A Skokie man who posed as an attorney and handled more than 60 cases without a law degree was sentenced Monday to two years in prison. Tahir Malik, 47, was ordered behind bars after he pleaded guilty to forgery and impersonation of a lawyer before Cook County Judge Dennis Porter.
The convicted felon was arrested in December when staff at the Skokie courthouse grew suspicious of him and discovered he was never licensed to practice law.
“No one suspected anything for years because he did everything right — except obtain a law degree,” Sheriff Tom Dart said at the time.
Malik was tied to more than 60 cases, including traffic court, mortgage foreclosures and low-level criminal cases at the Skokie and Bridgeview courthouses, and at the Daley Center, along with hearings of various city boards, the sheriff’s office said.
Malik on Monday said that many of his clients never paid him for his services, a court worker said. Investigators believe he charged $500 to $4,500 cash per case.
Malik was previously convicted of burglary and served time in prison. His rap sheet also includes theft, shoplifting and criminal trespass charges, authorities said.
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