Jailed Ex-BigLaw Partner Once Made $183K Monthly, Now Has Court-Appointed Lawyer for Tax Case Appeal
Until May 2009, John J. O’Brien was making $183,000 per month as a partner at Sullivan & Cromwell.
Now serving a 28-month federal prison sentence, after pleading guilty to four misdemeanors in a tax-evasion case, he is pursuing an appeal of his sentence with the help of a court-appointed lawyer. On Tuesday his law license was suspended by the Appellate Division, First Department, of the state supreme court, according to Reuters.
O’Brien, who has said he hopes someday to return to the practice of law, must appear before a disciplinary committee within 90 days of his release from prison for a final disciplinary determination.
His appellate lawyer declined to comment and his counsel in the disciplinary matter did not respond to the news agency’s request for comment.
His law firm pension is just under $100,000 per year, the article notes.
Earlier coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “Former BigLaw Partner Gets 2 Years in ‘Greek Tragedy’ Tax Evasion Case”
