Title: Office of Lawyer Regulation v. David A Lemanski

State: wisconsin

Issuer: Wisconsin Supreme Court

Document:

2015 WI 10 
 
SUPREME COURT OF WISCONSIN 
 
 
 
 
 
CASE NO.: 
2014AP2043 
COMPLETE TITLE: 
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings 
Against  
David A. Lemanski, Attorney at Law: 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation, 
          Complainant, 
     v. 
David A. Lemanski, 
          Respondent. 
 
 
 
 
DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS AGAINST LEMANSKI 
 
 
OPINION FILED: 
February 5, 2015 
SUBMITTED ON BRIEFS: 
        
ORAL ARGUMENT: 
      
 
 
SOURCE OF APPEAL: 
 
 
COURT: 
      
 
COUNTY: 
      
 
JUDGE: 
      
 
 
 
JUSTICES: 
 
 
CONCURRED: 
      
 
DISSENTED: 
      
 
NOT PARTICIPATING:          
 
 
 
ATTORNEYS: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2015 WI 10
NOTICE 
This opinion is subject to further 
editing and modification.  The final 
version will appear in the bound 
volume of the official reports.   
No.   2014AP2043-D 
 
 
STATE OF WISCONSIN  
 
 
   : 
IN SUPREME COURT 
 
 
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings 
Against David A. Lemanski, Attorney at Law: 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation, 
 
          Complainant, 
 
     v. 
 
David A. Lemanski, 
 
          Respondent. 
 
FILED 
 
FEB 5, 2015 
 
Diane M. Fremgen 
Clerk of Supreme Court 
 
 
 
 
ATTORNEY 
disciplinary 
proceeding.  Attorney's 
license 
suspended.   
 
¶1 
PER CURIAM.   This is a reciprocal discipline matter. 
The Office of Lawyer Regulation (OLR) filed a complaint against 
Attorney David A. Lemanski seeking the imposition of discipline 
reciprocal to that imposed by the Iowa Supreme Court.  On 
December 20, 2013, the Iowa Supreme Court suspended Attorney 
Lemanski's Iowa law license for 60 days, effective December 20, 
2013, based on two counts of misconduct.  Upon our review, we 
impose the same 60-day suspension imposed by the Iowa Supreme 
No. 
2014AP2043-D   
 
2 
 
Court.  The OLR does not seek costs.  Accordingly, no costs will 
be imposed. 
¶2 
Attorney Lemanski was admitted to practice law in Iowa 
in 1979.  He was admitted to practice law in Wisconsin in 2002.  
His Wisconsin license is currently active and in good standing. 
¶3 
The following facts are taken from the documents 
attached 
to 
the 
OLR's 
complaint 
relating 
to 
the 
Iowa 
disciplinary proceedings.  Attorney Lemanski has been the 
subject of professional discipline in Iowa on three prior 
occasions.  The Iowa Supreme Court Attorney Disciplinary Board 
admonished him in 1997 for neglect of a client matter and in 
2007 for lack of diligence in an estate matter.  In 2000, the 
Iowa Supreme Court suspended Attorney Lemanski for 30 days for 
neglect, failure to promptly disburse settlement funds, and 
failure to respond to inquiries from the Iowa Supreme Court 
Attorney Disciplinary Board. 
¶4 
Attorney Lemanski's misconduct in the instant case 
involved his delay in disbursing settlement funds to his 
personal injury client.  The delay stemmed from Attorney 
Lemanski's difficulty in settling a Medicare subrogation claim, 
which 
he 
was 
required 
to 
resolve 
before 
disbursing 
the 
settlement funds to his client.  Attorney Lemanski failed to 
keep his client informed of the progress of the case.  After the 
client filed a complaint with the Iowa Supreme Court Attorney 
Disciplinary Board, Attorney Lemanski resolved the subrogation 
matter and disbursed the settlement funds.  However, Attorney 
Lemanski 
failed 
to 
respond 
to 
the 
Board's 
requests 
for 
No. 
2014AP2043-D   
 
3 
 
information.  The Iowa Supreme Court ultimately found that 
Attorney Lemanski committed two counts of misconduct:  failure 
to properly communicate with a client and failure to respond to 
a demand for information from the Board.  The Iowa Supreme Court 
suspended Attorney Lemanski from the practice of law in Iowa for 
a period of 60 days, effective December 20, 2013. 
¶5 
On August 29, 2014, the OLR filed a complaint alleging 
that, by virtue of the 60-day Iowa suspension, Attorney Lemanski 
was 
subject 
to 
reciprocal 
discipline 
in 
Wisconsin. 
 
On 
October 8, 2014, pursuant to Supreme Court Rule (SCR) 22.12, the 
OLR and Attorney Lemanski entered into a stipulation whereby 
they stipulated to the 60-day suspension of Attorney Lemanski's 
Wisconsin law license, reciprocal to the discipline imposed in 
Iowa.   
¶6 
Attorney Lemanski agrees that the facts alleged in the 
OLR's complaint and the documents from the Iowa proceeding 
attached thereto form a basis for the discipline requested.  The 
parties aver that the stipulation did not result from plea 
bargaining.  Attorney Lemanski states that he does not contest 
the facts and misconduct alleged by the OLR, or the discipline 
that the OLR director is seeking in this matter.  Attorney 
Lemanski states that he fully understands the misconduct 
allegations; the ramifications should the court impose the 
stipulated level of discipline; his right to contest this 
matter; and his right to consult with counsel.  Attorney 
Lemanski states that his entry into the stipulation is made 
knowingly and voluntarily, and that it represents his decision 
No. 
2014AP2043-D   
 
4 
 
not to contest the misconduct alleged in the complaint or the 
level and type of discipline sought by the OLR's director. 
¶7 
Upon 
our 
review 
of 
the 
matter, 
we 
accept 
the 
stipulation and impose discipline identical to that imposed by 
the Iowa Supreme Court. 
¶8 
IT IS ORDERED that the license of David A. Lemanski to 
practice law in Wisconsin is suspended for a period of 60 days, 
effective March 7, 2015. 
¶9 
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that David A. Lemanski 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. 
No. 
2014AP2043-D   
 
 
 
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