BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Attorney General Letitia James and NYS Police Superintendent Kevin Bruen announced Friday that a phony Buffalo attorney was sentenced to five years probation.
39-year-old Andrew Schnorr illegally practiced law without a license and defrauded Buffalo residents in the process.
Schnorr has never graduated from law school, nor has he ever passed a state bar exam. He posed as a licensed attorney and continued to represent clients at legal proceedings.
"Not only does illegally practicing law without a license hurt people in need of legal services, it also weakens the public's trust in our institutions," James said. "Let today's sentencing serve as a warning that fraud will never be tolerated in our state, and anyone who cheats our communities will be held accountable and brought to justice - bar none."
The investigation into Schnorr began in 2019 when the attorney general's office began to receive complaints surrounding Schnorr's competence during a legal proceeding.
The investigation found that Schnorr's claims of having graduated from NYU's School of Law and passing the bar exam in New York and California were all false.
Schnorr was able to secure a job at a Buffalo law firm by submitting a resume with false credentials. He represented over nine clients at this firm.
Schnorr will serve five years probation and pay more than $7800 in restitution.
