Appeals court suspends lawyer who denied sex with client
A New York appellate court last month suspended a Buffalo, New York-area attorney from practicing law for two years on revelations that he had a sexual relationship with a client and then lied about it during the disciplinary process. (Image from Shutterstock)
A New York appellate court last month suspended a Buffalo, New York-area attorney from practicing law for two years on revelations that he had a sexual relationship with a client and then lied about it during the disciplinary process.
In a July 24 ruling, the Appellate Division’s Fourth Judicial Department of the New York Supreme Court upheld a referee’s findings against Jason A. Shear, a Lackawanna, New York, attorney who represented a woman in a foreclosure matter and engaged in sexual relations with her while representing her. The referee also found that Shear failed to keep the client reasonably informed about the status of the case, particularly as the relationship deteriorated.
The relationship between Shear and his client became increasingly personal during fall 2023 as evidenced by thousands of text messages and security camera footage showing the attorney at the client’s home.
The referee found that during the disciplinary process, Shear falsely denied the sexual relationship, falsely denied visiting the client’s home for sexual encounters, and then falsely claimed that the client altered or fabricated evidence, according to a story by Law.com.
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