A New York court has disbarred two lawyers after they were convicted for throwing Molotov cocktails at cop cars during the Black Lives Matter riots in 2020.
The Appellate Division’s First Judicial Department of the New York State Supreme Court disbarred attorneys Colinford Mattis and Urooj Rahman.
Mattis was formerly an associate at Pryor Cashman.
He became a lawyer in 2018 after graduating from the New York University School of Law in 2016.
“I wish I had made different and better choices that night,” Mattis told the judge.
Rahman worked at Bronx Legal Services.
She became a lawyer in 2019 after graduating from the Fordham University School of Law.
The two have been convicted and face a few years in prison but have not been sentenced yet.
The Court issued an order against Mattis that reads:
IT IS ORDERED that the Attorney Grievance Committee’s motion to strike the name of the respondent, Colinford King Mattis, from the [*2]roll of attorneys and counselors-at-law, pursuant to Judiciary Law § 90(4), is granted; and,
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that pursuant to Judiciary Law § 90(4)(a) and (b) and 22 NYCRR 1240.12(c)(1), the respondent, Colinford King Mattis, is disbarred, effective nunc pro tunc to June 2, 2022, and his name is stricken from the roll of attorneys and counselors-at-law; and,
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the respondent, Colinford King Mattis, shall comply with the rules governing the conduct of disbarred or suspended attorneys (see 22 NYCRR 1240.15); and,
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that pursuant to Judiciary Law § 90, the respondent, Colinford King Mattis, is commanded to desist and refrain from (1) practicing law in any form, either as principal or as agent, clerk, or employee of another, (2) appearing as an attorney or counselor-at-law before any court, Judge, Justice, board, commission, or other public authority, (3) giving to another an opinion as to the law or its application or any advice in relation thereto, and (4) holding himself out in any way as an attorney and counselor-at-law; and
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that if the respondent, Colinford King Mattis, has been issued a secure pass by the Office of Court Administration, it shall be returned forthwith to the issuing agency.
Entered: November 15, 2022
The Court ordered Urooj Rahman:
IT IS ORDERED that the Attorney Grievance Committee’s motion to strike the name of the respondent, Urooj Rahman, from the roll of attorneys and counselors-at-law, pursuant to Judiciary Law § 90(4), is granted; and,
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that pursuant to Judiciary Law § 90(4)(a) and (b) and 22 NYCRR 1240.12 (c)(1), the respondent, Urooj Rahman, is disbarred, effective nunc pro tunc to June 2, 2022, and her name is stricken from the roll of attorneys and counselors-at-law; and,
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the respondent, Urooj Rahman, shall comply with the rules governing the conduct of disbarred or suspended attorneys (see 22 NYCRR 1240.15); and,
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that pursuant to Judiciary Law § 90, the respondent, Urooj Rahman, is commanded to desist and refrain from (1) practicing law in any form, either as principal or as agent, clerk, or employee of another, (2) appearing as an attorney or counselor-at-law before any court, Judge, Justice, board, commission, or other public authority, (3) giving to another an opinion as to the law or its application or any advice in relation thereto, and (4) holding herself out in any way as an attorney and counselor-at-law; and
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that if the respondent, Urooj Rahman, has been issued a secure pass by the Office of Court Administration, it shall be returned forthwith to the issuing agency.
Entered: November 15, 2022
