SAN FRANCISCO – Corning, New York, attorney Amy Lillian Vichinsky has been suspended following a California Supreme Court order and her conviction for trying to falsify records, according to a recent report issued by The State Bar of California and court documents.
The Supreme Court handed down a relatively complex suspension for Vichinsky, two years stayed with two years of probation. However, the court also ordered Vichinsky to serve a minimum of two years suspension until she provides "proof to the State Bar Court of her rehabilitation, fitness to practice and present learning and ability in the general law."
The high court also gave Vichinsky credit for her interim suspension, which was effective Feb. 12, 2018.
"At the expiration of the period of probation, if [Vichinsky] has complied with all conditions of probation, the period of stayed suspension will be satisfied and that suspension will be terminated," the court's order said.
Vichinsky also was ordered to pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam and pay costs as part of the conditions for her probation.
Vichinsky's discipline was effective March 3, according to a report provided to the Northern California Record Friday by the state bar.
Vichinsky was admitted to the bar in California on Aug. 15, 2007, according to her profile at the California state bar website. Vichinsky had no prior discipline before the state bar, according to her profile.
In April 2016, the Steuben County, New York District Attorney filed a grand jury indictment against Vichinsky, charging her with 14 felony counts of falsifying business records, according to the stipulation filed with the California State Bar Court. Allegations against Vichinsky stemmed from submitting multiple payment vouchers with fraudulent billing statements for her representation of indigent defendants in criminal cases.
The following July, Vichinsky pleaded guilty to a first degree attempt to falsify business records, which the California bar considers a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude.
In October 2016, Vichinsky was sentenced to a one-year conditional discharged and 200 hours of community service.
In December 2017, the matter was referred to a California State Bar hearing committee and Vichinsky was placed on interim suspension in an order filed the following month.