Judge OKs criminal case against former Dewey leaders, grants separate trial to lower-level worker
A New York judge Friday refused to dismiss a criminal larceny case against three former top leaders of the now-defunct Dewey & LeBoeuf who are accused of cooking the books there.
But he gave some breathing room to a lower-level employee charged with conspiracy and a scheme to defraud. Although describing defendant Zachary Warren as not a “mere bystander,” Justice Robert Stoltz dismissed two falsifying business records counts against Warren and granted him a separate trial in the Manhattan Supreme Court case, according to the New York Times’ DealBook blog the and the Wall Street Journal Law Blog.
At the time of the events at issue, Warren worked as a client relations manager at the law firm and had not even started law school. He subsequently earned his legal degree at Georgetown University, with honors, and is now working as a law clerk for the Cincinnati-based 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
He will be tried after onetime Dewey chairman Steven Davis, executive director Stephen DiCarmine and chief financial officer Joel Sanders, who also had falsifying business records counts dropped . All have denied the allegations made against them.
The 2012 collapse of Dewey resulted in the biggest law firm bankruptcy ever.
Related coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “Honors Georgetown law grad, 29, retains 6th Circuit clerkship despite being charged in Dewey case”
ABAJournal.com: ” Arguing lack of intent, lawyers seek dismissal of charges against former Dewey & LeBoeuf leaders”
