The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York has disbarred attorney Dominique Marc Henri Lemoine for professional misconduct. This decision, made on July 23, 2026, affects Lemoine's ability to practice law in New York following his disbarment in Georgia for serious violations involving client funds.
The ruling comes after the Attorney Grievance Committee for the First Judicial Department filed a motion for reciprocal discipline. Lemoine's actions included the intentional conversion of client and third-party funds, which led to his disbarment in Georgia.
Dominique Lemoine, who was admitted to the New York Bar in 1992, faced disciplinary proceedings initiated by the Attorney Grievance Committee. The issues stemmed from two separate incidents of misconduct that occurred while he was practicing law in Georgia. In both cases, Lemoine mismanaged client funds, leading to significant financial losses for his clients.
The first incident involved Lemoine representing an entity called Kruseman LLC, which dealt with transactions for personal protective equipment. Lemoine agreed to hold funds in his IOLTA account but then misappropriated over $63,000 of those funds without proper authorization. The second incident involved an elderly couple who entrusted Lemoine with $175,000 to manage their tax dispute with the IRS. He failed to return their funds and misused them for his own expenses.
The Georgia State Bar filed formal complaints against Lemoine in June 2022 and January 2023. After a hearing, a Special Master found clear evidence of professional misconduct. The Special Master determined that Lemoine had committed multiple violations of the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct, including dishonesty, fraud, and misrepresentation.
On August 12, 2025, the Supreme Court of Georgia upheld the Special Master's findings and disbarred Lemoine. The court ruled that Lemoine's actions demonstrated a pattern of misconduct and that he had intentionally converted client funds for personal use. The court stated, "The record firmly supports the findings that respondent intentionally converted client and third-party funds in the two matters at issue."
Following his disbarment in Georgia, the Attorney Grievance Committee in New York sought to impose reciprocal discipline based on the findings from Georgia. The court found that Lemoine had received adequate notice and opportunity to defend himself in the Georgia proceedings, which negated any potential defenses he might have had in New York.
The ruling emphasized that Lemoine's misconduct would also violate New York's Rules of Professional Conduct. The court noted that it generally defers to the sanctions imposed by the jurisdiction where the original misconduct occurred. In this case, the court found that disbarment was the appropriate sanction.
The court concluded, "Disbarment is the appropriate sanction... This case does not present an exception to the general rule." As a result, Lemoine's name was struck from the roll of attorneys and counselors-at-law in New York.
This decision has significant implications for Lemoine and others in the legal profession. Disbarment in one state can lead to similar actions in others, reinforcing the importance of ethical conduct among attorneys. The ruling serves as a reminder that attorneys must adhere to strict standards of professionalism and integrity, particularly when handling client funds.
Going forward, Lemoine is prohibited from practicing law in any capacity. He must comply with the rules governing disbarred attorneys and return any secure passes issued by the Office of Court Administration. The ruling effectively ends his legal career in New York and reinforces the consequences of professional misconduct.
Details were not available in the court filing regarding whether Lemoine plans to appeal the decision or if there are any related cases pending. However, the ruling stands as a significant disciplinary action within the legal community.