Title: Office of Lawyer Regulation v. Felipe N. Gomez

State: wisconsin

Issuer: Wisconsin Supreme Court

Document:

2023 WI 74 
 
SUPREME COURT OF WISCONSIN 
 
 
 
 
 
CASE NO.: 
2023AP1034-D 
 
 
 
COMPLETE TITLE: 
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings  
Against Felipe N. Gomez, Attorney at Law: 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation, 
          Complainant, 
     v. 
Felipe N. Gomez, 
          Respondent. 
 
 
 
 
 
DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS AGAINST GOMEZ  
 
 
OPINION FILED: 
November 2, 2023   
SUBMITTED ON BRIEFS: 
        
ORAL ARGUMENT: 
        
 
 
SOURCE OF APPEAL: 
 
 
COURT: 
        
 
COUNTY: 
        
 
JUDGE: 
        
 
 
 
JUSTICES: 
 
Per curiam.  
  
 
 
 
ATTORNEYS: 
 
      
 
 
 
 
2023 WI 74
 
NOTICE 
This opinion is subject to further 
editing and modification.  The final 
version will appear in the bound 
volume of the official reports.   
 No.  2023AP1034-D  
STATE OF WISCONSIN  
 
 
   : 
IN SUPREME COURT 
 
 
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings 
Against Felipe N. Gomez, Attorney at Law: 
 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation, 
 
          Complainant, 
 
     v. 
 
Felipe N. Gomez, 
 
          Respondent. 
 
FILED 
 
NOV 2, 2023 
 
Samuel A. Christensen 
Clerk of Supreme Court 
 
 
 
 
ATTORNEY 
disciplinary 
proceeding.   Attorney's 
license 
suspended.   
 
¶1 
PER CURIAM.   This is a reciprocal discipline matter.  
On June 12, 2023, the Office of Lawyer Regulation (OLR) filed a 
complaint and motion pursuant to Supreme Court Rule (SCR) 22.22, 
requesting this court suspend Attorney Felipe N. Gomez's license 
to practice law in Wisconsin for a period of three years, as 
discipline reciprocal to that imposed by the Supreme Court of 
Illinois.  Attorney Gomez admitted service of OLR's complaint 
No. 
2023AP1034-D   
 
2 
 
and motion on August 2, 2023.  Upon review of the matter, we 
agree that it is appropriate to impose a three year suspension, 
identical to that imposed by the Supreme Court of Illinois. 
¶2 
Attorney Gomez was admitted to practice law in 
Wisconsin in 1999.  He was admitted to practice law in Illinois 
in 1988.  The most recent address furnished to the State Bar of 
Wisconsin 
is 
in 
Northbrook, 
Illinois. 
 
Attorney 
Gomez's 
Wisconsin law license has been administratively suspended since 
June 3, 2002 for failure to comply with Wisconsin continuing 
legal education requirements, and since October 31, 2003 for 
failure to pay state bar dues and file a trust account 
certification. 
¶3 
On September 21, 2022, the Supreme Court of Illinois 
suspended Attorney Gomez's Illinois law license for three years.  
The 
Illinois 
court 
found 
that 
Attorney 
Gomez 
committed 
professional misconduct by sending numerous threatening and 
harassing emails to other attorneys.  Attorney Gomez did not 
notify OLR of the Illinois suspension within 20 days of its 
effective date. 
¶4 
On August 21, 2023, this court directed Attorney Gomez 
to inform the court in writing within 20 days of any claim by 
him, predicated upon the grounds set forth in SCR 22.22(3), 1 that 
                                                 
1 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:  
(Continued) 
No. 
2023AP1034-D   
 
3 
 
the imposition of discipline reciprocal to that imposed in 
Illinois would be unwarranted, and of the factual basis for any 
such claim. No response was received. 
¶5 
The OLR's complaint alleges that by virtue of the 
Illinois suspension, Attorney Gomez is subject to reciprocal 
discipline in Wisconsin pursuant to SCR 22.22, and by failing to 
notify OLR of his suspension in Illinois, he violated SCR 
22.22(1).2  The OLR asks this court to suspend Attorney Gomez's 
Wisconsin law license for three years as discipline reciprocal 
to that imposed in Illinois.  
¶6 
 Under SCR 22.22(3), in reciprocal discipline matters, 
this court shall impose the identical discipline unless one of 
the exceptions enumerated in that rule is shown.  There is no 
indication that any of those exceptions apply in this case.  
                                                                                                                                                             
(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. 
 
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." 
No. 
2023AP1034-D   
 
4 
 
Accordingly, we impose discipline identical to that imposed by 
the Supreme Court of Illinois. 
¶7 
IT IS ORDERED that the license of Felipe N. Gomez to 
practice law in Wisconsin is suspended for a period of three 
years, effective the date of this order.  
¶8 
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, to the extent he has not 
already done so, Felipe N. Gomez 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. 
¶9 
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that compliance with all 
conditions of this order is required for reinstatement. See SCR 
22.29(4)(c). 
¶10 IT 
IS 
FURTHER 
ORDERED 
that 
the 
administrative 
suspensions of Felipe N. Gomez's license to practice law in 
Wisconsin, due to his failure to pay mandatory bar dues, his 
failure to complete his trust account certification, and his 
failure to comply with CLE reporting requirements, will remain 
in effect until each reason for the administrative suspension 
has been rectified, pursuant to SCR 22.28(1). 
  
 
 
 
 
No. 
2023AP1034-D   
 
 
 
1