Lawyer’s practice suspended for two-year period

Failure to respond over drug-related arrest is cited

ALBANY — A former Cohoes attorney was suspended from practicing law for two years by a judicial panel after she did not respond to inquiries from a watchdog panel in connection with her drug-related arrest in 2018.

Danielle R. Lange, an attorney since 2006, after graduating from Albany Law School, was disciplined by the Appellate Division of state Supreme Court’s Third Department.

In a unanimous decision, the court explained that in August 2018, Lange was charged with drug-related offenses following a traffic stop. Lange later pleaded guilty to misdemeanor drug possession to resolve the case; she received probation, community service and drug treatment.

The Third Department’s Attorney Grievance Committee, which investigates complaints against lawyers, alleged that Lange’s actions adversely reflects on her fitness as an attorney and violated professional conduct rules.

The panel served Lange with a petition and afforded her two adjournments but she never responded with an answer, the decision said.

In December, the Third Department determined Lange had committed misconduct. On Thursday, it imposed the two-year suspension.

The decision noted that Lange, now based in Salem, Mass., no longer holds a law office in New York but has continued to appear as the attorney of record for clients in the state, which also could be deemed misconduct.

The Third Department ordered that Lange cannot be reinstated in New York until she is in good standing in Massachusetts, satisfies registration requirements and has proof of a law office in New York.

Presiding Justice Elizabeth Garry and Justices Sharon Aarons, Molly Reynolds Fitzgerald, Lisa Fisher and Eddie Mcshan imposed the ruling made public Thursday.