Title: Board of Attorneys Professional Responsibility v. Gregory J. Straub

State: wisconsin

Issuer: Wisconsin Supreme Court

Document:

2002 WI 130 
 
 
 
SUPREME COURT OF WISCONSIN 
 
 
 
 
 
CASE NO.: 
93-1718-D 
 
 
COMPLETE TITLE: 
 
 
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings 
Against Gregory J. Straub, Attorney at Law: 
 
Board of Attorneys Professional Responsibility, 
n/k/a Office of Lawyer Regulation,  
 
Complainant, 
 
v. 
Gregory J. Straub,  
 
Respondent. 
 
 
 
 
REINSTATEMENT OF STRAUB 
 
 
OPINION FILED: 
December 27, 2002   
SUBMITTED ON BRIEFS: 
        
ORAL ARGUMENT: 
        
 
 
SOURCE OF APPEAL: 
 
 
COURT: 
        
 
COUNTY: 
        
 
JUDGE: 
        
 
 
 
JUSTICES: 
 
 
CONCURRED: 
        
 
DISSENTED: 
        
 
NOT PARTICIPATING:         
 
 
 
ATTORNEYS: 
 
      
 
 
2002 WI 130 
NOTICE 
This opinion is subject to further 
editing and modification.  The final 
version will appear in the bound 
volume of the official reports.   
No.  93-1718-D  
 
STATE OF WISCONSIN  
 
 
   : 
IN SUPREME COURT 
 
 
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings 
Against Gregory J. Straub, Attorney at  
Law: 
 
Board of Attorneys Professional  
Responsibility, n/k/a Office of Lawyer  
Regulation,  
 
          Complainant, 
 
     v. 
 
Gregory J. Straub,  
 
          Respondent. 
 
FILED 
 
DEC 27, 2002 
 
Cornelia G. Clark 
Clerk of Supreme Court 
 
 
 
 
 
PETITION for reinstatement.  Reinstatement granted.   
 
¶1 
PER CURIAM.   We review the recommendation of the 
referee that Gregory J. Straub's license to practice law in 
Wisconsin be reinstated.  The Office of Lawyer Regulation (OLR) 
and the Board of Bar Examiners join in that recommendation.  
¶2 
We 
adopt 
the 
referee's 
findings 
of 
fact 
and 
conclusions of law and agree with his recommendation that 
Gregory J. Straub's license to practice law be reinstated, 
subject to compliance with current Continuing Legal Education 
No. 
93-1718-D   
 
2 
 
(CLE) requirements.  Mr. Straub shall also be required to pay 
the costs of the reinstatement proceeding.  In addition, for a 
period of two years after he opens a trust account, Mr. Straub 
shall be required to submit said trust account for inspection 
and monitoring by the OLR on a quarterly basis.  
¶3 
Gregory J. Straub was admitted to practice law in 
Wisconsin in 1990 and engaged in private practice in Milwaukee.  
By order dated September 16, 1993, Mr. Straub's license to 
practice law was revoked based on professional misconduct 
including forging a client's signature on a settlement check and 
release, converting a client's settlement funds to his own use, 
misrepresenting to his client and others the amount of the 
settlement received, settling clients' claims without their 
knowledge or authorization, depositing personal funds in an 
account with client funds, failing to keep required records of 
trust account transactions, and fabricating lien satisfactions 
in order to obtain a personal loan.  
¶4 
On March 20, 2001, Mr. Straub filed a petition for 
reinstatement of his license under SCR 22.28.1  Attorney Charles 
                                                 
1 SCR 22.28 provides:  License reinstatement. 
(1) An attorney suspended from the practice of 
law for nonpayment of state bar membership dues or 
failure to comply with the trust account certification 
requirement or continuing legal education requirements 
may seek reinstatement under the following rules, as 
applicable: 
(a) An attorney whose suspension for nonpayment 
of state bar membership dues has been for a period of 
less than 3 consecutive years may seek reinstatement 
under SCR 10.03(6m)(a). 
No. 
93-1718-D   
 
3 
 
J. Herro was assigned as referee.  The referee held a public 
hearing on the reinstatement petition in August 2002.  Various 
witnesses testified at the hearing.  The referee issued his 
report and recommendation on September 25, 2002.   
                                                                                                                                                             
(b) An attorney whose suspension for failure to 
comply 
with 
the 
continuing 
legal 
education 
requirements has been for a period of less than 3 
consecutive years may seek reinstatement under SCR 
31.11(1).  
(c) An attorney whose suspension for nonpayment 
of state bar membership dues has been for a period of 
3 or more consecutive years may seek reinstatement 
under SCR 10.03(6m)(b). 
(d) An attorney whose suspension for failure to 
comply 
with 
the 
continuing 
legal 
education 
requirements has been for a period of 3 or more 
consecutive years may seek reinstatement under SCR 
31.11(1m). 
(e) An attorney 
who 
has 
been 
suspended for 
failure to comply with the trust account certification 
requirement 
under 
SCR 
20:1.15(g) 
may 
seek 
reinstatement under SCR 10.03(6m)(c). 
(2) The license of an attorney suspended for 
misconduct 
for 
less 
than 
six 
months 
shall 
be 
reinstated by the supreme court upon the filing of an 
affidavit with the director showing full compliance 
with all the terms and conditions of the order of 
suspension and the director's notification to the 
supreme court of the attorney's full compliance. 
(3) The license of an attorney that is revoked or 
suspended for misconduct for six months or more shall 
be reinstated pursuant to the procedure set forth in 
SCR 22.29 to 22.33 and only by order of the supreme 
court.  
No. 
93-1718-D   
 
4 
 
¶5 
The 
referee 
concluded 
that 
Mr. 
Straub 
had 
satisfactorily 
addressed 
all 
of 
the 
requirements 
for 
reinstatement set forth in SCR 22.29(4).2   
                                                 
2 SCR 22.29(4) provides: 
(4) The petition for reinstatement shall show all 
of the following: 
(a) The 
petitioner 
desires 
to 
have 
the 
petitioner's license reinstated. 
(b) The petitioner has not practiced law during 
the period of suspension or revocation. 
(c) The petitioner has complied fully with the 
terms of the order of suspension or revocation and 
will 
continue 
to 
comply 
with 
them 
until 
the 
petitioner's license is reinstated. 
(d) The petitioner has maintained competence and 
learning in the law by attendance at identified 
educational activities. 
(e) The petitioner's conduct since the suspension 
or revocation has been exemplary and above reproach. 
(f) The petitioner has a proper understanding of 
and attitude toward the standards that are imposed 
upon members of the bar and will act in conformity 
with the standards. 
(g) The petitioner can safely be 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 as an officer of 
the courts. 
(h) The petitioner has fully complied with the 
requirements set forth in SCR 22.26. 
(j) The petitioner's proposed use of the license 
if reinstated. 
No. 
93-1718-D   
 
5 
 
¶6 
The referee recommended that Mr. Straub's license be 
reinstated subject to monitoring of his trust account on a 
quarterly basis by the OLR.  The referee also recommended that 
Mr. Straub be required to pay the costs of the reinstatement 
proceeding. 
¶7 
After a review of the record we conclude that Gregory 
J. Straub has established by clear, satisfactory, and convincing 
evidence 
that 
he 
has 
satisfied 
all 
the 
criteria 
for 
reinstatement.  Accordingly, we adopt the referee's findings of 
fact and conclusions of law and we agree with the referee's 
recommendation that Mr. Straub's license to practice law in 
Wisconsin be reinstated. 
¶8 
IT IS ORDERED that the petition for reinstatement of 
the license of Gregory J. Straub to practice law in Wisconsin is 
granted, effective the date of this order, subject to compliance 
with current CLE requirements. 
¶9 
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that for a period of two years 
after Mr. Straub opens a trust account he be required to submit 
said trust account for inspection and monitoring by the OLR on a 
quarterly basis. 
                                                                                                                                                             
(k) A full description of all of the petitioner's 
business activities during the period of suspension or 
revocation. 
(m) The petitioner has made restitution to or 
settled all claims of persons injured or harmed by 
petitioner's misconduct or, if not, the petitioner's 
explanation of the failure or inability to do so. 
 
No. 
93-1718-D   
 
6 
 
¶10 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that within six months of the 
date of this order Gregory J. Straub pay to the OLR the costs of 
this proceeding.  If the costs are not paid within the time 
specified, and absent a showing to this court of his inability 
to pay the costs within that time, the license of Gregory J. 
Straub to practice law in Wisconsin shall be suspended until 
further order of the court.  
No. 
93-1718-D   
 
 
 
1