Case Title: Office of Lawyer Regulation v. Leroi John Andrews

Citation: 

Docket Number: 2020AP000152-D

State: wisconsin

Court: Wisconsin Supreme Court

Date: 2020-10-06T00:00:00Z

Document:
2020 WI 79 
 
SUPREME COURT OF WISCONSIN 
 
 
 
 
 
CASE NO.: 
2020AP152-D 
 
 
 
COMPLETE TITLE: 
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings 
Against Leroi John Andrews, Attorney at Law: 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation, 
          Complainant, 
     v. 
Leroi John Andrews, 
          Respondent. 
 
 
 
 
 
DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS AGAINST ANDREWS 
 
 
OPINION FILED: 
October 6, 2020   
SUBMITTED ON BRIEFS: 
        
ORAL ARGUMENT: 
        
 
 
SOURCE OF APPEAL: 
 
 
COURT: 
        
 
COUNTY: 
        
 
JUDGE: 
        
 
 
 
JUSTICES: 
 
Per Curiam.  
NOT PARTICIPATING: 
        
 
 
 
ATTORNEYS: 
 
      
 
 
 
 
2020 WI 79
NOTICE 
This opinion is subject to further 
editing and modification.  The final 
version will appear in the bound 
volume of the official reports.   
No. 2020AP152-D 
 
 
STATE OF WISCONSIN  
 
 
   : 
IN SUPREME COURT 
 
 
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings 
Against Leroi John Andrews, Attorney at Law: 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation, 
 
          Complainant, 
 
     v. 
 
Leroi John Andrews, 
 
          Respondent. 
FILED 
 
OCT 6, 2020 
 
Sheila T. Reiff 
Clerk of Supreme Court 
 
 
 
 
ATTORNEY 
disciplinary 
proceeding.   Attorney's 
license 
suspended.   
 
¶1 
PER CURIAM.   This is a reciprocal discipline matter.  
On January 24, 2020, the Office of Lawyer Regulation (OLR) filed 
a complaint and motion pursuant to Supreme Court Rule (SCR) 22.22,1 
                                                 
1 SCR 22.22 provides:  
(1) An attorney on whom public discipline for 
misconduct 
or 
a 
license 
suspension 
for 
medical 
incapacity has been imposed by another jurisdiction 
shall promptly notify the director of the matter. 
Failure to furnish the notice within 20 days of the 
effective date of the order or judgment of the other 
jurisdiction constitutes misconduct.  
No.  2020AP152-D 
 
 
2 
                                                 
(2) Upon the receipt of a certified copy of a 
judgment or order of another jurisdiction imposing 
discipline for misconduct or a license suspension for 
medical incapacity of an attorney admitted to the 
practice of law or engaged in the practice of law in 
this state, the director may file a complaint in the 
supreme court containing all of the following: 
(a) A certified copy of the judgment or order from 
the other jurisdiction. 
(b) A motion requesting an order directing the 
attorney to inform the supreme court in writing within 
20 days of any claim of the attorney predicated on the 
grounds set forth in sub. (3) that the unwarranted and 
the factual basis for the claim. 
(3) The supreme court shall impose the identical 
discipline or license suspension unless one or more of 
the following is present: 
(a) The procedure in the other jurisdiction was so 
lacking in notice or opportunity to be heard as to 
constitute a deprivation of due process. 
(b) 
There 
was 
such 
an 
infirmity 
of 
proof 
establishing the misconduct or medical incapacity that 
the supreme court could not accept as final the 
conclusion in respect to the misconduct or medical 
incapacity. 
(c) 
The 
misconduct 
justifies 
substantially 
different discipline in this state. 
(4) Except as provided in sub. (3), a final 
adjudication in another jurisdiction that an attorney 
has engaged in misconduct or has a medical incapacity 
shall 
be 
conclusive 
evidence 
of 
the 
attorney's 
misconduct or medical incapacity for purposes of a 
proceeding under this rule.  
(5) The supreme court may refer a complaint filed 
under sub. (2) to a referee for a hearing and a report 
and recommendation pursuant to SCR 22.16. At the 
hearing, the burden is on the party seeking the 
imposition of discipline or license suspension different 
from that imposed in the other jurisdiction to 
No.  2020AP152-D 
 
 
3 
asking this court to suspend Attorney Leroi John Andrews' license 
to practice law in Wisconsin for a period of three months, as 
reciprocal discipline identical to that imposed by the Supreme 
Court of the State of New York, Appellate Division, First Judicial 
Department.  Upon our review, we agree that it is appropriate to 
impose the same three-month suspension imposed by the Supreme Court 
of the State of New York, Appellate Division, First Judicial 
Department.  We also order Attorney Andrews to comply with the 
conditions of the New York disciplinary order, as explained more 
fully below.  We do not impose costs. 
¶2 
Attorney Andrews was admitted to practice law in 
Wisconsin in 1988.  His Wisconsin license was suspended in November 
1992 for failure to pay bar dues and in June 1995 for failure to 
comply with mandatory continuing legal education reporting 
requirements.  His Wisconsin license remains administratively 
suspended at the present time. 
¶3 
In February 1990, Attorney Andrews was admitted to 
practice law in the State of New York.  The most recent address 
furnished by Attorney Andrews to the State Bar of Wisconsin is in 
Bronx, New York. 
                                                 
demonstrate that the imposition of identical discipline 
or 
license 
suspension 
by 
the 
supreme 
court 
is 
unwarranted.  
(6) If the discipline or license suspension imposed 
in the other jurisdiction has been stayed, any 
reciprocal discipline or license suspension imposed by 
the supreme court shall be held in abeyance until the 
stay expires. 
No.  2020AP152-D 
 
 
4 
¶4 
According to the documents attached to the OLR's 
complaint relating to the New York disciplinary proceeding, in 
April 2015, the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate 
Division, First Judicial Department, suspended Attorney Andrews' 
license to practice law in that state for a period of three months, 
based on his misdemeanor conviction for failing to file an income 
tax return for calendar year 2007, in violation of § 1801(a) of 
New York State Tax Law.  In its disciplinary order, the Supreme 
Court of the State of New York, Appellate Division, First Judicial 
Department, also required, as a condition of Attorney Andrews' 
reinstatement, that he submit documentary proof that he has entered 
into agreements with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the 
New York State Tax Authorities to repay his outstanding tax debts. 
¶5 
The OLR's complaint also alleged that by failing to 
notify the OLR of his suspension in New York within 20 days of the 
effective date of its imposition, Attorney Andrews violated SCR 
22.22(1). 
¶6 
On July 9, 2020, this court issued an order directing 
Attorney Andrews to show cause why the imposition of the identical 
discipline to that imposed in New York would be unwarranted.  This 
court sent the order to the last address Attorney Andrews had 
provided to the State Bar of Wisconsin.  Attorney Andrews has not 
responded to the order to show cause.   
¶7 
Under SCR 22.22(3), in reciprocal discipline matters, 
this court shall impose the identical discipline unless one of the 
enumerated exceptions is shown.  There is no indication that any 
of those exceptions apply in this case.  We therefore impose an 
No.  2020AP152-D 
 
 
5 
identical three-month suspension on Attorney Andrews' Wisconsin 
law license. 
¶8 
We further determine that the three-month suspension 
should be prospective from the date of this opinion and order, 
despite the amount of time that has passed since Attorney Andrews' 
suspension in New York in 2015.  We note that Attorney Andrews 
failed to notify the OLR or this court of his suspension in New 
York in 2015.  Thus, there is no unfairness in the fact that 
Attorney Andrews' suspension from the practice of law in this state 
is commencing several years after his suspension in New York.  See, 
e.g., In re Disciplinary Proceedings Against Eichhorn–Hicks, 2012 
WI 18, ¶12, 338 Wis. 2d 753, 809 N.W.2d 379 (rejecting attorney's 
request for retroactive suspension where, among other things, 
attorney had not notified the OLR of Minnesota suspension issued 
more than a decade earlier); In re Disciplinary Proceedings Against 
Nickitas, 2006 WI 20, ¶¶4, 6–7, 289 Wis. 2d 18, 710 N.W.2d 464 
(rejecting attorney's request that suspension be made retroactive 
to date of suspension in other state). 
¶9 
Although the OLR complaint did not address this subject, 
we note, as we did above, that the Supreme Court of the State of 
New York, Appellate Division, First Judicial Department, stated in 
its disciplinary order that, as a condition of Attorney Andrews' 
reinstatement, he must submit documentary proof that he has entered 
into agreements with the IRS and the New York State Tax Authorities 
to repay his outstanding tax debts.  To effectuate "identical 
discipline" under SCR 22.22(3), we order Attorney Andrews to comply 
with the conditions of the New York disciplinary order. 
No.  2020AP152-D 
 
 
6 
¶10 Finally, because Attorney Andrews did not contest this 
matter and there has been no need for the appointment of a referee 
or further proceedings, we do not impose the costs of this 
disciplinary proceeding against Attorney Andrews.  See In re 
Disciplinary Proceedings Against Hooker, 2012 WI 100, ¶26, 343 
Wis. 2d 397, 816 N.W.2d 310 (noting that in reciprocal discipline 
cases where a referee is not appointed, costs are generally not 
imposed as there are no referee expenses and the proceedings are 
less involved). 
¶11 IT IS ORDERED that the license of Leroi John Andrews to 
practice law in Wisconsin is suspended for a period of three 
months, effective the date of this order. 
¶12 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Leroi John Andrews shall 
comply with the requirements of SCR 22.26 pertaining to the duties 
of a person whose license to practice law in Wisconsin has been 
suspended. 
¶13 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that compliance with all 
conditions of this order, and compliance with all conditions of 
the disciplinary order imposed on him by the Supreme Court of the 
State of New York, Appellate Division, First Judicial Department, 
are required for reinstatement.  See SCR 22.28(2). 
¶14 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the administrative suspension 
of Leroi John Andrews' license to practice law in Wisconsin, due 
to his failure to pay mandatory bar dues and failure to comply 
with mandatory continuing legal education reporting requirements, 
will remain in effect until each reason for the administrative 
suspension has been rectified, pursuant to SCR 22.28(1). 
No.  2020AP152-D 
 
 
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No.  2020AP152-D 
 
 
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