Greenberg Traurig partner charged with fraud, faces up to 30 years' prison
12 March 2010
A partner at US firm Greenberg Traurig has been sacked after being charged with stealing from a client.

Mark McCombs, a 50-year-old partner in the firm's Chicago office, was charged last week with transferring an amount of between $1million and $3million from a client to Greenberg Traurig. There's apparently no suggestion that he pocketed any cash himself: prosecutors claim that it was simply to ramp up his billings to improve his position in the partnership. He faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted.

Mark McCombs making a new friend - how it might look

Despite the fact that McCombs has yet to be prosecuted, let alone convicted, Greenberg Traurig didn't mess about with any innocent until proven guilty nonsense - he was liquidated sacked the same day as being charged. In a statement the firm said that McCombs "was charged today with theft of governmental property. This afternoon, upon learning of these charges, the law firm severed connections to Mr. McCombs, who had been an attorney with the firm. The firm is fully cooperating with the investigation and has reported these charges to the appropriate disciplinary agency."

McCombs is on bail awaiting trial. His attorney said that he wished Greenberg Traurig had "taken some time to let this thing develop a little bit before firing him".