In re Richards

OPINION OF THE COURT

Respondent was admitted to practice by the Appellate Division, Third Department, in 1954 and maintains an office for the practice of law in Rochester, New York. The uncontroverted allegations of the petition show that respondent was retained as attorney for an estate valued at $316,000 and after having paid the obligations of the estate and substantially distributing the majority of the assets to the beneficiaries, he withheld approximately $55,000 pending receipt of an Internal Revenue Service closing letter. These assets were deposited in an account entitled “James…