BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — New York Attorney General Letitia James and New York State police announced the arrest of 39-year-old Andrew Schnorr for allegedly practicing law without a license and defrauding people in Buffalo out of more than $20,000 in legal fees. He was charged with unauthorized practice of law and grand larceny in the third degree. He faces up to 2 1/3 to 7 years in state prison if convicted.
Schnorr is accused of posing as an attorney and representing clients at numerous legal proceedings despite never graduating from law school or passing a bar exam.
Practicing law without a license undermines the integrity of our judicial system and jeopardizes the fate of New Yorkers who need legal services. This individual tricked vulnerable people by posing as an attorney who could help them, but instead cheated them out of tens of thousands of dollars while risking their future. New Yorkers must be able to trust that the professionals representing them are qualified and serving in their best interest.
This suspect lied about his credentials and as a result stole thousands from unsuspecting victims who were counting on him for legal advice based on education and training that he didn’t have. I commend our members and the Office of the Attorney General for their work to hold this suspect accountable for his actions.
According to the Office of the Attorney General, Schnorr allegedly secured the job at a Buffalo law firm by submitting a resume with fake credentials. He worked as an associate attorney at the firm and represented at least nine clients.
The OAG began an investigation in 2019 when it "received a complaint from an attorney concerning Schnorr’s lack of competence during a legal proceeding."
