More lawyers around the world are facing jail this week after pleading guilty to various charges of thievery.

First up was US attorney Matthew Kluger, sentenced on Monday to 12 years by a Newark court for insider trading. Kluger worked for some of the grandest firms in the States, including Cravath and Skadden, and tipped off friends about forthcoming mergers. His sentence is the longest ever given for insider trading, and Kluger's attorney described it as "unduly harsh" and said he would appeal against it.

    Kluger looks forward to a 12 year stretch

Then over to Dublin on Wednesday, where former solicitor David O'Shea pleaded guilty to nicking €450,000 from clients. He'd been charged with 26 offences over a six year period and had used the money to buys cars, pay for a horse trainer and clear his credit card debts. He was remanded in custody and was told he will be sentenced to jail next week.

Finally to Newcastle on Thursday, where Robert Cutty admitted stealing nearly £200,000 from grieving families in a series of will scams. He took the money from the estates of his clients, some of whom had appointed him their executor. That's rude. Judge James Goss of Newcastle Crown Court granted him bail so he could continue his treatment for cancer, but warned that prison was likely.

So Kluger gets the dubious distinction of going straight to the top of RoF's table of banged up legal villains:

Name
Jurisdiction
Sentence
 Matthew Kluger, ex Skadden
 USA  12 years
 Martin Weisberg, ex Bakers
 USA  expected 8 years
 Louise Martini, ex Williamson & Soden
 England  5 years
 Christopher Grierson, ex Lovells
 England  3 years
 Emma Rowsell, ex CC
 England  18 months
 Richard Simkin, ex Fulbright
 England  16 months
 Judie Groom, ex CC
 England  15 months
 Partner who ran a red light, Hogan Lovells
 Dubai  20 days
 Pissed trainee, Freshfields
 Dubai  2 days

Peter Charlton, Clifford Chance's Head of Asia, will be hoping he doesn't get a mention when he appears in a Hong Kong court later this month on a drink driving charge...
 
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