Disbarred Ocean County Attorney Admits Illegally Practicing Law

TOMS RIVER, NJ — A disbarred attorney from Toms River pleaded guilty to defrauding clients by practicing law illegally, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office announced.

David T. Schlendorf, 54, who now lives in Holladay, Utah, but previously lived in Toms River, pleaded guilty to five counts of theft by deception and one count of unauthorized practice of law, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

At the time of his sentencing on July 17, 2026, the State will be seeking probation with the condition that Schlendorf has no contact with any of his victims. Additionally, Schlendorf will be required to make restitution in the amount of $70,755.

Schlendorf, a former assistant prosecutor who was disbarred in 2022, was initially charged in October with one count of theft by deception and one count of unauthorized practice of law after authorities learned a Toms River resident hired Schlendorf to represent him in a legal matter, paying him about $10,000 for his services, the prosecutor's office said.

Investigators also learned Schlendorf misrepresented himself as a licensed attorney, in spite of him being disbarred in New Jersey in December 2022, prosecutors have said.

Schlendorf, who also was disbarred in New York in 2024, admitted to the "knowing misappropriation of client funds" and acknowledged the allegation was true, according to the court record on the New York proceeding.

The prosecutor's office said the continuing investigation has turned up five additional victims, who hired Schlendorf to represent them from January 2023 to September 2025. Those customers paid Schlendorf about $60,000 for his services, the prosecutor's office said.

Schlendorf was an assistant prosecutor in the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office from 2000 to 2003 and an assistant prosecutor in the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office from 1997 to 1999, according to his LinkedIn account.

This article contains additional reporting by Karen Wall.