Attorney Sentenced for Lying to Clients About Civil Case Outcomes

A former Scranton attorney has been sentenced to prison for lying to clients who filed civil cases and for forging corresponding documents — including a judge’s signature.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry reported that James Conaboy, of Clarks Summit, previously pleaded guilty to misdemeanor forgery and tampering with records. A Luzerne County judge sentenced Conaboy to 30 days to a year in prison, followed by four years of probation.

The attorney general office’s investigation revealed that Conaboy lied to numerous clients about their cases, including making promises of settlements that never actually were reached.

Two cases involved Conaboy making representations about alleged six-figure settlement payouts, according to officials. In 2021, Conaboy told clients they had won a $700,000 settlement in a medical malpractice case — in reality, the case was terminated by the court because Conaboy did not serve the lawsuit. Prosecutors also said that Conaboy forged a judge’s signature on documents that showed the clients were successful.

The couple who brought that medical malpractice case sued Conaboy, as did others.

In another case, an employment suit, Conaboy told a client a $517,000 settlement had been negotiated whereas, in reality, the suit had been dismissed.

In a third case, another medical malpractice suit, Conaboy withdrew the suit, but told his client a $50,000 settlement was negotiated.

“As a sworn officer of the court, this defendant was trusted to represent the best interests of clients — instead, he did the exact opposite,” Attorney General Henry said. “The defendant intentionally ignored all ethical obligations by cruelly misleading clients to believe they would receive large settlement sums.”

Conaboy was with the Scranton law firm Abrahamsen, Conaboy, and Abrahamsen. Conaboy consented to his disbarment In April 2023, after the Pennsylvania Disciplinary Board of the State Supreme Court initiated action. He is no longer listed as a member of the law firm.