Unauthorized Practice of Law
Lawyer Impersonator Sentenced
Posted Jun 19, 2007, 02:08 pm CST
By Debra Cassens Weiss
A Chicago man with an extensive criminal record was sentenced to two years in prison yesterday for impersonating a lawyer in four cases.
George Robotis apologized for his actions in a mix of criminal and civil matters, the Chicago Tribune reports. His attorney blamed a drug habit for his conduct.
A Cook County, Ill., criminal court judge was the first to spot a problem. Robotis was defending a man on a narcotics charge when the judge asked for his attorney number. Robotis admitted he was not a lawyer.
The judge found Robotis in criminal contempt of court and sentenced him to six months in prison. As the contempt case was pending, prosecutors investigated Robotis for his representation in the four other cases. The two-year sentence will run concurrent with the six-month sentence.