Convicted of Theft, Ex-Lawyer Is Now an Advocate for Others with Background Issues
Back when his income of over $100,000 a year seemed like chicken feed, attorney Michael Sweig decided to leave his law firm and hang out his own shingle. The result was disastrous.
A major client didn’t pay a legal fee, and Sweig turned to the firm’s trust account for operating expenses, reports the Chicago Tribune. His partner repaid the money and helped save him from the worst consequences he could have faced. But Sweig wound up with a theft conviction after voluntarily turning himself in and giving up his law license.
That was more than a decade ago. Today, after struggling initially to find work as a convicted criminal, the 51-year-old enjoys his job so much that he hasn’t tried to regain his law license. An advocate for others who are seeking work with felony convictions on their records, he serves as the Safer Foundation’s public policy liaison and teaches on legal topics at the college level.
“I’d rather spend my time succeeding at something I’m good at instead of chasing something that was so toxic for me,” he tells the newspaper.
