A Katonah attorney has been suspended from the practice of law for two years for professional misconduct.
The state Supreme Court Appellate Division in Brooklyn ordered Randall G. Lawrence to stop practicing law as of June 30.
He was charged in December with 10 infractions by the grievance committee for the Ninth Judicial District.
Lawrence consented to discipline and stipulated that, among other things, he converted down payments from three real estate transactions for his own use. He also admitted to improperly handling a checking account and taking an unsecured loan from a client without memorializing the terms.
The May 31 court order cited several mitigating factors. Lawrence has an otherwise unblemished disciplinary record in 29 years of practice. He cooperated. He suffered from depression after a divorce. He served in Vietnam. He was a 20-year veteran of the Bedford Police Department. He did charitable work, including pro bono legal services.
Lawrence graduated from Pace Law School and he was admitted to the practice of law in 1987.
He did not respond to telephone and email requests for comment.
He is “taking some time off,” an out-of-office reply said, “and will not be practicing law for the foreseeable future.”
