DirtyLAWndry reader - “Melissa” - emailed me this interesting tidbit regarding Lance David Lewis. Apparently, Lewis was padding time during a document review project at Pepper Hamilton. He worked from November 12, 2007 to December 4, 2007 on the project at an average of 32 hours each week. However, he decided to continue submitting timesheets to his staffing agency, HireCounsel, after his project ended. He gradually increased his hours from 32 hours per week to about 80 hours per week. He did this until August 2008 when he was finally confronted by HireCounsel. By then, he was paid a total of $79,353 by fraudulently logging 2605.10 hours on his timesheets that he actually never worked. He even received an additional 40 hours for bonuses and holiday pay that he didn’t deserve.

Additionally, Lewis also stole settlement funds belonging to a former client in the amount of $12,500 by forging both his name and his client’s name on the settlement check.

And as if that weren’t scandalous enough, in August 2008, Lance David Lewis was arrested and facing six criminal charges: 1) Attempted Murder, 2) Aggravated Assault, 3) Simple Assault, 4) Possession Of An Instrument Of Crime, 5) Reckless Endangerment, and 6) Conspiracy. By September 2008, the attempted murder charge was dismissed for lack of evidence, but he eventually pleaded guilty to remaining charges.

You can find the PA Disciplinary Board’s Opinion here. From his website, LanceDLewis.com, he seemed to be pursuing a successful career. I wonder how everything went so wrong.