NEW YORK (AP) - A former paralegal who posed as a lawyer has been sentenced to five years' probation because he returned $150,000 of the money he was paid by the Manhattan law firm that employed him.

Brian Valery, 33, of Massapequa, pleaded guilty to grand larceny in October. He admitted that for two years he got more than $200,000 in pay from Anderson Kill & Olick by falsely claiming that he had earned his law degree from Fordham University Law School and passed the state bar exam.

State Supreme Court Justice Hon. Gregory Carro, who could have sentenced Valery to 15 years in prison, promised him probation if he paid back at least $150,000 by his sentencing date.

The judge said Valery still has to repay another $75,000.