BUFFALO, N.Y. — The New York State Attorney General's Office, along with the New York State Police, have charged a local man for allegedly pretending to be an attorney.
Investigators say Andrew Schnorr allegedly posed as an attorney and defrauded victims out of more than $22,000.
He is charged with practicing law without a license and defrauding New Yorkers in Buffalo.
They say Schnorr did not graduate from a law school and did not pass a bar exam, which is required to practice as an attorney in New York State. They say he allegedly represented clients during legal proceedings
“Practicing law without a license undermines the integrity of our judicial system and jeopardizes the fate of New Yorkers who need legal services,” said Attorney General James. “This individual tricked vulnerable people by posing as an attorney who could help them but instead cheated them out of tens of thousands of dollars while risking their future. New Yorkers must be able to trust that the professionals representing them are qualified and serving in their best interest.”
“This suspect lied about his credentials and as a result stole thousands from unsuspecting victims who were counting on him for legal advice based on education and training that he didn’t have,” said State Police Superintendent Bruen. “I commend our members and the Office of the Attorney General for their work to hold this suspect accountable for his actions.”
Investigators say because of an investigation into Schnoor in 2019 when the Office of the Attorney General received a complaint from another attorney concerning Schnorr's lack of competence during a legal proceeding. The investigation found that Schnorr was not a licensed attorney and had lied about graduating from New York University.
They say Schnorr was hired at a local law firm by submitting a resume with fake credentials.
The OAG is still investigating and is asking anyone that may have been a victim of this type of crime, or additional information about this case, to contact them at: (716) 853-8400.