Paralegal Accused of Stealing From Pa. Law Firm to Repay NYC Law Firm

Awaiting sentencing for stealing $285,000 from a New York City law firm, a paralegal allegedly stole from her new employer—a law firm in Norristown, Pa.—to pay restitution to her former employer.

Kathy Foer-Morse is now facing new charges, including theft and forgery, in Pennsylvania, where she is accused of writing 12 checks to transfer more than $100,000 from High Swartz to her personal bank account, reports CBS3.

Montgomery County, Pa., authorities investigating the High Swartz theft checked Foer-Morse's bank records and say that she used money stolen from the Pennsylvania firm to pay restitution in her New York City case.

The Mercury identifies the New York City law firm for which Foer-Morse formerly worked as Satterlee Stephens Burke & Burke.

Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman said in a press release that Foer-Morse began working in the estates department of High Swartz in July 2008, the Mercury reports. She was terminated May 1 "due to problems with her work performance and attitude," the release states.

A report by KYW Newsradio 1060 gives a slightly different account of how the 49-year-old Foer Morse became the focus of a Pennsylvania criminal case:

"The partner in the law firm was going through the accounts and realized that there was money missing. They did an accounting of it and the defendant was found to have been involved in previous theft from another law firm, and she was arrested," first assistant district attorney Kevin Steele tells the station.

The defendant allegedly took about $50,000 from two different estate accounts, for a total take of about $100,000, Steele says.

None of the articles includes any comment from Foer-Morse, who is being held in lieu of $99,000 bail.

Subsequent coverage:

ABAJournal.com: "Pa. Law Firm is Sadder But Wiser After Alleged Thefts By Paralegal"

Last updated on May 19 to include link to subsequent ABAJournal.com post.