Thursday, March 05, 2009

MORRISTOWN: Andrew M. Kimmel was suspended from practicing law in May 2006, but the Morris County Prosecutor's Office said that did not stop him from playing the part for two more years.

After police were told about his on-going legal practices, authorities charged Kimmel, 65, of West Orange, with the unauthorized practice of law.

Trouble for Kimmel started with a phone call in April to the prosecutor's Professional Standards Unit. Investigators were told Kimmel was suspended by the New Jersey Supreme Court on May 26, 2006 for failing to cooperate with the Office of Attorney Ethics during an ethics investigation.

Despite being ordered by a judge to stop practicing law, and being fined for contempt in August 2006 for that, he didn't end his unauthorized law practice.

His clients included a teacher who believed she was wrongfully terminated from her job at a school in Bergen County; a woman involved in a divorce; a computer networking company whose president had paid Kimmel $110,500 in legal fees between May 2006 and March 2008; the co-owner of a lawn service who paid him $11,250; a charter bus company owner and a plumbing, heating and air conditioner contractor who also paid Kimmel $11,750 for services performed while he was suspended.

As a result of the investigation Kimmel was charged with fourth-degree unauthorized practice of law.

Prosecutor Robert A. Bianchi said, "Attorneys, like everybody else, must obey the law. When they do not, we are prepared to investigate and prosecute the matter. They, like all public officials, must not only know the law, they must follow it as well."

Despite these pending charges, every defendant is presumed innocent, unless and until found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt following a jury trial at which the defendant has all of his rights guaranteed by the U.S. and New Jersey Constitutions and relevant state law.