Title: Office of Lawyer Regulation v. Lynn E. Morrissey
Citation: 2005 WI 169
Docket Number: 2005AP000255-D
State: Wisconsin
Issuer: Wisconsin Supreme Court
Date: December 20, 2005

2005 WI 169 
 
SUPREME COURT OF WISCONSIN 
 
 
 
 
 
CASE NO.: 
2005AP255-D 
 
 
COMPLETE TITLE: 
 
 
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings 
Against Lynn E. Morrissey, Attorney at Law: 
 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation, 
          Complainant, 
     v. 
Lynn E. Morrissey, 
          Respondent. 
 
 
 
 
DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS AGAINST MORRISSEY 
 
 
OPINION FILED: 
December 20, 2005   
SUBMITTED ON BRIEFS: 
        
ORAL ARGUMENT: 
        
 
 
SOURCE OF APPEAL: 
 
 
COURT: 
        
 
COUNTY: 
        
 
JUDGE: 
        
 
 
 
JUSTICES: 
 
 
CONCURRED: 
        
 
DISSENTED: 
        
 
NOT PARTICIPATING:         
 
 
 
ATTORNEYS: 
 
      
 
 
2005 WI 169
NOTICE 
This opinion is subject to further 
editing and modification.  The final 
version will appear in the bound 
volume of the official reports.   
No.  2005AP255-D  
 
 
STATE OF WISCONSIN  
 
 
   : 
IN SUPREME COURT 
 
 
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings 
Against Lynn E. Morrissey, Attorney at Law: 
 
Office of Lawyer Regulation, 
 
          Complainant, 
 
     v. 
 
Lynn E. Morrissey, 
 
          Respondent. 
 
FILED 
 
Dec 20, 2005 
 
Cornelia G. Clark 
Clerk of Supreme Court 
 
 
 
 
 
ATTORNEY 
disciplinary 
proceeding. 
 
Attorney's 
license 
suspended.   
¶1 
PER CURIAM.  We review a stipulation filed by Attorney 
Lynn Morrissey and the Office of Lawyer Regulation (OLR) 
pursuant to SCR 22.12 regarding Attorney Morissey's professional 
misconduct in connection with several client matters.  Referee 
Stanley Hack reviewed the stipulation and issued a report 
recommending the same level of discipline to which the parties 
had stipulated, a six-month suspension of Attorney Morrissey's 
license to practice law in Wisconsin.  In addition, the referee 
recommended that Attorney Morrissey be ordered to pay the costs 
No. 
2005AP255-D   
 
2 
 
of the disciplinary proceeding, which are $1868.03 as of 
September 19, 2005. 
¶2 
We approve the stipulation and adopt the stipulated 
findings of fact and conclusions of law.  We agree with the 
referee's conclusion that Attorney Morrissey's professional 
misconduct warrants a six-month suspension of her license to 
practice law in Wisconsin, and we further order Attorney 
Morrissey to pay the costs of this proceeding. 
¶3 
Attorney Morrissey was admitted to practice law in 
Wisconsin in 1995.  On October 19, 2004 her license was 
suspended for failure to cooperate with several OLR grievance 
investigations concerning her conduct.  On January 14, 2005 her 
license to practice was suspended for 60 days for professional 
misconduct in two other client matters.  See In re Disciplinary 
Proceedings Against Morrissey, 2005 WI 2, 277 Wis. 2d 295, 691 
N.W.2d 634.  Her license remains under suspension. 
¶4 
On January 26, 2005 the OLR filed a complaint against 
Attorney Morrissey alleging eleven counts of misconduct in 
connection with four client matters.  The matter was scheduled 
for a hearing before the referee when the parties executed the 
stipulation now before the court. 
¶5 
The 
referee 
made 
findings 
consistent 
with 
the 
stipulation relating to Attorney Morrissey's handling of a 
divorce matter on behalf of her client, D.B.  Attorney Morrissey 
failed to satisfy the statutory obligation to prepare and file 
written Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Judgment of 
Divorce, despite efforts by her client and opposing counsel to 
No. 
2005AP255-D   
 
3 
 
induce her to do so.  Eventually, opposing counsel prepared the 
document at a cost of $378 to his client who, in turn, sought 
payment from D.B.  D.B. filed a grievance against Attorney 
Morrissey with the OLR. 
¶6 
Attorney Morrissey subsequently failed to respond to 
the grievance filed against her in connection with this matter 
and her license to practice law was temporarily suspended as a 
result.   
¶7 
The parties also stipulated to and the referee made 
findings regarding Attorney Morrissey's handling of a social 
security matter involving her client, T.H.  At a June 20, 2002 
administrative hearing the presiding administrative law judge 
indicated he was prepared to rule on the matter.  Attorney 
Morrissey, however, requested the judge keep the record open for 
30 days to permit her to submit additional evidence.  The judge 
agreed, but Attorney Morrissey failed to submit any additional 
information.  Eventually, a favorable decision was rendered in 
favor of Attorney Morrissey's client. 
¶8 
The parties then disputed whether Attorney Morrissey 
had properly filed a copy of the parties' fee agreement with the 
Social Security Administration, which provided that Attorney 
Morrissey was entitled to recover $4000 in fees.  Because there 
was no fee agreement on file, $4629 was withheld from T.H.'s 
award.  When T.H. filed a grievance against Attorney Morrissey 
some two years later, he was still waiting to recover $629 to 
which he was entitled, despite numerous efforts to resolve the 
matter with Attorney Morrissey.  Eventually, after Attorney 
No. 
2005AP255-D   
 
4 
 
Morrissey failed to respond to repeated inquiries regarding the 
matter, the entire $4629 was awarded to T.H.   
¶9 
Attorney Morrissey also failed to respond to inquiries 
from the OLR regarding the T.H. grievance.  Her license to 
practice law was temporarily suspended for failure to respond in 
this matter.   
¶10 The stipulation also provided and the referee made 
findings regarding Attorney Morrissey's representation of E.R-B. 
regarding the probate of E.R-B.'s late husband's estate. E.R-B. 
gave Attorney Morrissey certain original documents, including 
her husband's will.  Attorney Morrissey allegedly failed to make 
copies of these documents and failed to take any action in the 
matter.  Eventually, Attorney Morrissey informed E.R-B. that she 
was too ill to handle the representation.  However, E.R-B. 
testified that Attorney Morrissey never returned the documents 
to E.R-B.  Attorney Morrissey maintained that she had mailed 
them and later agreed to check her files but no follow-up 
information was ever provided to either E.R-B. or to the OLR.  
Attorney Morrissey also failed to respond to follow-up inquiries 
from the OLR relating to the grievance filed by E.R-B. Attorney 
Morrissey's license to practice law was suspended for failure to 
respond to these inquiries.   
¶11 The stipulation also provided and the referee made 
factual findings regarding Attorney Morrissey's representation 
of D.H., the personal representative of the L.H.K. estate.  The 
will and application for informal probate was filed May 22, 
2002.  However, Attorney Morrissey failed to file a final 
No. 
2005AP255-D   
 
5 
 
account with the probate court and subsequently failed to 
respond to orders to show cause issued by the court directing 
her to file certain fiduciary tax returns and other information.  
It appears she arranged disbursement of all funds from the 
estate and arranged for a payment of her own legal fees without 
having filed a final account. 
¶12 Eventually, 
after 
ignoring 
repeated 
requests 
for 
information, Attorney Morrissey was found in contempt by the 
court for failing to respond to court orders and was directed to 
surrender her file to the court for reassignment to another 
attorney or face a $100 per day sanction.  Attorney Morrissey 
did not respond and later claimed she had not received the 
court's order.   
¶13 Further investigation revealed additional problems 
with the estate that had to be corrected at a cost to the estate 
of $345.  The estate was finally closed on October 4, 2004.   
¶14 Attorney Morrissey initially cooperated with the OLR's 
inquiries regarding this matter, but then failed to respond to 
follow-up 
inquiries. 
 
Her 
license 
to 
practice 
law 
was 
temporarily suspended as a result of her failure to respond in 
this matter.   
¶15 Attorney Morrissey pleaded no contest to each of the 
eleven charges alleged by the OLR.  The stipulation provided and 
the referee concluded that by failing to timely draft and file 
statutorily required Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and 
Judgment of Divorce in the D.B. matter, Attorney Morrissey 
No. 
2005AP255-D   
 
6 
 
failed to act with reasonable diligence and promptness in 
representing her client, in violation of SCR 20:1.3.1 
¶16 The stipulation provided and the referee concluded 
that by failing to respond to two OLR requests for a written 
response to the D.B. grievance, as well as to the court's order 
to show cause, Attorney Morrissey failed to cooperate with an 
OLR investigation, in violation of SCR 22.03(2).2 
¶17 The stipulation provided and the referee concluded 
that by requesting that her client's social security disability 
hearing be held open for 30 days in order to submit further 
evidence, but failing to submit any further evidence or 
otherwise contact the administrative law judge thereafter, and 
by subsequently failing to file a fee petition which held up 
disbursement of $629 of her client's funds for almost two years, 
Attorney Morrissey failed to act with reasonable diligence and 
                                                 
1 SCR 20:1.3 provides that "[a] lawyer shall act with 
reasonable diligence and promptness in representing a client." 
2 SCR 22.03(2) provides:  Investigation. 
 
(2) 
Upon 
commencing 
an 
investigation, 
the 
director shall notify the respondent of the matter 
being investigated unless in the opinion of the 
director the investigation of the matter requires 
otherwise.  The respondent shall fully and fairly 
disclose all facts and circumstances pertaining to the 
alleged misconduct within 20 days after being served 
by ordinary mail a request for a written response.  
The director may allow additional time to respond.  
Following receipt of the response, the director may 
conduct further investigation and may compel the 
respondent to answer questions, furnish documents, and 
present 
any 
information 
deemed 
relevant 
to 
the 
investigation. 
No. 
2005AP255-D   
 
7 
 
promptness in the representation of her client, in violation of 
SCR 20:1.3. 
¶18 The stipulation provided and the referee concluded 
that by failing to provide any response to T.H.'s grievance 
despite the OLR's requests, Attorney Morrissey failed to 
cooperate with an OLR grievance investigation into her conduct, 
in violation of SCR 22.03(2). 
¶19 The stipulation provided and the referee concluded 
that by failing to return original documents to E.R-B., 
including her late husband's original will after telling E.R-B. 
that she could not represent her, Attorney Morrissey failed, 
upon termination of the representation, to surrender papers and 
property to which her client was entitled, in violation of SCR 
20:1.16(d).3 
¶20 The stipulation provided and the referee concluded 
that by failing to respond to E.R-B.'s telephone calls regarding 
the return of documents that were left with Attorney Morrissey 
in the course of an attorney-client relationship, Attorney 
                                                 
3 SCR 
20:1.16(d) 
provides: 
 
Declining 
or 
terminating 
representation. 
 
(d) Upon termination of representation, a lawyer 
shall take steps to the extent reasonably practicable 
to protect a client's interests, such as giving 
reasonable notice to the client, allowing time for 
employment of other counsel, surrendering papers and 
property to which the client is entitled and refunding 
any advance payment of fee that has not been earned.  
The lawyer may retain papers relating to the client to 
the extent permitted by other law. 
No. 
2005AP255-D   
 
8 
 
Morrissey 
failed 
to 
comply 
with 
reasonable 
requests 
for 
information, in violation of SCR 20:1.4(a).4 
¶21 The stipulation provided and the referee concluded 
that by failing to provide any response to E.R-B.'s grievance 
despite the OLR requests, Attorney Morrissey failed to cooperate 
with an OLR grievance investigation, in violation of SCR 
22.03(2). 
¶22 The stipulation provided and the referee concluded 
that by failing to conclude probate of the L.H.K. estate, 
including a failure to file fiduciary income tax returns, 
Attorney Morrissey failed to act with reasonable diligence and 
promptness on behalf of a client, in violation of SCR 20:1.3. 
¶23 The stipulation provided and the referee concluded 
that by telling the probate court that she would produce 
evidence of mailing fiduciary income tax returns, but failing to 
do so; by failing to "re-send" by certified mail copies of tax 
returns as she had told the court she would do; by failing to 
file a report with the court within 30 days as ordered; by 
failing to appear at an order to show cause hearing resulting in 
a contempt of court filing; and, by failing to turn over her 
file as ordered by the court, Attorney Morrissey knowingly 
                                                 
4 SCR 20:1.4(a) provides that "[a] lawyer shall keep a 
client reasonably informed about the status of a matter and 
promptly comply with reasonable requests for information." 
No. 
2005AP255-D   
 
9 
 
disobeyed obligations under the rules of a tribunal, in 
violation of SCR 20:3.4(c).5 
¶24 The stipulation provided and the referee concluded 
that by failing to turn over the file and refund any advance fee 
that had not been earned, Attorney Morrissey failed to surrender 
papers and property to which the client is entitled and refund 
any advance payment of fee that has not been earned, in 
violation of SCR 20:1.16(d). 
¶25 Finally, the stipulation provided and the referee 
concluded that by failing to respond to an OLR request for 
further investigative information, Attorney Morrissey failed to 
cooperate with an OLR investigation into her conduct, in 
violation of SCR 22.03(6).6 
¶26 The 
parties' 
stipulation 
states 
that 
Attorney 
Morrissey entered pleas of "no contest" to each of the charges 
levied against her.  The referee noted that Attorney Morrissey 
had stated that health concerns affected her ability to practice 
law, as well as her ability to respond to the OLR.  Attorney 
Morrissey stated these health concerns eventually caused her to 
                                                 
5 SCR 20:3.4(c) provides that a lawyer shall not "knowingly 
disobey an obligation under the rules of a tribunal except for 
an open refusal based on an assertion that no valid obligation 
exists." 
6 SCR 22.03(6) provides that "[i]n the course of the 
investigation, 
the 
respondent's wilful 
failure 
to provide 
relevant information, to answer questions fully, or to furnish 
documents and the respondent's misrepresentation in a disclosure 
are misconduct, regardless of the merits of the matters asserted 
in the grievance." 
No. 
2005AP255-D   
 
10 
 
close her law practice.  However, the referee noted that 
Attorney 
Morrissey 
provided 
no 
medical 
documentation 
to 
substantiate her assertion.   
¶27 As 
noted 
above, 
the 
referee 
issued 
a 
report 
incorporating the stipulation and adopting the recommended six-
month suspension as well as the recommendation that Attorney 
Morrissey pay the costs of the proceeding.  The stipulation and 
the referee's report recite the necessary factors, indicating 
that Attorney Morrissey concedes she cannot defend against the 
charges, and stating that the stipulated discipline is not the 
result of a plea bargain.   
¶28 We adopt the findings of fact and conclusions of law 
to which the parties have stipulated, and as adopted by the 
referee. We agree that the seriousness of Attorney Morrissey's 
misconduct warrants the suspension of her license to practice 
law for six months. We further agree that she should be required 
to pay the costs of this proceeding. 
¶29 IT IS ORDERED that the license of Lynn E. Morrissey to 
practice law in Wisconsin is suspended for a period of six 
months, effective the date of this order. 
¶30 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that if she has not already done 
so, Attorney Morrissey 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. 
¶31 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that within 60 days of the date 
of this order Lynn E. Morrissey shall pay to the Office of 
Lawyer Regulation the costs of this proceeding, provided that if 
No. 
2005AP255-D   
 
11 
 
the costs are not paid within the time specified and absent a 
showing to this court of her inability to pay those costs within 
that time, the license of Attorney Lynn Morrissey to practice 
law in Wisconsin shall remain suspended until further order of 
the court. 
 
No. 
2005AP255-D   
 
 
 
1