Title: Office of Lawyer Regulation v. Nicholas C. Kefalos
Citation: N/A
Docket Number: 2019AP000900-D
State: Wisconsin
Issuer: Wisconsin Supreme Court
Date: October 22, 2019

2019 WI 94 
 
SUPREME COURT OF WISCONSIN 
 
 
 
 
 
CASE NO.: 
19AP900-D 
COMPLETE TITLE: 
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings 
Against Nicholas C. Kefalos, Attorney at Law: 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation, 
          Complainant, 
     v. 
Nicholas C. Kefalos, 
          Respondent. 
 
 
 
 
DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS AGAINST KEFALOS 
 
 
OPINION FILED: 
October 22, 2019 
SUBMITTED ON BRIEFS: 
      
ORAL ARGUMENT: 
      
 
 
SOURCE OF APPEAL: 
 
 
COURT: 
      
 
COUNTY: 
      
 
JUDGE: 
      
 
 
 
JUSTICES: 
 
 
CONCURRED: 
      
 
DISSENTED: 
      
 
NOT PARTICIPATING:          
 
 
 
ATTORNEYS: 
 
 
      
 
 
2019 WI 94
NOTICE 
This opinion is subject to further 
editing and modification.  The final 
version will appear in the bound 
volume of the official reports.   
No.   2019AP900-D 
 
 
STATE OF WISCONSIN  
 
 
   : 
IN SUPREME COURT 
 
 
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings 
Against Nicholas C. Kefalos, Attorney at Law: 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation, 
 
          Complainant, 
 
     v. 
 
Nicholas C. Kefalos, 
 
          Respondent. 
FILED 
 
OCT 22, 2019 
 
Sheila T. Reiff 
Clerk of Supreme Court 
 
 
 
 
ATTORNEY 
disciplinary 
proceeding.   Attorney's 
license 
suspended.   
 
¶1 
PER CURIAM.   This is a reciprocal discipline matter.  
On May 14, 2019, the Office of Lawyer Regulation (OLR) filed a 
complaint and motion pursuant to Supreme Court Rule (SCR) 22.22, 
requesting this court suspend Attorney Nicholas C. Kefalos' 
license to practice law in Wisconsin for a period of six months, 
as discipline reciprocal to that imposed by the Supreme Court of 
Illinois.  Upon review, we agree that it is appropriate to 
impose a six-month suspension, identical to that imposed by the 
Supreme Court of Illinois. 
No. 
2019AP900-D   
 
2 
 
¶2 
Attorney Kefalos was admitted to practice law in 
Wisconsin in 2000.  He was admitted to practice law in Illinois 
in 1999.  The most recent address furnished to the State Bar of 
Wisconsin is 27 North Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois.  He has 
no previous disciplinary history in Wisconsin. 
¶3 
On April 4, 2018, the Administrator of the Illinois 
Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (ARDC) filed a 
complaint for disciplinary action against Attorney Kefalos.  
Attorney Kefalos did not file an answer.  As a result of his 
default, the allegations in ARDC's first amended complaint were 
deemed admitted.  On November 29, 2018, and based on his 
default, a hearing panel found that Attorney Kefalos had 
committed the misconduct alleged in the first amended complaint.  
That 
misconduct 
included 
failure 
to 
act 
with 
reasonable 
diligence and promptness; failure to keep the client reasonably 
informed; failure to promptly comply with reasonable requests 
for information; failure to refund $2,550 in unearned advanced 
fees; and failure to respond to lawful requests for information 
from the ARDC. 
¶4 
On March 19, 2019, the Supreme Court of Illinois 
suspended Attorney Kefalos' license to practice law in Illinois 
for six months and until further order of the court.  Attorney 
Kefalos failed to notify the OLR of the suspension of his 
Illinois law license within 20 days of its effective date. 
¶5 
The OLR's complaint alleges that by virtue of the 
Illinois suspension, Attorney Kefalos is subject to reciprocal 
discipline in Wisconsin pursuant to SCR 22.22, and by failing to 
No. 
2019AP900-D   
 
3 
 
notify the OLR of his suspension in Illinois, he violated 
SCR 22.22(1).  The OLR asks this court to suspend Attorney 
Kefalos' Wisconsin law license for six months as discipline 
reciprocal to that imposed in Illinois. 
¶6 
The OLR's complaint and order to answer were sent to 
Attorney Kefalos at the most recent address he had provided to 
the State Bar of Wisconsin.  In addition, the OLR attempted to 
serve Attorney Kefalos through a process server but despite 
diligent efforts, the process server was unable to locate 
Attorney Kefalos.  Service of the complaint and order to answer 
was accomplished by the OLR sending via certified mail, an 
authenticated copy of the complaint and order to answer to 
Attorney Kefalos at the most recent address he had furnished to 
the State Bar of Wisconsin.  See SCR 22.13(1). 
¶7 
On July 5, 2019, this court directed Attorney Kefalos 
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), that 
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. 
¶8 
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.  
Accordingly, we impose discipline substantially identical to 
that imposed by the Supreme Court of Illinois.   
No. 
2019AP900-D   
 
4 
 
¶9 
IT IS ORDERED that the license of Nicholas C. Kefalos 
to practice law in Wisconsin is suspended for a period of six 
months, effective December 3, 2019. 
¶10 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Nicholas C. Kefalos 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). 
No. 
2019AP900-D   
 
 
 
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