Case Title: Office of Lawyer Regulation v. Thomas H. Koch

Citation: 2010 WI 106

Docket Number: 2010AP001047-D

State: wisconsin

Court: Wisconsin Supreme Court

Date: 2010-08-25T00:00:00Z

Document:
2010 WI 106 
 
SUPREME COURT OF WISCONSIN 
 
 
 
 
 
CASE NO.: 
2010AP1047-D 
COMPLETE TITLE: 
 
 
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings 
Against Thomas H. Koch, Attorney At Law: 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation, 
          Complainant, 
     v. 
Thomas H. Koch, 
          Respondent. 
 
 
 
 
DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS AGAINST KOCH 
 
 
OPINION FILED: 
August 25, 2010   
SUBMITTED ON BRIEFS: 
        
ORAL ARGUMENT: 
        
 
 
SOURCE OF APPEAL: 
 
 
COURT: 
        
 
COUNTY: 
        
 
JUDGE: 
        
 
 
 
JUSTICES: 
 
 
CONCURRED: 
        
 
DISSENTED: 
        
 
NOT PARTICIPATING:         
 
 
 
ATTORNEYS: 
 
      
 
 
 
 
2010 WI 106
NOTICE 
This opinion is subject to further 
editing and modification.  The final 
version will appear in the bound 
volume of the official reports.   
No.  2010AP1047-D  
 
 
STATE OF WISCONSIN  
 
 
   : 
IN SUPREME COURT 
 
 
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings 
Against Thomas H. Koch, Attorney At Law: 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation, 
 
          Complainant, 
 
     v. 
 
Thomas H. Koch, 
 
          Respondent. 
 
FILED 
 
AUG 25, 2010 
 
A. John Voelker 
Acting Clerk of 
Supreme Court 
 
 
 
 
 
ATTORNEY 
disciplinary 
proceeding.   
Attorney's 
license 
revoked.   
 
¶1 
PER CURIAM.   Attorney Thomas H. Koch has filed a 
petition for consensual license revocation pursuant to SCR 
22.19.1  He states he cannot successfully defend against the 
                                                 
1 SCR 22.19 provides, in part:  Petition for consensual 
license revocation. 
(1) An 
attorney 
who 
is 
the 
subject 
of 
an 
investigation 
for 
possible 
misconduct 
or 
the 
respondent in a proceeding may file with the supreme 
court a petition for the revocation by consent or his 
or her license to practice law.   
No. 
2010AP1047-D   
 
2 
 
professional misconduct allegations being investigated by the 
Office of Lawyer Regulation (OLR).  The OLR initiated an 
investigation with respect to one count of theft contrary to 
Wis. Stat. § 943.20(1)(b), involving Attorney Koch's conversion 
of over $2,400,000 in subrogated funds he collected on behalf of 
a client.   
¶2 
Attorney Koch was admitted to the practice of law in 
Wisconsin in 1990.  He has practiced in Milwaukee. 
¶3 
On February 22, 2010, Attorney Koch was charged in 
Milwaukee County circuit court with one felony count of 
violating Wis. Stat. § 943.20(1)(b), Theft-Business Setting 
greater than $10,000.  Attorney Koch converted for his own use 
funds that he collected on behalf of his client beginning in 
November 2001 and continuing until September 2008.2  Attorney 
Koch directed third parties to make subrogated claim settlement 
checks payable to him or to his trust account so that he could 
convert some or all of the settlement funds.  Attorney Koch's 
                                                                                                                                                             
(2) The petition shall state that the petitioner 
cannot successfully defend against the allegations of 
misconduct. 
 . . .  
(5) The supreme court shall grant the petition 
and revoke the petitioner's license to practice law or 
deny the petition and remand the matter to the 
director or to the referee for further proceedings. 
2 See State v. Thomas H. Koch, Milwaukee County Circuit 
Court case number 2010CF813; see also ACS Recovery Services, 
Inc. v. Thomas H. Koch, et al., Milwaukee County Circuit Court 
case number 2009CV19762.  
No. 
2010AP1047-D   
 
3 
 
client has calculated over $2,400,000 of its funds were 
collected 
by 
Attorney 
Koch. 
 
According 
to 
the 
criminal 
complaint, Attorney Koch admitted he has stolen huge amounts of 
settlement money owed to his client.  He explained he gambled 
away almost all of the embezzled money at local casinos.   
¶4 
Attorney Koch states he freely, voluntarily, and 
knowingly files his petition for the consensual revocation of 
his license to practice law in Wisconsin.  Attorney Koch 
acknowledges he cannot successfully defend himself against the 
professional misconduct alleged in the OLR investigation.  He 
states that after he was confronted by his client, he fully 
cooperated in the client's investigation of his actions.  He 
states he has been diagnosed as a compulsive gambler and is 
undergoing treatment. 
¶5 
Attorney Koch acknowledges that if this court grants 
his petition and revokes his license to practice law in 
Wisconsin, SCRs 22.26 through 22.33 apply.  He states he has 
been represented by counsel who assisted him with the petition, 
but at the time of the filing of his petition, Attorney Koch is 
representing himself.  He acknowledges he is giving up his right 
to contest the alleged misconduct.   
¶6 
The OLR recommends this court grant Attorney Koch's 
petition and revoke his Wisconsin law license.  The OLR states 
Attorney Koch has dramatically abused his client's trust from 
November 2001 through September 2008 by converting funds he 
collected from third parties.  The OLR is not seeking an 
assessment of costs.  The OLR recommends the court require 
No. 
2010AP1047-D   
 
4 
 
Attorney 
Koch 
to 
comply 
with 
all 
judgments, 
awards 
or 
restitution orders relating to the misconduct subject of his 
consensual revocation petition that would be issued against him 
by any other court.   
¶7 
We accept Attorney Koch's petition for consensual 
license revocation and we revoke Attorney Koch's license to 
practice law in Wisconsin.  We order that as a condition of any 
future reinstatement, Attorney Koch shall prove he has made full 
restitution to his former client.  See SCR 22.29(4m); see also 
In re Disciplinary Proceedings Against Dugan, 112 Wis. 2d 653, 
656, 334 N.W.2d 228 (1983).  Because the OLR does not seek 
costs, no costs are imposed. 
¶8 
IT IS ORDERED that the license to practice law of 
Thomas H. Koch is revoked, effective the date of this order. 
¶9 
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, to the extent he has not 
already done so, Thomas H. Koch shall comply with the provisions 
of SCR 22.26 concerning the duties of an attorney whose license 
to practice law has been revoked. 
¶10 IT 
IS 
FURTHER 
ORDERED 
that 
as 
a 
condition 
of 
reinstatement of his license to practice law in Wisconsin, 
Thomas H. Koch shall demonstrate he has made full restitution to 
or settled all claims of persons harmed by the misconduct 
subject of this proceeding as set forth in the complaint.  
 
No. 
2010AP1047-D   
 
 
 
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