The Office of Lawyer Regulation (OLR), an agency of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, provides these summaries for educational purposes. The OLR assists the court in supervising the practice of law and protecting the public from misconduct by lawyers. Find the full text of these summaries at www.wicourts.gov/olr.

Disciplinary Proceeding against Daniel W. Morse

On May 21, 2019, the Wisconsin Supreme Court suspended the law license of Daniel W. Morse for one year, effective July 2, 2019. In addition, the court ordered that Morse pay the cost of the disciplinary proceeding, which totaled $11,038.85. Disciplinary Proceedings Against Morse, 2019 WI 53.

Morse was appointed personal representative of an estate. He also acted as lawyer for the personal representative. Morse failed to take steps to advance the estate, including but not limited to failing to file an inventory, open mail, and pay bills, in violation of SCR 20:1.3. Morse failed to hold in trust more than $25,000 belonging to the estate, instead using those funds to pay personal obligations, in violation of SCR 20:8.4(c) and SCR 20:1.15(b)(1).

After being removed as personal representative, Morse failed to promptly deliver to the successor personal representative all documents relating to the estate, including but not limited to financial records, in violation of SCR 20:1.16(d). Despite being later ordered by the court to do so, Morse still failed to turn over to the successor personal representative all financial records relating to the estate, in violation of SCR 20:3.4(c).

Morse was charged criminally with regard to his mishandling of estate funds and pleaded guilty to three misdemeanor counts of theft (embezzlement). The court imposed and stayed a sentence of six months in the House of Correction and placed Morse on probation for one year.

Morse made restitution to the estate. He has no prior discipline.

Disciplinary Proceedings against B.C. Fischer

On April 16, 2019, the Wisconsin Supreme Court suspended the law license of B.C. Fischer, Duluth, Minn., for 90 days as discipline reciprocal to his suspension in 2017 by the Minnesota Supreme Court. Disciplinary Proceedings Against Fischer, 2019 WI 36. Fischer practices in Minnesota as Brian Fischer.

The 2017 Minnesota suspension resulted from Fischer’s misconduct in six client matters. Fischer failed to communicate with those clients, made false statements to a client, failed to return a client’s file, and failed to cooperate with disciplinary investigations. Fischer did not notify the Office of Lawyer Regulation about the Minnesota discipline.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court publicly reprimanded Fischer in 2014.