A LOUSY END TO A LOUSY LAWYER'S CAREER-ASTOR LAWYER DISBARRED

From: New York attorney Gary E. Rosenberg (personal injury and accident attorney and lawyer; serving Brooklyn Queens Bronx; Bronx injury lawyer)

First Dept.

Admitted to Bar: 1973

Discipline imposed: Automatic disbarment because of criminal conviction of a felony.

On February 18, 2010 The First Department issued its ruling.

On October 8, 2009, following a jury trial in Supreme Court, New York County, attorney Morrissey was found guilty of scheme to defraud in the first degree, conspiracy in the fourth degree, and forgery in the second degree, all felonies, as well as conspiracy in the fifth degree, a class A misdemeanor. On December 21, 2009, he was sentenced to a cumulative term of imprisonment of 1 to 3 years.

Lawyer Morrissey's conviction arose out of his participation in a scheme to defraud Brooke Astor. Morrissey, with the assistance of Brooke Astor's son, Anthony Marshall, looted Ms. Astor's estate (after Brooke Astor died) from 2001 to 2007, after she slipped into senility. Attorney Morrissey forged a codicil (addition) to Ms. Astor's will, giving Mr. Marshall over some $60 million. Astor died in 2007 at age 105.

Lawyer Morrissey's attorney asked the Disciplinary authorities to hold off acting against his law license until his expected appeal of his criminal conviction is decided.

The First Department noted that conviction of a felony under New York law results in automatic disbarment and denied lawyer Morrissey's request for delay. Morrissey was disbarred retroactive to the date of his criminal conviction, October 8, 2009.