People v. Albert R. Snyder. 16PDJ028. March 22, 2016. The Presiding Disciplinary Judge approved the parties’ conditional admission of misconduct and suspended Albert R. Snyder (Attorney Registration Number 41912) for ninety days, all stayed upon the successful completion of a two-year period of probation. Snyder’s probation took effect March 22, 2016.
Snyder was admitted to the Colorado bar in 2010. When he later failed to pay registration fees, he was administratively suspended during the following periods: May 2012 through October 2012; May 2013 through January 2014; and May 2014 through December 2015. Snyder is an immigration attorney who does much of his work pro bono or for heavily reduced fees. His three administrative suspensions were due to his lack of money to pay registration fees.
While he was administratively suspended, Snyder represented his wife in a minor traffic matter, and he represented at least four clients in immigration court. These representations were unauthorized because he lacked a valid license. He has since paid his registration fees, and his license is now active.
Snyder’s conduct violated Colo. RPC 5.5(a) (a lawyer shall not practice law without a law license or other specific authorization); Colo. RPC 3.4(c) (a lawyer shall not knowingly disobey an obligation under the rules of a tribunal); and C.R.C.P. 251.28 (a lawyer whose license is suspended must not accept new employment as a lawyer).