Ex-Staffer Agrees to Repay $131K to Owens Clary, Gets Probation
Both a criminal case and a civil lawsuit against a former employee of a Texas law firm have been resolved by the woman’s agreement to repay $131,000 to Owens Clary & Aiken.
Rena Gallagher pleaded guilty to second-degree felony theft on Dec. 30, agreed to make restitution and was sentenced to 10 years of probation, reports Texas Lawyer in an article reprinted in New York Lawyer (reg. req.).
On Jan. 22, the Dallas firm dismissed a civil suit it had filed to backstop the slow-moving criminal case, says partner Bob Clary.
Meanwhile, it has also revised its accounting procedures.
“We have taken steps to ensure nothing like this happens again,” he tells the legal publication. “We’ve adopted a policy where two senior partners oversee the day-to-day accounting of the firm. We’ve tightened up our oversight mechanism.”
Earlier coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “Staffers Stealing Is a Common Problem, But Many Law Firms Opt to Keep Quiet, Observers Say”
