Title: Office of Lawyer Regulation v. Joseph R. Laumann

State: wisconsin

Issuer: Wisconsin Supreme Court

Document:

2019 WI 3 
 
SUPREME COURT OF WISCONSIN 
 
 
 
 
 
CASE NO.: 
2018AP1478-D 
COMPLETE TITLE: 
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings  
Against Joseph R. Laumann, Attorney at Law: 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation, 
          Complainant, 
     v. 
Joseph R. Laumann, 
          Respondent. 
 
 
 
 
DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS AGAINST LAUMANN  
 
 
OPINION FILED: 
January 18, 2019 
SUBMITTED ON BRIEFS: 
      
ORAL ARGUMENT: 
      
 
 
SOURCE OF APPEAL: 
 
 
COURT: 
      
 
COUNTY: 
      
 
JUDGE: 
      
 
 
 
JUSTICES: 
 
 
CONCURRED: 
      
 
DISSENTED: 
      
 
NOT PARTICIPATING:          
 
 
 
ATTORNEYS: 
 
 
 
 
2019 WI 3
NOTICE 
This opinion is subject to further 
editing and modification.  The final 
version will appear in the bound 
volume of the official reports.   
No.   2018AP1478-D 
 
 
STATE OF WISCONSIN  
 
 
   : 
IN SUPREME COURT 
 
 
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings  
Against Joseph R. Laumann, Attorney at Law: 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation, 
 
          Complainant, 
 
     v. 
 
Joseph R. Laumann, 
 
          Respondent. 
FILED 
 
JAN 18, 2019 
 
Sheila T. Reiff 
Clerk of Supreme Court 
 
 
 
 
ATTORNEY 
disciplinary 
proceeding.   Attorney's 
license 
suspended.   
 
¶1 
PER CURIAM.   The Office of Lawyer Regulation (OLR) 
and Attorney Joseph R. Laumann have filed a stipulation pursuant 
to Supreme Court Rule (SCR) 22.12 that Attorney Laumann's 
license to practice law in this state should be suspended for 
six months, as discipline reciprocal to that imposed by the 
Court of Appeals of Maryland.  After careful review of the 
matter, we approve the stipulation and impose the stipulated 
reciprocal discipline.  The OLR does not seek the imposition of 
costs, and we impose none. 
No. 
2018AP1478-D   
 
2 
 
¶2 
Attorney Laumann was admitted to practice law in 
Wisconsin in 1999.  He was admitted to practice law in Maryland 
in 1998.   
¶3 
Attorney Laumann's Wisconsin law license was suspended 
in May of 2008 for failure to comply with continuing legal 
education requirements and in October of 2008 for failure to pay 
state bar dues.  His Wisconsin law license remains suspended. 
¶4 
On 
September 
28, 
2017, 
the 
Attorney 
Grievance 
Commission of Maryland (AGC) filed a Petition for Disciplinary 
or 
Remedial 
Action 
against 
Attorney 
Laumann 
alleging 
professional misconduct in four client matters as follows: 
a. In 2014, Attorney Laumann was hired to represent a 
client in a bankruptcy matter.  Attorney Laumann 
failed to maintain the client's funds in trust; 
failed to submit payments to the trustee on the 
client's behalf; misrepresented to the bankruptcy 
court that he had mailed payments to the trustee; 
back-dated checks to create the appearance they had 
previously been sent to the trustee; failed to 
respond in a timely manner to an AGC request for 
information; fabricated letters he claimed he sent 
to two banks; failed to maintain adequate trust 
account records; and withdrew cash from his trust 
account for unauthorized purposes. 
b. In 2013, a client retained Attorney Laumann to 
represent her in a divorce proceeding.  Attorney 
Laumann failed to appear on time for a hearing; 
failed to appear for hearings; and misrepresented 
to a court that he missed a hearing because he was 
unable to drive. 
c. In 2015, a client retained Attorney Laumann to 
represent her in a child custody dispute.  Attorney 
Laumann improperly filed a Complaint for Custody in 
one county when he knew that the client had a 
custody proceeding already pending in another 
county; 
improperly 
disclosed 
confidential 
and 
No. 
2018AP1478-D   
 
3 
 
privileged information in court filings; and failed 
to appear at a hearing. 
d. In 2013, a client retained Attorney Laumann to 
represent him in a custody matter.  Attorney 
Laumann failed to have a written fee agreement with 
the client; filed a motion which failed to allege 
facts to support the motion; repeatedly attempted 
to collect legal fees from the client that he had 
previously collected; increased his hourly rate 
without communicating the increase to the client; 
failed to provide requested trust account records 
to AGC; and failed to maintain copies of trust 
account records. 
¶5 
On May 14, 2018, the Court of Appeals of Maryland 
considered a joint petition of the AGC and Attorney Laumann to 
indefinitely suspend Attorney Laumann from the practice of law.  
The Court of Appeals of Maryland ordered that, effective June 1, 
2018, Attorney Laumann be indefinitely suspended from practicing 
law in Maryland.  The Maryland Court of Appeals ordered that as 
a condition of petitioning for reinstatement of his Maryland law 
license, Attorney Laumann be deemed "fit to practice law by a 
medical provider acceptable to Bar Counsel." 
¶6 
Attorney Laumann failed to notify the OLR of the 
suspension of his Maryland law license within 20 days of its 
effective date. 
¶7 
On August 6, 2018, the OLR filed a two count 
complaint.  Count One alleged that by virtue of his Maryland 
indefinite suspension, Attorney Laumann should be subject to 
reciprocal discipline in Wisconsin pursuant to SCR 22.22.  Count 
Two alleged that by failing to notify the OLR of his Maryland 
suspension within 20 days of the effective date of such 
discipline, Attorney Laumann violated SCR 22.22(1). 
No. 
2018AP1478-D   
 
4 
 
¶8 
On November 21, 2018, after the OLR's complaint had 
been served on Attorney Laumann, Attorney Laumann entered into a 
stipulation with the OLR whereby he agreed that the facts 
alleged in the OLR's complaint supported a six-month suspension 
of his license to practice law in Wisconsin as reciprocal 
discipline to that imposed by the Maryland Court of Appeals.   
¶9 
The 
OLR 
filed 
a 
memorandum 
in 
support 
of 
the 
stipulation noting that Wisconsin has no provision for imposing 
indefinite suspensions as discipline for attorney misconduct.  
The memorandum states that the OLR's director determined that 
Maryland's 
indefinite 
suspension, 
which 
requires 
Attorney 
Laumann to successfully petition for the reinstatement of his 
law license, is equivalent in effect to a Wisconsin law license 
suspension of at least six months, which similarly requires the 
disciplined attorney to successfully petition for reinstatement.  
Accordingly, the OLR director determined that a six-month 
suspension of Attorney Laumann's Wisconsin law license should be 
sought.  In the stipulation, Attorney Laumann agrees that it 
would be appropriate for this court to impose a six-month law 
license suspension as discipline reciprocal to that imposed upon 
him in Maryland.   
¶10 Under SCR 22.22(3), this court shall impose the 
identical discipline imposed in another jurisdiction unless one 
or more of three exceptions apply.  Attorney Laumann does not 
claim that any exceptions apply to his case, and he agrees that 
a six-month suspension of his Wisconsin law license would be 
No. 
2018AP1478-D   
 
5 
 
appropriate 
as 
discipline 
reciprocal 
to 
that 
imposed 
in 
Maryland. 
¶11 In the stipulation, Attorney Laumann further avers 
that the stipulation did not result from plea bargaining; that 
he fully understands the allegations against him and the 
ramifications should this court impose the stipulated level of 
discipline; that he fully understands his right to contest this 
matter; that he fully understands his right to consult with 
counsel and represents that he has in fact consulted with 
counsel; that his entry into the stipulation is made knowingly 
and voluntarily; that he has read the complaint and the 
stipulation; and that his entry into the stipulation represents 
his decision not to contest the allegations regarding reciprocal 
discipline alleged in the OLR's complaint or the level and type 
of discipline sought by the OLR's director. 
¶12 After review of this matter, we accept the stipulation 
and agree that a six-month suspension of Attorney Laumann's 
Wisconsin law license is equivalent to the indefinite law 
license suspension imposed by the Maryland Court of Appeals.  
Because this matter has been resolved by means of a stipulation 
without the appointment of a referee and the OLR has not 
requested the imposition of costs, we impose no costs on 
Attorney Laumann. 
¶13 IT IS ORDERED that the license of Joseph R. Laumann to 
practice law in Wisconsin is suspended for six months, effective 
the date of this order. 
No. 
2018AP1478-D   
 
6 
 
¶14 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, to the extent he has not 
already done so, Joseph R. Laumann shall comply with the 
provisions of SCR 22.26 concerning the duties of a person whose 
license to practice law in Wisconsin has been suspended. 
¶15 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that compliance with all 
conditions of this order is required for reinstatement.  See 
SCR 22.28(3). 
¶16 IT 
IS 
FURTHER 
ORDERED 
that 
the 
administrative 
suspension of Joseph R. Laumann's license to practice law in 
Wisconsin, due to his failure to pay mandatory bar dues and 
failure to comply with continuing legal education requirements, 
will remain in effect until each reason for the administrative 
suspension has been rectified, pursuant to SCR 22.28(1). 
 
No. 
2018AP1478-D   
 
 
 
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