Title: Office of Lawyer Regulation v. Edward J. Varga

State: wisconsin

Issuer: Wisconsin Supreme Court

Document:

2010 WI 48 
 
SUPREME COURT OF WISCONSIN 
 
 
 
 
 
CASE NO.: 
2010AP657-D 
COMPLETE TITLE: 
 
 
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings 
Against Edward J. Varga, Attorney at Law: 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation, 
          Complainant, 
     v. 
Edward J. Varga, 
          Respondent. 
 
 
 
 
DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS AGAINST VARGA 
 
 
OPINION FILED: 
June 22, 2010   
SUBMITTED ON BRIEFS: 
        
ORAL ARGUMENT: 
        
 
 
SOURCE OF APPEAL: 
 
 
COURT: 
        
 
COUNTY: 
        
 
JUDGE: 
        
 
 
 
JUSTICES: 
 
 
CONCURRED: 
        
 
DISSENTED: 
        
 
NOT PARTICIPATING:         
 
 
 
ATTORNEYS: 
 
      
 
 
 
 
2010 WI 48
NOTICE 
This opinion is subject to further 
editing and modification.  The final 
version will appear in the bound 
volume of the official reports.   
No.  2010AP657-D  
 
 
STATE OF WISCONSIN  
 
 
   : 
IN SUPREME COURT 
 
 
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings 
Against Edward J. Varga, Attorney at Law: 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation, 
 
          Complainant, 
 
     v. 
 
Edward J. Varga, 
 
          Respondent. 
 
FILED 
 
JUN 22, 2010 
 
David R. Schanker 
Clerk of Supreme Court 
 
 
 
 
 
ATTORNEY 
disciplinary 
proceeding.  Attorney's 
license 
revoked. 
 
¶1 
PER CURIAM.   On March 12, 2010, the Office of Lawyer 
Regulation (OLR) filed a complaint and motion against Attorney 
Edward J. Varga requesting this court revoke Attorney Varga's 
license to practice law as reciprocal discipline identical to 
that imposed by the Illinois Supreme Court.  On March 16, 2009, 
Attorney Varga was disbarred in Illinois for multiple counts of 
lack of diligence and failure to refund fees.   
No. 
2010AP657-D   
 
2 
 
¶2 
On March 17, 2010, this court issued an order to show 
cause directing Attorney Varga to respond to the OLR's complaint 
and motion.  The order was sent to Attorney Varga at two 
different addresses.  The order which had been mailed to the 
address Attorney Varga provided to the State Bar of Wisconsin 
was returned by the postal service as not deliverable.  Attorney 
Varga signed for the order which was mailed to the address noted 
in the OLR's complaint, but Attorney Varga filed no response to 
the order to show cause.   
¶3 
Attorney Varga was admitted to practice law in 
Illinois in 1989.  He became licensed to practice law in 
Wisconsin in 1990.  He resides in Illinois.  Attorney Varga's 
license to practice law in Wisconsin is currently suspended for 
failure to pay State Bar dues. 
¶4 
Attorney Varga's Illinois disbarment resulted from 
conduct which included 18 counts of failure to act with 
reasonable diligence and promptness in representing a client, 17 
counts of failure to keep a client reasonably informed about the 
status of a matter and promptly complying with reasonable 
requests for information, 18 counts of failure to promptly 
refund any part of a fee paid in advance that has not been 
earned, 19 counts of conduct that is prejudicial to the 
administration of justice, 19 counts of conduct which tends to 
defeat the administration of justice or bring the courts or the 
legal profession into disrepute, and 1 count of failure to 
respond to a lawful demand for information from the Illinois 
lawyer disciplinary authorities.  (See In re Edward Joseph 
No. 
2010AP657-D   
 
3 
 
Varga, Supreme Court No. M.R. 22897, Commission No. 08 CH 18 
(Ill. March 16, 2009).)  
¶5 
Attorney Varga failed to notify the OLR of the 
Illinois discipline within 20 days of its effective date in 
violation of SCR 22.22(1).1 
¶6 
Under SCR 22.22(3), in reciprocal discipline cases, 
this court shall impose the identical discipline unless certain 
exceptions are shown.2  Attorney Varga has failed to claim any of 
the exceptions articulated in SCR 22.22(3), and there is no 
evidence in the record before the court to indicate any of these 
                                                 
1 SCR 22.21(1) provides:  Reciprocal discipline. 
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. 
2 SCR 22.22(3) states: 
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. 
2010AP657-D   
 
4 
 
exceptions would be applicable.  We therefore conclude that 
revocation as reciprocal discipline identical to that imposed by 
the Illinois Supreme Court is appropriate pursuant to SCR 22.22, 
and we direct Attorney Varga to pay the costs of this 
proceeding.3 
¶7 
IT IS ORDERED that the license of Edward J. Varga to 
practice law in Wisconsin is revoked, effective the date of this 
order. 
¶8 
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Edward J. Varga shall pay 
to the Office of Lawyer Regulation the costs of this proceeding.   
¶9 
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Edward J. Varga shall 
comply, if he has not already done so, with the requirements of 
SCR 22.26 pertaining to the duties of a person whose license to 
practice law in Wisconsin has been revoked. 
 
                                                 
3 The OLR's costs total $42 as of May 4, 2010.   
No. 
2010AP657-D   
 
 
 
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