In re Bechet

OPINION OF THE COURT

Respondent was admitted to the New York Bar at the Appellate Division, First Judicial Department, in 1994, and has practiced law within this Department at all relevant times since then.

*114In April 1997 respondent was retained by a refugee couple from Yugoslavia seeking political asylum and American and Canadian work authorization papers. The fact that the couple’s small children were still in Yugoslavia highlighted the urgency of their situation. The clients delivered to respondent $1,204 in application fees made payable to the Canadian Consulate General, and over the course…