Opinion ID: 1788058
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: mitigation and sanctions

Text: The referee correctly noted that commingling and misappropriation of client funds typically warrants disbarment, but that the determination of an appropriate penalty to be imposed on an attorney requires consideration of any mitigating factors. He found the following mitigating factors in this case: (1) Wintroub has not been the subject of other disciplinary actions, (2) he truly regrets his conduct and is remorseful, (3) he cooperated fully and completely with the inquiry, (4) the conduct occurred over a relatively isolated period of time, and (5) the conduct is inconsistent with Wintroub's record as an attorney over the 36-year period prior to 2001. The referee then addressed Wintroub's contention that his use of prescription medications during the time period at issue was a mitigating factor to be considered. In this regard, the referee found that Wintroub began taking prescription medications on the advice of his physician three times per day in 1998 to reduce his stress and chronic anxiety. Over the next several years, Wintroub continued to take prescribed medications to control his anxiety, and the amount of medications taken would generally depend on his stress level. At times, he was taking as many as 16 pills in a single day. Beginning in approximately August 1999, Wintroub began to exhibit behavior which his friends and coworkers found bizarre. This behavior included memory lapses, confusion, trouble concentrating and remembering, slurred speech, and mood disturbances. Wintroub was observed singing and throwing food at people during lunch at a local restaurant. When questioned about this behavior the following day, Wintroub had no recollection. Friends and coworkers also testified that during this time period, Wintroub failed to recognize traffic signals when driving, fell out of a booth at a local restaurant, and authored hostile interoffice memorandums. He also apparently believed that a long-time friend had accused him of kidnapping the friend's granddaughter. In addition, Wintroub began missing meetings and appointments, and on at least one occasion, he fell asleep during a meeting with a client. Wintroub's trust account records indicate that during this time period, he would often type the wrong date on a check, sometimes being off by a month, sometimes by several months, and sometimes transposing the date and month. After considering all of the evidence, the referee concluded that Wintroub's use of prescription medications was consistent with his doctors' recommendations for treating his chronic anxiety. He further concluded that the use of the prescription medications and the side effects caused by such use were mitigating factors. The referee found that Wintroub has ceased using the medications. The referee recommended that Wintroub be suspended from the practice of law for a period of 1 year, with credit given for the period of his voluntary temporary suspension. The referee further recommended that upon readmission, Wintroub should be subject to a period of probation for a period of not less than 2 years. During the pendency of this appeal, the bill of exceptions was amended by agreement of the parties and leave of this court to include two documents which were not considered by the referee. The first document is entitled Monitoring Contract Substance Abuse Recovery and dated January 15, 2004, and is signed by Wintroub and the director of the Nebraska Lawyers Assistance Program. The second document is an affidavit signed by Wintroub on March 4, 2004, attesting to his compliance with the conditions of the monitoring contract, which conditions include ongoing counseling, participation in a 12-step program, and weekly contact with an attorney monitor. Wintroub further states that he has not taken any of the medications which had previously been prescribed for him since January 2003, when he suffered a grand mal seizure and was advised by his physician that the medications were the likely cause of his behavior problems and impairment of his cognitive abilities.