Albert Hessberg, a trusts and estates lawyer in Albany, was charged last week with defrauding and stealing money from clients as well as his own law firm. Hessberg was a senior partner at Barclay Damon and had practiced at the firm and its predecessor for 37 years before he was fired in March.

A string of partners of large firms have been charged—and many convicted—of various crimes in the last two years, including for insider trading and tax fraud. But Hessberg’s case stands out due to the stark allegations of stealing from clients, his connections in the community and the prominence of both Hessberg and his firm in the region.