Office of Lawyer Regulation v. Hackbarth

2013 WI 12, 826 N.W.2d 43, 345 Wis. 2d 270, 2013 WL 276030, 2013 Wisc. LEXIS 9
CourtWisconsin Supreme Court
DecidedJanuary 25, 2013
DocketNo. 2012AP668-D
StatusPublished

This text of 2013 WI 12 (Office of Lawyer Regulation v. Hackbarth) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Wisconsin Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Office of Lawyer Regulation v. Hackbarth, 2013 WI 12, 826 N.W.2d 43, 345 Wis. 2d 270, 2013 WL 276030, 2013 Wisc. LEXIS 9 (Wis. 2013).

Opinion

PER CURIAM.

¶ 1. We review the recommendation of the referee, James C. Boll, Jr., that Attorney Sherman Ward Hackbarth be publicly reprimanded for professional misconduct. That misconduct consists of failing to act with reasonable diligence and promptness in representing a client, failing to adequately communicate with a client, failing to return an advance payment of a fee that he had not earned, and failing to respond to the OLR's investigative requests. The referee also recommended that Attorney Hackbarth be required to pay the costs of the proceeding, which total $436.56 as of October 15, 2012. The referee further recommended that Attorney Hackbarth be required to make restitution to the Wisconsin Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection (the Fund) in the amount of $1,000.

¶ 2. We adopt the referee's findings of fact and conclusions of law. We agree with the referee's conclu[272]*272sion that Attorney Hackbarth's professional misconduct warrants a public reprimand. We further order that Attorney Haekbarth make restitution to the Fund as described below, and that he pay the full costs of this disciplinary proceeding.

¶ 3. Attorney Haekbarth was admitted to practice law in Wisconsin in 2005. The most recent address he has on file with the State Bar of Wisconsin is in Madison, Wisconsin. On October 27, 2010, this court suspended Attorney Hackbarth's Wisconsin law license for his failure to cooperate with the OLR investigation of this matter. His license also was administratively suspended in June 2010 for his failure to comply with mandatory continuing legal education reporting requirements, and in October 2010 for his failure to pay bar dues and assessments and his failure to file the required trust account certification. His license remains administratively suspended.

¶ 4. Attorney Haekbarth did not answer or otherwise appear in this disciplinary proceeding, and the referee made findings of fact and conclusions of law in response to the OLR's motion for default judgment.

¶ 5. The OLR's complaint alleged that in late August or early September 2009, HJ Liquors, LLC hired Attorney Haekbarth to represent it in the acquisition of another business. HJ Liquors made it clear to Attorney Haekbarth that time was of the essence, as it expected to operate the new business in October 2009. HJ Liquors paid Attorney Haekbarth $1,000 as an advanced fee.

¶ 6. Attorney Haekbarth did not draft any documents or take other actions to represent HJ Liquors in the acquisition. He also failed to respond to numerous e-mails and telephone calls from HJ Liquors' principals.

[273]*273¶ 7. On October 6, 2009, HJ Liquors terminated Attorney Hackbarth's representation and demanded a refund of the $1,000 advanced fee. Attorney Hackbarth did not refund any portion of the $1,000 advanced fee.

¶ 8. On October 16, 2009, HJ Liquors filed a grievance against Attorney Hackbarth with the OLR.

¶ 9. On November 9, 2009, Attorney Hackbarth agreed to provide information regarding HJ Liquors' grievance to the OLR. He failed to do so.

¶ 10. On January 14, 2010, the OLR notified Attorney Hackbarth that it was investigating HJ Liquors' grievance and required Attorney Hackbarth's response to the grievance no later than February 8, 2010. Attorney Hackbarth did not respond.

¶ 11. On March 23, 2010, the OLR sent Attorney Hackbarth a second request by regular and certified mail, requiring a response to the grievance by April 15, 2010. The OLR's certified letter was delivered on or around March 24, 2010. Attorney Hackbarth did not respond.

¶ 12. On July 13, 2010, the OLR wrote Attorney Hackbarth a third letter in the HJ Liquors matter, requiring Attorney Hackbarth's response no later than seven days from when it was served upon him. On August 3, 2010, Attorney Hackbarth was personally served with the OLR's July 13, 2010 letter, along with the OLR's January 14 and March 23, 2010 letters. Attorney Hackbarth did not respond.

¶ 13. In September 2010 this court ordered Attorney Hackbarth to show cause why his Wisconsin law license should not be suspended for his failure to cooperate in the OLR's investigation of the HJ Liquors matter. Attorney Hackbarth did not respond. On October 27, 2010, this court temporarily suspended Attorney Hackbarth's Wisconsin law license.

[274]*274¶ 14. The Fund subsequently reimbursed HJ Liquors $1,000 for the advanced fee it paid to Attorney Hackbarth.

¶ 15. The referee held a telephone scheduling conference on July 31, 2012. The referee had previously attempted to notify Attorney Hackbarth of the time and date of the scheduling conference via a letter sent to Attorney Hackbarth's last known address on file with the State Bar of Wisconsin, and to two other addresses —one in Madison, Wisconsin, and another in Milton, Wisconsin. Attorney Hackbarth did not appear at the scheduling conference.

¶ 16. At the July 31, 2012 scheduling conference, the OLR moved for default judgment. The referee orally granted the motion.

¶ 17. On September 5, 2012, the referee filed a report making findings of fact, conclusions of law, and a recommendation for disciplinary sanctions against Attorney Hackbarth. The referee recommended that Attorney Hackbarth be declared in default. The referee determined that Attorney Hackbarth violated SCR 20:1.31 by failing to advance the interests of HJ Liquors in its business acquisition attempt. The referee further determined that Attorney Hackbarth violated SCR 20:1.4(a)(2), (3), and (4)2 and SCR 20:1.4(b)3 by failing to communicate in any way with the principals of HJ [275]*275Liquors after receipt of the $1,000 advanced fee. The referee further determined that Attorney Hackbarth violated SCR 20:1.16(d)4 by failing to refund the $1,000 advanced fee paid by or on behalf of HJ Liquors when he failed to perform any of the work for which he was hired. The referee further determined that Attorney Hackbarth violated SCR 22.03(2) and (6)5 via SCR [276]*27620:8.4(h)6 by failing to respond to the OLR's January 14, 2010, March 23, 2010, or July 13, 2010 letters.

¶ 18. Based on the determinations of misconduct, the referee recommended that Attorney Hackbarth be publicly reprimanded. The referee also recommended that Attorney Hackbarth be ordered to reimburse the Fund in the amount of $1,000 for the payment the Fund made to HJ Liquors due to Attorney Hackbarth's misconduct.

¶ 19. The matter is now before this court to review the referee's report and recommendation. No appeal has been filed, so this matter is submitted to the court pursuant to SCR 22.17(2).7

¶ 20. We will not set aside the referee's fact findings unless they are clearly erroneous. In re Disciplinary Proceedings Against Inglimo, 2007 WI 126, ¶ 5, 305 Wis. 2d 71, 740 N.W.2d 125. We review conclusions of law de novo. Id. Finally, we determine the appropriate level of discipline given the particular facts of each case, independent of the referee's recommendation, but benefiting from it. In re Disciplinary Proceedings Against Widule, 2003 WI 34, ¶ 44, 261 Wis. 2d 45, 660 N.W.2d 686.

[277]*277¶ 21. We adopt the findings of fact and conclusions of law set forth in the referee's report.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings Against Inglimo
2007 WI 126 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 2007)
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings Against Widule
2003 WI 34 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 2003)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
2013 WI 12, 826 N.W.2d 43, 345 Wis. 2d 270, 2013 WL 276030, 2013 Wisc. LEXIS 9, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/office-of-lawyer-regulation-v-hackbarth-wis-2013.