GO GET 'EM ANDREW !!!! (MORE, CLICK HERE)

Probe of double-dipping school attorneys hits Westchester
The Journal News - Diana Costello - February 28, 2008

New York state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has requested records from all 48 school districts in Westchester County as part of an investigation into potential double-dipping by lawyers.

The probe comes as state and federal officials continue to investigate the financial relationships between at least three attorneys and various school districts on Long Island.

At issue are allegations that lawyers are being paid by schools while simultaneously being paid by their law firms.

"We understand that inappropriate practices are often not isolated to any single part of the state," said spokesman John Milgrim. "We are committed to uncovering the full scope of these problems and finding a solution that puts an end to them."

Also, Newsday today reports that FBI agents and federal prosecutors subpoenaed the records of Ingerman Smith, a Hauppauge law firm, and have questioned partners about their knowledge of the possible double-dipping scheme.

The investigations began after Newsday reported that a former partner at Ingerman Smith, Lawrence Reich, was collecting a state pension of $61,000 after he was credited with working full-time by five school districts while simultaneously being a partner at Ingerman Smith, according to the newspaper.

Among the Westchester districts represented by Ingerman Smith are Bronxville, Bedford, Dobbs Ferry, Harrison, Katonah-Lewisboro, Mamaroneck and Pocantico Hills, according to the firm's Web site.

Visit the Hall Monitor blog at http://hallmonitor.lohudblogs.com for more information and links about this story.