766 736 630 638 739

EIGHTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Committee Meetings 6 6 6 6 6 6 7 6 4 5

http://www.courts.state.ny.us/ad4/ag/4thDept.AGC.Annual.htm

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Appearances 37* 27* 27* 34* 22* 28 39 21 16 18

Caution Letters 77 93 110 81 78 90 108 65 82 89

Admonition Letters 18 8 12 11 7 11 17 12 10 11

Petitions Referred to theAppellate Division

9 11** 10 14 9 9 21 11 2 10

Complaints Received -(Includes ReopenedComplaints)

990 1,064 913 930 927 1,387 1,211 1,034 1,405 1,177

* Includes attorneys who waived their appearance or appeared more than once.

** Includes petition voted but attorney resigned prior to its being filed in the Appellate Division.

*** Includes one petition authorized by the Seventh Judicial District Attorney Grievance Committee

http://www.courts.state.ny.us/ad4/ag/4thDept.AGC.Annual.htm

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