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Fake Manhattan Lawyer Arraigned
We've heard of fake musicians, and even fake doctors, but a man from prestigious Manhattan law firm, Anderson Kill & Olick, is being arraigned for posing as a lawyer for the last two years. Brian Valery started as a paralegal at the firm, and then claimed that he received his law degree and passed the bar while not actually having done either. He is admitting to stealing over 200,000 from the firm by collecting a lawyer's salary. His former employer must negotiate financial settlements with at least 50 clients that Valery misrepresented. Valery's own lawyer would not comment on the case except to say, “You can check me, I’m a real lawyer.”
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Here's what bugs me a little..
In the many different professions and/or ways there are to make a living; off the top of my head I'm having trouble thinking of anywhere you can work for two years, make over $100,000 a year, and according to the article, be lousy at it, and in this case not even have the credentials to back yourself up anyway. I suppose politicians can fall under this category, but a lot of them started out as lawyers anyway. I know in manufacturing, if you screw everything up even once in a while you will be lucky to keep working, never mind continue to make 100G's.
You sort of have to give it to the guy a little bit. I mean, it must have taken a lot of balls to just walk in there and say, "Hello. I'm a lawyer now", in hopes they would just believe him, and on top of that, hire him.
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Self Representation vs Lawyers by VnutZ :: NR8 :: Show
I find it interesting that people can choose to represent themselves (and be awful at it) or have a "real" lawyer represent them.
While I disagree with the lying about credentials, it does raise a question on whether lawyers have established a "bar" (hahaha) just to elevate themselves and keep the quacks out. This can be both a good and bad thing I suppose.
I'm too lazy to read the actual article in this case ... (don't have enough time either). Did he win his cases or lose them? I would imagine there is more of a case if he lost them. But if he won ... there's really no point in damages.