Tom White:
How an Attorney Can Lose Everything by “Borrowing” Client Funds
Biographical Background
Before becoming a white collar criminal, Tom White practiced law with his own Minneapolis law firm and was a respected leader in the Minneapolis legal community. White was committed to providing assistance to tenants and homeowners wronged or deceived by mortgage officers, banks and landlords. He served on the Hennepin County Bar’s Ethics Committee and contributed a weekly advice column in the Housing section of the Star Tribune, giving tenants an opportunity to write in and seek free legal advice. His concern for those less fortunate than himself was admirable.
White’s respectable background made him an unlikely candidate for white collar crime. In 2001, however, White made a decision that would ruin his reputation and permanently end his legal career. A couple retained White to represent them as sellers in a real estate transaction and gave him $18,000 to pay loans at the real estate closing. White used the funds for personal, unauthorized purposes, which he later repaid. Then, in 2004, another of White’s clients gave him $85,000 to settle a civil dispute and White again “borrowed” the money for personal purposes.
Although White did eventually pay both clients back for the money he misappropriated, he was charged with mail fraud, pled guilty, and was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison. White also was disbarred by the Minnesota Supreme Court.
Presentation by Tom White (and Hank Shea)
Tom White is a former ethics leader and advocate who fell into a trap of white collar crime. This joint presentation is a unique opportunity to hear this compelling story from White himself, along with Hank Shea, a Fellow at the St. Thomas School of Law’s Holloran Center for Ethical Leadership in the Professions. As a former Assistant U.S. Attorney, Shea prosecuted White, adding an interesting dynamic to this presentation. White offers a personal account of the consequences of white collar crime, and Shea provides the federal government’s perspective and analysis in prosecuting lawyers and other white collar criminals. The interaction between Shea and White is powerful, leaving a lasting impression with audiences.
Lessons to be Learned from White
Whereas many white collar criminals commit fraud or misappropriation for materialistic reasons, White’s story is unique for the reasons he committed his crimes — to save the jobs of his employees. Financial difficulties lead White to take his clients’ money in order to pay his staff, rather than lay them off. Today, White recognizes that fraud is fraud, despite the reason, and explores with audiences the consequences of his crime, the impact it has had on his family, and his experience in federal prison. He discusses his views on the use of incarceration to punish white collar crime, problems in federal prisons, and alternative forms of punishment.
To schedule a presentation with Hank Shea and Tom White, please contact: hjshea@stthomas.edu.
