| ► Attorney Paul Schechtman of New York City; ethically destitute |
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Attorney Paul Schechtman of New York City; ethically destitute NYC attorney Paul Schechtman appears to have dedicated his life to the total avoidance of propriety (acting ethically) as you’ll see below.
 In early 2006, ex-New York Judge Michael Ambrecht (another ethical dwarf) hired attorney Paul Schechtman to defend him on charges before the New York Commission on Judicial Conduct. Attorney Paul Schechtman claims to have reduced his hourly rate from $600 to $250, which he asserts is the rate charged to government employees. You heard that right folks, Paul Schechtman billed $600 an hour in 2006! Seems like an outrageous amount for a certified ethical elf to be paid, right?
Judge Michael Ambrecht was charged with and found guilty of an ongoing scheme to deceive local district attorneys about his employer-employee relationship with attorney Paul Schechtman.
 On several occasions when attorney Paul Schechtman appeared at hearings before Judge Michael Ambrecht in representing two criminal defendants, Paul Schechtman was also defending Judge Ambrecht before the Judicial Commission. In direct violation of well-established ethical rules, Judge Michael Ambrecht did not disclose the attorney-client relationship with Paul Schechtman to assistant DA’s representing New York County. In other words Judge Michael Ambrecht engaged in deceitful conduct.
Of course attorney Paul Schechtman also had a duty to disclose to the government attorneys at these court hearings that he was at that time in fact acting as defense counsel on behalf of Judge Michael Ambrecht. However, attorney Paul Schechtman utterly failed to disclose this relationship, thereby forever cementing his status as an ethical twerp.
In a written dissenting opinion, Judicial Commission member, Judicial Commission member, attorney Joseph W. Belluck made the following findings regarding Judge Michael Ambrecht and attorney Paul Schechtman respectively.
It is indeed troubling that respondent would allow his own attorney [Paul Schechtman] to appear before him. It simply does not pass the smell test for any judge to allow his or her own attorney to appear on a pending matter without, at the very least, making full disclosure of the relationship.”
“Secondly, I am troubled by the apparent conduct of Mr. Schechtman. Mr. Schechtman, well known as an ethics advisor and indeed a former chair of the State Ethics Commission, was hired by respondent for the express purpose of representing him with respect to Charge I. Moreover, Mr. Schechtman profited handsomely from this. Indeed, he earned over $40,000 on the two cases in which he appeared before responded while serving as respondent’s attorney. While
 it does not alleviate the burden on respondent to avoid any appearance of impropriety, in my view Mr. Schechtman bears a considerable portion of the blame.”How in the hell is it even remotely possible that Paul Schechtman earns a living as an “ethics advisor?” Even more laughable and disturbing is the fact that Paul Schechtman was the former chair of the “State Ethics Commission.” Who were the comedians that appointed this ethical leper-con as chair of the ethics commission? Now ya know why the average public official in New York and elsewhere are afflicted with ethical-itis (no ethics).
The deplorable conduct of Judge Michael Ambrecht and attorney Paul Schechtman, acting in concert to conceal their relationship from government prosecutors confirms the old adage “Birds of a feather, flock together.”
As to attorney Paul Schechtman’s $600 hourly rate (ca. 2006), I would hope that anyone foolish enough to employ this ethical cretin is provided with a six-month supply of Preparation H at Paul Schechtman’s expense.
Lastly, if ya live in New York City, my advice would be to avoid employing attorney Paul Schectman and/or anyone associated with the law firm of Stillman, Friedman & Schechtman. |