Manhattan attorney Brian Howard Reis was disbarred yesterday by an Appellate Division, First Department, panel because he did not apply for reinstatement after being suspended for misappropriating client funds in April 2012. The Departmental Disciplinary Committee began investigating Reis in August 2010 in response to a notice from the Lawyers Fund for Client Protection that a $2,000 check from his escrow account failed to clear due to insufficient funds, according to the April 2012 suspension order. Reis did not respond to the committee’s complaint or turn over documents the committee requested.

An attorney filed a complaint against Reis in April 2011 alleging that he had misappropriated much of a $125,000 settlement payment intended for a client of Reis. Bank records later showed that Reis had wired $100,000 of the settlement to a person named Eva Crudo. In August 2011, another person made a complaint against Reis, alleging he had misappropriated $22,500 that was to be held in escrow. Bank records later showed that Reis had wired much of this money to a person named Maureen Reis, and had made cash withdrawals from it. Also in 2011, two people filed complaints against Reis alleging he failed to pay them judgments, and one filed a complaint alleging incompetent representation, conflict of interest and unearned legal fees.

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