A lawyer from Mableton pleaded guilty Wednesday to federal charges related to a scheme to steal over a half-million dollars from the Atlanta law firm where he once worked.
Michael Shaw, 37, could receive a maximum of 30 years in prison and be fined up to $250,000 when he is sentenced by U.S. District Judge Willis B. Hunt in early January.
According to a statement from the office of U.S. Attorney Sally Quillian Yates, Shaw was employed as an associate attorney at a large Atlanta law firm, specializing in bankruptcy and commercial foreclosure litigation.
From 2003 to 2009, Shaw regularly performed investigative services for clients himself, but submitted invoices totaling approximately $90,000 in the name of an investigator who also worked for the firm, Greenberg Traurig.
"At the same time, Shaw performed title examination services for clients himself, but submitted invoices to the firm in the name of a fictitious vendor," the statement said. Those invoices totaled about $425,000.
"For almost six years, Shaw regularly performed work for clients, submitted fraudulent invoices to the firm's accounting department, received checks, endorsed the checks over to himself, and deposited the funds into his personal checking account. During this period, he also continued to receive his regular law firm salary as well."
Shaw's misconduct was discovered in June 2009, and he was terminated.
"As a lawyer, Shaw had a duty to act with his clients' best interests in mind," Yates said. "Instead, he used his position at the law firm to enrich himself at their expense."
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