Supreme Court won't allow disbarred Florida attorney to practice in Wisconsin.

Byline: Michaela Paukner, mpaukner@wislawjournal.com

The Wisconsin Supreme Court won't allow a disbarred Florida attorney to practice law in Wisconsin.

David E. Hammer practiced law in Florida from 2006 until 2010. The Supreme Court of Florida suspended his license in 2010 and then disbarred him in 2011 for trust-account violations and misappropriation of client funds.

In 2018, Hammer applied for admission to the State Bar of Wisconsin and passed the Wisconsin bar exam. However, the Board of Bar Examiners denied his admission, finding he didn't meet character and fitness requirements because of his previous misconduct while practicing law in Florida.

Hammer appealed the decision, but on Thursday the high court found that Hammer did not meet the character and fitness requirements for admission to the State Bar.

The opinion saidHammer's disbarment in Florida could, arguably, be the end of the court's inquirybecause Supreme Court Rule 40.06 provides suspension or revocation in another jurisdiction is a sufficient basis for denial.

However, neither party considered the rule dispositive, so thecourtaddressed the arguments. Hammer took issued with many of the Board's factual findings, butthe opinion saidthe court didn't need to decided whether the Board committed error in characterizing some of his past conduct as abuse of process.

"There is ample evidence to support the Board's conclusion that Mr. Hammer engaged in abuse of process, as evidenced by...

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