Wisconsin Lawyer
Vol. 80, No. 2, February 2007
According to its Fiscal 2006 Annual Report, during the year the Office of Lawyer Regulation (OLR) and the Board of Administrative Oversight (board) reduced the number of pending matters and worked on important policy issues regarding the lawyer regulation system.
In addition to providing an overview of the lawyer regulation system's organization and composition, the report explains how matters are resolved within the system and compares current and past years' data on the disposition of grievance matters. Highlights for the period July 1, 2005 - June 30, 2006, include:
- Central Intake received 2,061 inquiries and grievances -
18 % forwarded for formal investigation
10 % resolved minor disputes or withdrawn grievances
7 % diverted to alternative programs
65 % closed, insufficient information to allege ethical misconduct
62 attorneys received a public disciplinary sanction, representing 0.3 % of the 22,225 State Bar members
- Most common allegations made in grievances: lack of diligence (19.3 %), lack of communication with client (15.5 %), improper advocacy (11.5 %)
- Practice areas producing the most grievances: criminal law (35 %), family law (13 %)
- 83 overdrafts on client trust accounts and fiduciary accounts reported, down 20 % from last year
Full 2005-2006 OLR Annual Report
Wisconsin Lawyer