Manhattan attorney John P. Harris was disbarred on Tuesday by a unanimous Appellate Division, First Department, panel for stealing more than $33,000 from a client. Harris pleaded guilty to one count of third-degree grand larceny in December. He was automatically disbarred retroactively to then pursuant to the Judiciary Law, which mandates disbarment of any attorney convicted of a felony.
The Departmental Disciplinary Committee began investigating Harris in 2011 in response to a complaint from Strategy 28 LLC, a client. Harris was supposed to hold in escrow a $115,000 down payment on a real estate transaction, in which the client was the seller, but allegedly took it for his own use.
