Title: Office of Lawyer Regulation v. Erick R. Tyrone

State: wisconsin

Issuer: Wisconsin Supreme Court

Document:

2024 WI 9 
 
SUPREME COURT OF WISCONSIN 
 
 
 
 
 
CASE NO.: 
2023AP1332-D 
 
 
 
COMPLETE TITLE: 
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings 
Against Erick R. Tyrone, Attorney at Law: 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation, 
          Complainant, 
     v. 
Erick R. Tyrone, 
          Respondent. 
 
 
 
 
 
DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS AGAINST TYRONE  
 
 
OPINION FILED: 
February 27, 2024   
SUBMITTED ON BRIEFS: 
        
ORAL ARGUMENT: 
        
 
 
SOURCE OF APPEAL: 
 
 
COURT: 
        
 
COUNTY: 
        
 
JUDGE: 
        
 
 
 
JUSTICES: 
 
Per curiam.  
  
 
 
 
ATTORNEYS: 
 
      
 
 
 
 
2024 WI 9
NOTICE 
This opinion is subject to further 
editing and modification.  The final 
version will appear in the bound 
volume of the official reports.   
No.  2023AP1332-D 
 
 
STATE OF WISCONSIN  
 
 
   : 
IN SUPREME COURT 
 
 
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings 
Against Erick R. Tyrone, Attorney at Law: 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation, 
 
          Complainant, 
 
     v. 
 
Erick R. Tyrone, 
 
          Respondent. 
 
FILED 
 
FEB 27, 2024 
 
Samuel A. Christensen 
Clerk of Supreme Court 
 
 
 
 
ATTORNEY 
disciplinary 
proceeding.   
Attorney's 
license 
suspended.   
 
¶1 
PER CURIAM.   The Office of Lawyer Regulation (OLR) and 
Attorney Erick R. Tyrone have filed a stipulation pursuant to 
Supreme Court Rule (SCR) 22.12,1 that Attorney Tyrone's license to 
                                                 
1 SCR 22.12 states:  
(1) The director may file with the complaint a 
stipulation of the director and the respondent to the 
facts, conclusions of law regarding misconduct, and 
discipline to be imposed, together with a memorandum in 
support of the stipulation.  The respondent may file a 
response to the director's memorandum within 14 days of 
the date of filing of the stipulation.  The supreme court 
No. 
2023AP1332-D   
 
2 
 
practice law in this state should be suspended for a period of six 
months, as discipline reciprocal to that imposed by the Court of 
Appeals of Maryland.  After reviewing the matter, we approve the 
stipulation and impose the stipulated reciprocal discipline.  The 
OLR does not seek costs, and we do not impose any.  
¶2 
Attorney Tyrone was admitted to the practice of law in 
Wisconsin in 2009.  He was admitted to the practice of law in 
Maryland in 2012 and in the District of Columbia in 2016.  His 
Wisconsin law license has been suspended since 2012 for failure to 
                                                 
may consider the complaint and stipulation without the 
appointment of a referee, in which case the supreme court 
may approve the stipulation, reject the stipulation, or 
direct the parties to consider specific modifications to 
the stipulation.  
(2) If the supreme court approves a stipulation, it shall 
adopt the stipulated facts and conclusions of law and 
impose the stipulated discipline.  
(3) If the supreme court rejects a stipulation, a referee 
shall be appointed and the matter shall proceed as a 
complaint filed without a stipulation.  
(3m) If the supreme court directs the parties to consider 
specific modifications to the stipulation, the parties 
may, within 20 days of the date of the order, file a 
revised stipulation, in which case the supreme court may 
approve the revised stipulation, adopt the stipulated 
facts and conclusions of law, and impose the stipulated 
discipline.  If the parties do not file a revised 
stipulation within 20 days of the date of the order, a 
referee shall be appointed and the matter shall proceed 
as a complaint filed without a stipulation.  
(4) A stipulation rejected by the supreme court has no 
evidentiary value and is without prejudice to the 
respondent's 
defense 
of 
the 
proceeding 
or 
the 
prosecution of the complaint. 
No. 
2023AP1332-D   
 
3 
 
pay State Bar dues, failure to file an OLR trust account 
certification certificate, and failure to comply with continuing 
legal education requirements.  Attorney Tyrone has no prior 
discipline in Wisconsin. 
¶3 
On July 26, 2023, OLR filed a complaint alleging that on 
September 7, 2021, the Court of Appeals of Maryland ordered the 
Indefinite Suspension by Consent of Attorney Tyrone's license to 
practice law in Maryland, with the right to petition for 
reinstatement after six months.  Attorney Tyrone was disciplined 
in Maryland for failing to represent his client competently; 
failing to safe-keep client funds in an attorney trust account; 
engaging in conduct that is prejudicial to the administration of 
justice; failing to comply with attorney trust account record 
keeping; and prohibited transaction requirements and commingling 
funds. 
¶4 
On September 30, 2022, the District of Columbia Court of 
Appeals filed an order suspending Attorney Tyrone's license to 
practice law in the District of Columbia on an interim basis.  The 
interim suspension was based on consideration of the order of the 
Court of Appeals of Maryland suspending Attorney Tyrone's law 
license indefinitely with the right to petition for reinstatement 
after six months. 
¶5 
Count one of OLR's complaint alleged that by virtue of 
the Maryland disciplinary suspension, Attorney Tyrone is subject 
to reciprocal discipline in Wisconsin pursuant to SCR 22.22.  Count 
two of OLR's complaint alleged that by failing to notify OLR of 
the Maryland disciplinary suspension within 20 days of the 
No. 
2023AP1332-D   
 
4 
 
effective date of that jurisdiction's imposition of public 
discipline for professional misconduct, Attorney Tyrone violated 
SCR 22.22(1).2 
¶6 
Under SCR 22.22(3),3 this court shall impose the 
identical discipline imposed in another jurisdiction, unless one 
or more of three exceptions apply.  In his stipulation with OLR, 
Attorney Tyrone states that he is not claiming any of the defenses 
found in SCR 22.22(3).  
¶7 
In the stipulation, Attorney Tyrone further represents 
that the stipulation was not the result of plea bargaining and  
that he does not contest the facts and misconduct alleged by OLR 
or the reciprocal discipline OLR seeks in this matter.  
                                                 
2 SCR 22.22(1) provides:  "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." 
3 SCR 22.22(3) provides:   
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. 
No. 
2023AP1332-D   
 
5 
 
¶8 
After reviewing this matter, we accept the stipulation 
and impose the identical discipline imposed by the Court of Appeals 
of Maryland, namely a six-month suspension of Attorney Tyrone's 
license to practice law in this state.  
¶9 
IT IS ORDERED that the license of Erick R. Tyrone to 
practice law in Wisconsin is suspended for a period of six months, 
effective the date of this order. 
¶10 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, to the extent he has not 
already done so, Erick R. Tyrone 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. 
¶11 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that compliance with all 
conditions of this order is required for reinstatement.  See SCR 
22.29(4)(c).  
¶12 IT 
IS 
FURTHER 
ORDERED 
that 
the 
administrative 
suspensions of Erick R. Tyrone's license to practice law in 
Wisconsin, due to his failure to pay bar dues, failure to file an 
OLR trust account certification certificate, and failure to comply 
with continuing legal education requirements, will remain in 
effect until each reason for the administrative suspensions have 
been rectified, pursuant to SCR 22.28(1). 
 
 
No. 
2023AP1332-D   
 
 
 
1