Two attorneys have been disbarred by the Appellate Division, Second Department, in separate matters. One lawyer resigned in the face of a pending grievance committee probe while the other was faulted for his "flagrant noncooperation with the grievance committee."
In the case of Colvin C. Goddard of Far Rockaway, the committee served an April 2011 petition with four charges of professional misconduct—three having to do with failure to cooperate with the committee's probe and a fourth alleging conversion of guardianship funds entrusted to him as a fiduciary. He was suspended in September 2011. Goddard failed to appear at a hearing before a special referee. His attorney did, but neither called witnesses nor presented evidence.
Goddard, a graduate of City University of New York School of Law who was admitted to the bar in 2001, did not contest his disbarment.
In the second case, the panel noted that of Thomas J. Bailey of Hicksville is now the subject of a probe of allegations including neglect of legal matters, failure to keep clients reasonably apprised and misappropriation of client funds. Bailey, a graduate of St. John's University School of Law admitted in 1995, submitted an affidavit acknowledging he could not successfully defend himself on the merits.
Presiding Justice Randall Eng (See Profile) and Justices William Mastro (See Profile), Reinaldo Rivera (See Profile), Peter Skelos (See Profile) and Thomas Dickerson (See Profile) sat on the panel in both Matter of Goddard, 2011-03983, and Matter of Bailey, 2012-07702, which appear on page 5 of today's print edition.
