Title: Office of Lawyer Regulation v. David J. Silberman
Citation: N/A
Docket Number: 2016AP002014-D
State: Wisconsin
Issuer: Wisconsin Supreme Court
Date: February 17, 2017

2017 WI 10 
 
SUPREME COURT OF WISCONSIN 
 
 
 
 
 
CASE NO.: 
2016AP2014-D 
COMPLETE TITLE: 
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings  
Against David J. Silberman, Attorney at Law: 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation, 
          Complainant, 
     v. 
David J. Silberman, 
          Respondent. 
 
 
 
DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS AGAINST SILBERMAN 
 
 
OPINION FILED: 
February 17, 2017 
SUBMITTED ON BRIEFS: 
        
ORAL ARGUMENT: 
 
 
 
SOURCE OF APPEAL: 
 
 
COURT: 
      
 
COUNTY: 
      
 
JUDGE: 
      
 
 
 
JUSTICES: 
 
 
CONCURRED: 
      
 
DISSENTED: 
      
 
NOT PARTICIPATING:          
 
 
 
ATTORNEYS: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2017 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.   2016AP2014-D 
 
 
STATE OF WISCONSIN  
 
 
   : 
IN SUPREME COURT 
 
 
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings  
Against David J. Silberman, Attorney at Law: 
 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation, 
 
          Complainant, 
 
     v. 
 
David J. Silberman, 
 
          Respondent. 
 
FILED 
 
FEB 17, 2017 
 
Diane M. Fremgen 
Clerk of Supreme Court 
 
 
 
 
ATTORNEY 
disciplinary 
proceeding.   Attorney's 
license 
revoked. 
 
¶1 
PER CURIAM.   The Office of Lawyer Regulation (OLR) 
and Attorney David J. Silberman have filed a stipulation 
pursuant to Supreme Court Rule (SCR) 22.12 that Attorney 
Silberman's license to practice law in Wisconsin should be 
revoked, as discipline reciprocal to that imposed by the Supreme 
Court of Illinois.  Upon careful review of the matter, we 
approve the stipulation and impose the stipulated reciprocal 
No. 
2016AP2014-D   
 
2 
 
discipline.  The OLR does not seek the imposition of costs 
against Attorney Silberman, and we impose no costs. 
¶2 
Attorney Silberman was admitted to practice law in 
Wisconsin in 1972.  He was admitted to practice law in Illinois 
in 1973.  Attorney Silberman's Wisconsin law license has been 
suspended since October 31, 2015, for failure to pay bar dues 
and failure to file an OLR trust account certificate.   
¶3 
On September 22, 2016, the Supreme Court of Illinois 
entered an order disbarring Attorney Silberman in that state.  
The disbarment was based on two counts of misconduct:   
(1) Failure to hold property of third persons that is 
in his possession in connection with a representation 
separate from his own property, by converting real 
estate escrow account proceeds to fund the operation 
of Nova Title, in violation of Rule 1.15(a) of the 
Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct (2010); and 
(2) Conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or 
misrepresentation, by using real estate escrow funds 
to pay Nova Title's operating expenses, in violation 
of Rule 8.4(c) of the Illinois Rules of Professional 
Conduct (2010). 
¶4 
The two counts of misconduct for which the Supreme 
Court of Illinois disbarred Attorney Silberman arose out of 
allegations that Attorney Silberman transferred over $460,000 in 
real estate escrow money from his trust account to the operating 
account of Nova Title, a company that he owned.  The transfers 
were unrelated to the purpose of the escrow and exceeded any 
amounts legitimately due to Attorney Silberman or his company.  
Accordingly, 
Attorney 
Silberman's 
transfer 
of 
the 
funds 
constituted conversion of his clients' trust funds to his own 
No. 
2016AP2014-D   
 
3 
 
personal use.  Attorney Silberman transferred some of the funds 
back but over $180,000 was not returned.  Attorney Silberman 
failed to respond to the Illinois disciplinary proceeding and 
provided 
no 
defense 
to 
the 
allegations 
against 
him.  
Accordingly, the allegations were deemed admitted and his 
disbarment was ordered pursuant to default proceedings. 
¶5 
Attorney Silberman did not notify the OLR of the 
Illinois disbarment within 20 days of its effective date.   
¶6 
On October 18, 2016, the OLR filed a complaint against 
Attorney Silberman alleging the following counts of misconduct: 
Count One:  By virtue of the Illinois disciplinary 
disbarment, 
Attorney 
Silberman 
is 
subject 
to 
reciprocal 
discipline 
in 
Wisconsin 
pursuant 
to 
SCR 22.22. 
Count Two:  By failing to notify OLR of the Illinois 
disciplinary 
disbarment 
within 
20 
days 
of 
the 
effective date of that jurisdiction's imposition of 
public 
discipline 
for 
professional 
misconduct, 
Attorney Silberman violated SCR 22.22(1). 
¶7 
On December 6, 2016, Attorney Silberman entered into a 
stipulation with the OLR in which he agreed that the facts 
alleged in the OLR's complaint supported the revocation of his 
license to practice law in Wisconsin as reciprocal discipline to 
that imposed by the Supreme Court of Illinois. 
¶8 
Under SCR 22.22(3), this court shall impose the 
identical discipline imposed in another jurisdiction unless one 
or more of three exceptions apply.  In his stipulation, Attorney 
Silberman states that he does not claim any of the defenses 
No. 
2016AP2014-D   
 
4 
 
found in SCR 22.22(3), and he agrees that this court should 
revoke his license to practice law in Wisconsin. 
¶9 
In the stipulation, Attorney Silberman states that the 
stipulation did not result from plea bargaining, that he does 
not contest the facts and misconduct alleged by the OLR or the 
discipline sought by the OLR director.  Attorney Silberman 
further states that he agrees the facts alleged in the OLR's 
complaint may form a basis for the discipline requested by the 
OLR director.  He further avers that he fully understands the 
misconduct allegations; fully understands the ramifications 
should this court impose the stipulated level of discipline; 
fully understands his right to contest the matter; fully 
understands his right to consult with counsel and represents 
that he has in fact consulted with counsel; that his entry into 
the stipulation is made knowingly and voluntarily; that he has 
read the OLR's complaint and the stipulation and that his entry 
into the stipulation represents his decision not to contest the 
misconduct alleged in the complaint or the level and type of 
discipline sought by the OLR director.   
¶10 Upon review of this matter, we accept the stipulation 
and impose the identical discipline imposed by the Supreme Court 
of Illinois, namely the revocation of Attorney Silberman's 
license to practice law in Wisconsin.  Because this matter has 
been resolved by means of a stipulation without the appointment 
of a referee and because the OLR has not requested the 
imposition of costs, we do not impose any costs upon Attorney 
Silberman. 
No. 
2016AP2014-D   
 
5 
 
¶11 IT IS ORDERED that the license of David J. Silberman 
to practice law in Wisconsin is revoked, effective the date of 
this order. 
¶12 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, to the extent he has not 
already done so, David J. Silberman shall comply with the 
provisions of SCR 22.26 concerning the duties of a person whose 
license to practice law in Wisconsin has been revoked.   
¶13 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that compliance with all 
conditions of this order is required for reinstatement.  See 
SCR 22.28(3). 
 
No. 
2016AP2014-D   
 
 
 
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