Feb 3 (Reuters) – An attorney who trained to be a morgue technician has been suspended from practice for misrepresenting herself as an Ivy-league-educated physician.
Susan Friery, a former partner with New York-based plaintiffs law firm Kreindler Kreindler, repeatedly told clients, colleagues, and opposing counsel that she had a medical degree from Columbia University, according to a decision from the Supreme Judicial Court for Suffolk County in Massachusetts ordering the suspension.
The two-year suspension became effective on Feb. 2.
According to the ruling, Friery had taken just four semesters of courses in a Ph.D. program at State University of New York Buffalo School of Medicine, where she studied to be a morgue technician. She left the program without a degree in 1985, the decision said.
Friery began working in the New York office of Kreindler Kreindler in 1986 after she left SUNY as a part-time legal assistant and medical consultant. When she joined the firm, she told the attorneys there that she had graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, the court wrote. Firm leaders encouraged her to go to law school and paid for 75% of her tuition. After graduating from New York Law School in 1993, Friery moved to Boston, passed the Massachusetts bar and worked at the law firm as an associate. She became a partner in December 2009.
At that time, Kreindler Kreindler issued a press release stating that it had promoted “Dr. Susan Friery” who was a “Columbia University-trained medical doctor.” Friery left the firm in January 2011 and informed its attorneys in August 2011 that she did not have a medical degree, the decision stated. It is not clear why she resigned from the firm.
Friery could not be reached for comment. An attorney identified in court papers as Friery’s lawyer did not respond to a message seeking comment.
Anthony Tarricone, a partner at Kreindler Kreindler, issued a statement about the recent ruling through a spokeswoman.
“We were unaware of this inexplicable behavior, which came to light after her departure. Ms. Friery is a talented and intelligent woman who did not need to exaggerate her resume in order to succeed. We are, nonetheless, disappointed in her actions,” it said.
The decision, issued Jan. 3 by Supreme Judicial Court Associate Justice Francis Spina, found that Friery’s name appeared on court papers, letterhead and business cards as “M.D.” or “Dr.” She also made presentations at continuing legal education events stating that she was a medical doctor.
In 2009, a photo of Friery appeared in a calendar, “Beautiful Massachusetts Lawyer of 2009,” the proceeds of which benefited Greater Boston Legal Services. Friery was featured in a story on Boston.com in 2009 about the calendar.
Spina’s decision, first reported by The Legal Profession blog on Friday, stated that the first time Friery disclosed to Kreindler Kreindler that she did not have a medical degree was in August 2011 and that the firm was unaware of the truth.
The judge found that Friery’s misrepresentations, though occurring a number of times, did not negatively affect the quality of her work or harm clients.
” any of the misrepresentations were made in a context in which they were not material to any specific pending decision or action by a client, adversary or tribunal,” the judge wrote.
Kreindler Kreindler has about 25 attorneys with offices in New York, Boston and Los Angeles. Its practices focus on personal injury cases in aviation, product liability, maritime and class actions.
The case is In re Susan Friery, Supreme Judicial Court for Suffolk County, Mass., No. BD 2011-134
For the Massachusetts Bar Counsel, Bruce Eisenhut, Boston, Mass.
For Friery, George Berman, of Peabody Arnold, Boston, Mass.
(Reporting by Leigh Jones)
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