Attorney Who "Helped" Holocaust Victims Disbarred

Former Parsippany attorney who helped Holocaust victims disbarred
The Daily Record by ABBOTT KOLOFF - June 23, 2009

An attorney who gained fame for helping Holocaust victims, and who at one time lived in Parsippany, has been banned from practicing law in New Jersey by the state Supreme Court in a ruling filed on Tuesday. That put an end to a four-year case that began with the state Office of Attorney Ethics charging Edward D. Fagan with misappropriating hundreds of thousands of dollars entrusted to him by two Holocaust survivors. Fagan has been representing himself, according to state officials, and was unavailable for comment. State officials said his latest contact information lists a Short Hills mailing address. A request for an interview sent to his e-mail address resulted in what appeared to be an automated response saying he won't be available until today. Fagan had been disbarred by New York state officials last year for unrelated reasons. A special ethics master last year recommended disbarring Fagan in New Jersey. The State Supreme Court Disciplinary  Review Board made the same recommendation in January. State officials said in court papers that Fagan was in financial trouble and took about $500,000 from two accounts, later paying back a portion of that amount. No criminal charges have been filed. Fagan, who was living in Parsippany's Powdermill Heights apartments at the time the ethics charges were made, has denied wrongdoing in court papers. He has claimed one victim, who has since died, gave him permission to use her money and that another victim's charges stemmed from a fee dispute. Abbott Koloff: 973-428-6636; akoloff@gannett.com