Attorney Disciplinary Proceedings.

Byline: Derek Hawkins

WI Supreme Court

Case Name: Office of Lawyer Regulation

Case No.: 2018 WI 104

Focus: Attorney Disciplinary Proceedings

Attorney Jason C. Gonzalez has appealed a report filed by Referee James C. Boll, Jr., concluding that Attorney Gonzalez committed five counts of professional misconduct and recommending that he be publicly reprimanded. In his appeal, Attorney Gonzalez challenges three of the counts of misconduct found by the referee. Specifically, he challenges the referee's findings of fact with respect to counts five, seven, and nine of the complaint filed by the Office of Lawyer Regulation (OLR). He also challenges the referee's conclusion of law with respect to count five. Attorney Gonzalez argues that a private, rather than a public, reprimand is an appropriate sanction. He also asks that the costs of the proceeding be reduced.

Upon careful review of this matter, we uphold all of the referee's findings of fact and conclusions of law and conclude that a public reprimand is an appropriate sanction for Attorney Gonzalez's misconduct. In addition, we find it appropriate to follow our...