FAKE ATTORNEY INDICTED FOR REPEATEDLY PRACTICING LAW WITHOUT A LICENSE
“Simply put, it is a crime to practice law without a license,” said District Attorney Vance. “The rules governing lawyers exist to protect those in need of competent representation before our courts. This defendant was an imposter who abused the trust of his purported clients for his own financial gain.”
According to documents filed in court and statements made on the record in court, at an arraignment in New York County Criminal Court on June 10, 2012, KINDLON, who is not a lawyer, filed a notice of appearance to represent an individual charged with Criminal Mischief in the Fourth Degree. The defendant represented that same person on two subsequent occasions in Criminal Court, most recently on November 29, 2012. On one scheduled court date, September 12, 2012, KINDLON filed an affirmation of actual engagement, falsely claiming that he could not be present in Manhattan that day because he was representing another client on a civil case pending in Staten Island.
KINDLON was previously considered as a candidate for participation in the Manhattan Mental Health Court program, which is a dedicated court that provides oversight and treatment to eligible defendants with mental illness. In order to qualify, defendants must plead guilty and agree to treatment before entering the program. As part of his application for acceptance into the Manhattan Mental Health Court Program, KINDLON agreed to attend certain meetings and to provide proof of his attendance. In an effort to prove his attendance at one such meeting, KINDLON faxed a sign-in sheet, that was filed with the Manhattan Mental Health Court, purporting to show that he attended a qualifying meeting at the New York City Bar Association. In fact, the sign-in sheet the defendant is charged with making was entirely fabricated.
Assistant District Attorney Daniel G. Cort, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, is prosecuting the case. Senior Investigator Louis Capolupo assisted in the investigation under the supervision of the Chief Investigator Walter Alexander. Trial Preparation Assistant Tony Cheng also assisted with the case.
Defendant Information:
TERENCE KINDLON, JR., D.O.B. 6/28/1970
Unknown
Charges:
- Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, a class E felony, 3 counts
- Practicing or Appearing as an Attorney-At-Law Without Being Admitted and Registered, commonly known as “Unauthorized Practice of Law,” a class A misdemeanor, 2 counts