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.

Public Reprimand of Jeffrey A. McIntyre

The Office of Lawyer Regulation (OLR) and Jeffrey A. McIntyre, Madison, entered into an agreement for the imposition of a public reprimand, pursuant to SCR 22.09(1). A Wisconsin Supreme Court-appointed referee approved the agreement and issued the public reprimand on June 26, 2019, in accordance with SCR 22.09(3).

McIntyre engaged in misconduct in two matters. In the first matter, McIntyre was charged with misdemeanor battery and disorderly conduct in Dane County Circuit Court. McIntyre pleaded guilty to the battery charge. The disorderly conduct charge was dismissed on the prosecutor’s motion. The court then withheld adjudication based on a deferred prosecution agreement signed by McIntyre. McIntyre was accepted into the first-offender program.

A guilty plea to a criminal act, even when made subject to a deferred prosecution agreement, provides the basis for a charge of a violation of SCR 20:8.4(b).

By engaging in conduct leading to his arrest for, and eventual guilty plea to, the criminal act of misdemeanor battery, McIntyre violated SCR 20:8.4(b), which states, “It is professional misconduct for a lawyer to … commit a criminal act that reflects adversely on the lawyer’s honesty, trustworthiness or fitness as a lawyer in other respects.”

In the second matter, McIntyre was charged with operating while intoxicated (OWI) (third) and operating with a prohibited alcohol concentration (PAC) (third) in Dane County Circuit Court. McIntyre pleaded guilty to the OWI (third) charge. The operating with PAC (third) charge was dismissed on the prosecutor’s motion. McIntyre’s sentence included 60 days in the Dane County Jail (with Huber privileges after the first three days), driver’s license revocation for 26 months (commencing forthwith), and ignition-interlock-device installation for 26 months (IID restriction effective upon licensure for 26 months). McIntyre was also ordered to provide a DNA sample, undergo an alcohol assessment, and pay a fine and costs.

By engaging in conduct leading to a misdemeanor conviction of OWI (third), McIntyre again violated SCR 20:8.4(b).

McIntyre had no prior discipline.

Disciplinary Proceedings Against James E. Hammis

In a May 23, 2019 decision, the supreme court suspended the law license of James E. Hammis, Stoughton, for three years, effective July 3, 2019. The court further ordered Hammis to pay the $13,160.22 cost of the disciplinary proceeding and to pay $400 in restitution to one former client. Disciplinary Proceedings Against Hammis, 2019 WI 55.

Hammis committed 40 counts of misconduct, involving nine separate client matters, as well as numerous trust account and other violations.

Hammis received a four-month disciplinary suspension in 2011 and a 90-day suspension in 2015.