Paralegal charged in 100G theft

Kathy Foer-Morse didn't fit in at High Swartz law firm in Norristown.

She showed up late, left early and couldn't be located during some workdays, according to her employer.

After her termination, partners at the firm said that they discovered $100,937 couldn't be located, either.

During a subsequent investigation, detectives learned that the former estate paralegal was awaiting sentencing in New York for stealing $285,000 from the last law firm where she worked, and that she had used the money she allegedly stole from High Swartz to pay restitution in the New York case, said Kevin Steele, Montgomery County first assistant district attorney.

"She clearly didn't learn her lesson," he said.

Moreover, rather than take from High Swartz's accounts, Foer-Morse wrote checks to herself from deceased people's estates and forged the executor's signature, said Paul Bartle, managing partner of High Swartz.

"She was literally stealing from the dead," he said.

Foer-Morse, 49, of Spring City, Chester County, was arrested Friday and charged with several counts of theft, forgery and related crimes.

Bartle said that Foer-Morse was hired after being recommended to the company by a legal recruiter.

Bartle said that his company never does criminal background checks on people obtained through recruiters, under the assumption that they've already been thoroughly vetted.

"Certainly, the recruiter didn't do their job," he said.

Foer-Morse was employed at the firm for 10 months before she was fired May 1 for showing up late, leaving early and going out of the office without being accessible by phone, Bartle said.

After her termination, a routine audit was done on her accounts and the firm discovered she'd forged 12 unauthorized checks for a total of $100,937, Steele said.

Bartle said that the firm will pay clients back using their own funds and insurance.

He said that his firm will seek restitution from Foer-Morse if she is convicted.

In the New York case, she is charged with stealing $285,000 from trust-fund accounts at the New York City law firm of Satterlee, Stephens, Burke & Burke, prosecutors said.

According to Bartle, the judge in that case told Foer-Morse that if she paid restitution, he would defer sentencing and take her payment into account.

With the latest charges, Bartle expects that a detainer will be placed on Foer-Morse from New York and that she'll be taken there before she is tried in Montgomery County.

"Our firm has been around almost 100 years," he said. "I've been here 33 years and this is the first time we've ever had anything like this."

Foer-Morse remains in Montgomery County Prison in lieu of $99,000 cash bail. *