Disciplinary Complaint Against Corriere Paints Dark Picture

A 51-page complaint filed by the Disciplinary Board [you can read it here] paints a dark picture of Bethlehem Attorney Donald Corriere. If true, it reveals a former District Attorney and County Commissioner who preyed upon innocent and unsophisticated people, instead of helping them. Unfortunately, several people are listed as the victims of a web of deceit.  If nothing else, this disciplinary action demonstrates that a lawyer who acts unethically can really hurt his client.

Before I go on, I need to point out three things. First, I am a former lawyer who did damage clients. I disgraced myself, my family and my profession. Second,.there's been no finding that Corriere has done anything wrong. Though the Disciplinary Complaint does recount admissions of wrongdoing made by Corriere, there has been no formal finding. Finally, I am well aware of the common perception that all lawyers are crooks. But it's a myth made possible by a few unethical lawyers like me. Most lawyers I know are very honest, even if what they say will hurt them. This complaint is highly unusual. But the public has more than a right; it has a need to know.

The Case of Randi Ratushny  

This all starts with Randi Ratushny, a woman who suffered from addiction issues and depression. Not the kind of person you take seriously. Precisely the kind of person you can use. But a person with a sister who loved her. That love, in the end, may have have stopped Corriere.

When Randi's mother died, Corriere was appointed Executor of the Estate. She had another daughter, Robin Thomas, and the mother had already provided for her by setting up numerous bank accounts that were owned jointly, with the right of survivorship. (This means that when the mother died, the daughter automatically became the owner of these accounts)   Corriere suggested that Robin surrender those funds to him, and he'd use them to care for Randi. Robin agreed, liquidated all accounts, and gave him a check for $88,356.94. Using other monies from the mother's estate, Corriere was able to pool $142,277.86, supposedly for the care and maintenance of Randi.

Unfortunately, much of that money instead went to the care and maintenance of Don Corriere. Instead of depositing that money into a separate escrow account, Corriere deposited it in his IOLTA account, and then even withdrew a large portion of it to transfer into a separate savings account. He used the money to pay credit card bills, personal and law firm expenses. According to the Disciplinary Complaint, he converted and spent at least $50,622.73 of Ratushny's money.

He has never repaid this money despite promises to Disciplinary Counsel that he would do so.

In addition, he charged excessive fees. For example, he charged Randi Ratushny's sister, Robin Thomas, $2,500 from the mother's estate for legal fees, even though he never represented her. He charged $2,500 to set up a "custodial account" that never existed. He claimed nearly $9,000 in attorney fees to probate the mother's estate, and charged another $16,000 in fees while supposedly managing Ratushny's money.  

These fees appear to be in addition to what was outright stolen.

Eventually, the well started going dry. In February 2011, someone in Corriere's office told Ratushny that only $5,000 was left in her nonexistent custodial account. After what must have been a minor explosion, Corriere reported that he had found some additional funds and sent her a check for $13,000. He told Ratushny that since this money originally came from her sister, it would be unethical for him to meet and discuss it with her.

Randi Ratushny's Suicide

Ratushny, who suffered from mental illness, was unable to cope with what was happening to her. She found her relief in a bottle of pills in 2012.

Suicide, says the death certificate.

Multiple drug intoxication, says the death certificate.

But where did she get the pills to do herself in? She didn't drive, not after being caught behind the wheel drunk or drugged up, on several occasions. Believe it or not, the person who most likely drove her to pick up those pills - James Emlen - is the person who benefited from her death.

Originally, Ratushny left everything to her sister. Remember her? She's the one who without hesitation entrusted Corriere with $88,000 to provide for her sister. She's the person who paid the funeral bill for her sister. But guess wha?. A new Will was prepared, cutting out the sister and naming instead a man with problems of his own.

This would prevent the sister from asking all kinds of uncomfortable questions about just what happened to her own money.

Though the sister challenged the new will, the Courts accepted it, especially when Corriere's son testified this is what Ratushny wanted. The courts were never told that the firm had already stolen a great deal of Ratushny's money. On appeal, a disinterested Superior Court paid so little attention to details that it mistakenly called James Emlen, the new Executor and heir, Ratushny's brother..

He was not her brother. He may very well be the person who supplied her with the pills she abused to kill herself. Under the Slayer's Act, a person who assists another in committing suicide is barred from financially benefiting in that person's estate.

Had Ratushny's sister been appointed Executor, she would have pursued vigorously the alleged theft of her sister's money by Corriere. But with her out of the way and Emlen in, Corriere thought he was on easy street.

Until the Disciplinary Board began sniffing around.

Because of that, Corriere decided to steer Emlen to a new attorney, Chris Spadoni. Corriere misrepresented the claim against him as just $37,000.

Unfortunately, what happened to Randi Ratushny also happened to other clients.

Playing Games With Asbestos Money  - As the attorney for both the Martin and Virginia Jandris estates, Corriere was provided with substantial sums of money from the Peter Angelos law firm for asbestos claims they had pursued on behalf of the Jandris '. He eventually distributed over $25,000 to their beneficiaries, but only after complaints to the Disciplinary Board. He has failed to distribute about $15,000, and charged an amazing $12,000 in fees for work in which his sole job was to martial assets.

Playing Games With Wrongful Death Money. - Corriere represented the Snyder Estates, who had a wrongful death claim being pursued by another firm. When that matter settled, Corriere refused to distribute the money until the Disciplinary Board inquired. Then he charged excessive fees. In one of the Snyder estates, a spouse had elected to take against the Will. She was represented by Chris Spadoni. Corriere misrepresented the settlement figure in that matter as half of what it really was.

Corriere has declined public comment on the charges against him.