Kimberly Kitchen was found guilty of forgery, unauthorised practice of law and felony records tampering in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania.
Prosecutors said Ms Kitchen fooled BMZ Law, a Huntingdon firm, by forging a law license, bar exam results, an email showing she attended law school and a check for a state attorney registration fee. She handled estate planning for more than 30 clients and her deception was discovered only after she had been made a partner at BMZ Law and spent a short time as president of the county bar association.
The judge, who was brought in from another county as Ms Kitchen had been a fixture in the county courthouse for years, didn't immediately schedule sentencing in order to allow 90 days for caseworkers to file a presentence report first. Defense attorney Caroline Roberto said that she is reviewing whether to appeal, commenting that she believes Ms Kitchen had ‘no intent’ to defraud and that there was no evidence Ms Kitchen's work was bad. ‘She provided a good service,’ she said.
Sources: AP; The Wall Street Journal
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