In a rare case of thievery at a large New Jersey firm, tobacco litigation pioneer Alan Darnell admitted that he misappropriated money from his partners and clients at Woodbridge’s Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer and has volunteered for disbarment.

Darnell, 59, said in an affidavit made public last week that he had come under investigation by the Office of Attorney Ethics for improperly charging personal expenses to his firm, the equivalent of knowing misappropriation of client and law firm funds.