Title: Office of Lawyer Regulation v. Matthew C. Siderits

State: wisconsin

Issuer: Wisconsin Supreme Court

Document:

2015 WI 51 
 
SUPREME COURT OF WISCONSIN 
 
 
 
 
 
CASE NO.: 
2011AP259-D 
COMPLETE TITLE: 
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings 
Against  
Matthew C. Siderits, Attorney at Law: 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation, 
          Complainant-Respondent, 
     v. 
Matthew C. Siderits, 
          Respondent-Appellant. 
 
 
 
 
DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS AGAINST SIDERITS 
 
 
OPINION FILED: 
June 4, 2015 
SUBMITTED ON BRIEFS: 
        
ORAL ARGUMENT: 
      
 
 
SOURCE OF APPEAL: 
 
 
COURT: 
      
 
COUNTY: 
      
 
JUDGE: 
      
 
 
 
JUSTICES: 
 
 
CONCURRED: 
      
 
DISSENTED: 
      
 
NOT PARTICIPATING: PROSSER, J., did not participate.    
 
 
 
ATTORNEYS: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2015 WI 51
NOTICE 
This opinion is subject to further 
editing and modification.  The final 
version will appear in the bound 
volume of the official reports.   
No.   2011AP259-D 
 
 
STATE OF WISCONSIN  
 
 
   : 
IN SUPREME COURT 
 
 
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings 
Against Matthew C. Siderits, Attorney at Law: 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation, 
 
          Complainant-Respondent, 
 
     v. 
 
Matthew C. Siderits, 
 
          Respondent-Appellant. 
 
FILED 
 
JUN 4, 2015 
 
Diane M. Fremgen 
Clerk of Supreme Court 
 
 
 
 
ATTORNEY reinstatement proceeding.  Reinstatement granted.   
 
¶1 
PER CURIAM.   We review a report filed by Referee 
Michael F. Dubis, recommending that the court reinstate the 
license of Matthew C. Siderits to practice law in Wisconsin.  
Upon careful review of the matter, we agree that Attorney 
Siderits's license should be reinstated.  We further agree with 
the referee that Attorney Siderits should be required to pay the 
full costs of this proceeding, which are $2,585.56 as of 
March 30, 2015. 
No. 
2011AP259-D   
 
2 
 
¶2 
Attorney Siderits was licensed to practice law in 
Wisconsin in 1996.  In January of 2013, this court suspended his 
license to practice law for a period of one year, effective 
February 4, 2013.  In re Disciplinary Proceedings Against 
Siderits, 2013 WI 2, 345 Wis. 2d 89, 824 N.W.2d 812.  The 
suspension arose out of five counts of misconduct that involved 
Attorney Siderits manipulating his billing records for the sole 
purpose of achieving bonuses for two consecutive years. 
¶3 
On October 15, 2014, Attorney Siderits filed a 
petition seeking the reinstatement of his law license.  On 
January 22, 2015, the Office of Lawyer Regulation (OLR) filed a 
response not opposing the reinstatement petition.  A public 
hearing was held before the referee on February 10, 2015.  The 
referee filed his report and recommendation on March 10, 2015. 
¶4 
Supreme 
Court 
Rule 
(SCR) 
22.31(1) 
provides 
the 
standards to be met for reinstatement.  Specifically, the 
petitioner must show by clear, satisfactory, and convincing 
evidence that he or she has the moral character to practice law, 
that his or her resumption of the practice of law will not be 
detrimental to the administration of justice or subversive to 
the public interest, and that he or she has complied with 
SCR 22.26 and the terms of the order of suspension.  In addition 
to these requirements, SCR 22.29(4)(a)-(4m) provides additional 
requirements that a petition for reinstatement must show.  All 
of these additional requirements are effectively incorporated 
into SCR 22.31(1). 
No. 
2011AP259-D   
 
3 
 
¶5 
When we review a referee's report and recommendation, 
we will adopt the referee's findings of fact unless they are 
clearly erroneous.  Conclusions of law are reviewed de novo.  
See 
In 
re 
Disciplinary 
Proceedings 
Against 
Eisenberg, 
2004 WI 14, ¶5, 269 Wis. 2d 43, 675 N.W.2d 747.   
¶6 
We conclude that the referee's findings support a 
determination that Attorney Siderits has met his burden to 
establish by clear, satisfactory, and convincing evidence that 
he has met all of the standards required for reinstatement of 
his license to practice law in Wisconsin.  The referee found 
that Attorney Siderits has not practiced law during the period 
of his suspension; that he has complied fully with the terms of 
the order of suspension and will continue to do so until his 
license is reinstated; that he has maintained competence and 
learning in the law; that his conduct since the suspension has 
been exemplary and above reproach; that he has a proper 
understanding of and attitude toward the standards that are 
imposed upon members of the bar and will act in conformity with 
those standards; that he can be safely recommended to the legal 
profession, the courts, and the public as a person fit to be 
consulted by others and to represent them and otherwise act in 
matters of trust and confidence and in general to aid in the 
administration of justice as a member of the bar and the officer 
of the courts; and that he has fully complied with the 
requirements set forth in SCR 22.26.  The referee noted that if 
his license is reinstated, Attorney Siderits intends to resume 
practice in the area of worker's compensation.   
No. 
2011AP259-D   
 
4 
 
¶7 
In assessing Attorney Siderits's moral character and 
whether his resumption of the practice of law would be 
detrimental to the administration of justice or subversive of 
the public interest, the referee pointed to statements in 
character reference letters submitted by Attorney Siderits at 
the public hearing.  The referee also noted Attorney Siderits's 
testimony at the public hearing wherein he acknowledged his past 
professional misconduct and made a commitment not to engage in 
unethical practices or professional misconduct in the future 
should his license to practice law be reinstated.  The referee 
concluded by saying: 
Mr. Siderits has paid a very significant price 
for his professional misconduct, has shown that he 
understands his ethical duties and can be readmitted 
to practice, being mindful of those duties and the 
need for compliance.  His suspension has resulted in 
significant economic hardship to him and his family, 
and reinstatement of his law license will allow him 
not only to resume his career as an attorney, but to 
be better able to adequately support his wife and 
children and assist his children to attend college.  
Accordingly, 
I 
recommend 
that 
Matthew 
Siderits' 
petition for reinstatement be granted. 
¶8 
It is this court's general practice to assess the full 
costs of a proceeding against a respondent.  See SCR 22.24(1m).  
We find it appropriate to follow that general practice here. 
¶9 
IT IS ORDERED that the license of Matthew C. Siderits 
to practice law in Wisconsin is reinstated, effective the date 
of this order.   
¶10 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that within 60 days of the date 
of this order, Matthew C. Siderits shall pay to the Office of 
No. 
2011AP259-D   
 
5 
 
Lawyer Regulation the costs of this proceeding, which are 
$2,585.56. 
¶11 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that compliance with all of the 
terms of this order remain a condition of Matthew C. Siderits's 
license to practice law in Wisconsin. 
 
¶12 DAVID T. PROSSER, J., did not participate. 
 
No. 
2011AP259-D   
 
 
 
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