Greene County attorney charged with stealing other lawyer’s retainer fees
The custody, dependency and juvenile hearing officer in the Greene County Courthouse has been charged with felony theft after investigators said she stole more than $22,000 in retainer fees earmarked for another lawyer who had worked at her private law firm.
Kimberly J. Simon-Pratt, 56, of Cumberland Township, was charged Wednesday with multiple counts of theft, accused of taking funds meant for fellow attorney Jessica Phillips and additional money that was supposed to be deposited in the state’s Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Account.
Phillips, who worked for Simon-Pratt’s law firm in Waynesburg before leaving in March, reported to Greene County district attorney office’s detectives on April 28 that she was still owed $22,213 in retainer fees from 27 clients. Additional money meant for the state’s IOLTA fund was also missing, according to Chief Detective Zachary Sams, who filed the charges.
Court documents indicated the state Supreme Court Disciplinary Board was contacted and investigated the situation, although there are no pending proceedings currently listed against Simon-Pratt on the agency’s website. Simon-Pratt, who was admitted to the bar in 1991, is still listed as an active lawyer on the agency’s website.
Simon-Pratt had worked in a part-time role in the courthouse since 2013, but was brought in on a full-time basis in April, according to county officials. It was not known if Simon-Pratt has been placed on leave from her position within the courthouse after the charges were filed. County officials referred comment to the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts, although a spokesperson there did not have information about the situation Thursday.
The phone number for Simon-Pratt’s law office in Waynesburg was disconnected, and there was no defense attorney listed for her in online court documents. Court documents do not explain what happened to the money.
“The investigation revealed Pratt wrongfully took the money from an IOLTA account and used client account money for her own benefit and outside of government regulations,” Greene County District Attorney David Russo said in a written statement.
Last year, Simon-Pratt ran as a cross-filed candidate for Court of Common Pleas judge in Greene County, but lost in the primary election against Jeff Grimes.
Multiple felony charges of theft and criminal mischief, along with misdemeanor counts of misapplying government funds were filed Wednesday at District Judge David Balint’s office in Waynesburg. Simon-Pratt is free on unsecured bond while awaiting her preliminary hearing, which is tentatively scheduled for Dec. 21 at 9 a.m. before Balint.
A secretary at the law office where Phillips now works said Thursday she would not be commenting about the case.