On a Saturday morning in the Fall of 2008 I went to my law office as I typically did on weekends and made the first of a series of mistakes that led to a significant amount of pain and suffering for my family, my clients and all those around me. On that morning, I began to use my client’s monies, which I held in trust, for my family and personal purposes. It was a terrible mistake that would continue for another eighteen months, and ultimately led to my disbarment and conviction of a second-degree crime for theft.
I regret the mistakes I made as they caused an enormous amount of pain and suffering to all those around me, particularly my children, my family and my clients. I was once a talented and trusted attorney and I blew it all over the course of eighteen disastrous months. My business consultants and many of those around me suggest that the stress of a cancer battle played a big part in my bad decision making and ultimate disbarment. Many of my wounds were, in fact, not self-inflicted, but at the end of the day, I committed a terrible crime. My mistakes are my mistakes – I own them, and I am entirely responsible for them. No excuses. There is never an excuse for violating a client’s trust and using someone else’s monies – never.
Since the commission of my crime, I have been re-building my business and hopefully restoring some of the trust and honor I lost. I will never regain the status I once held, nor will anyone recall a prior lifetime of charitable and good acts, but that is one of the prices I paid for committing egregious mistakes. I am the first to share this sad fact with those around me, including my family, friends, clients and colleagues. I am also sure to let everyone around me know that a responsible heart and mind can make recovery from bad mistakes possible.
For more on my personal journey, I will soon be unveiling my blog and website onrestorationroad.com
Matthew J. Kirnan was a practicing attorney in the State of New Jersey from 1986 to 2010. By consent,
Mr. Kirnan was disbarred as an attorney of the State of New Jersey October, 2010.
