WHAT A HEEL!: Paralegal Puts On Airs
In 1998 Brian T. Valery, 32. got a job as a paralegal at Anderson, Kill & Olick, a big deal Manhattan law firm. Subsequently, Valery falsely told his managers that he graduated from Fordham Law School in May 2002, that he had passed the NY bar exam in July 2003 and that he was admitted to practice law in October 2004. He collected a lawyer’s salary for nearly two years, and was billing clients at a lawyer’s rate. A call to his firm by a college friend tipped his employers off to the deception. Valery pleaded guilty to second-degree grand larceny, and is expected to receive five years probation if he repays at least $150,000 by his Jan. 30 sentencing. Otherwise, he’s looking at five to 15 years in prison.
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