Wisconsin Supreme Court reprimands Glendale attorney for misconduct

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The Wisconsin Supreme Court on Friday publicly reprimanded Glendale attorney Vladimir Gorokhovsky for professional misconduct.

The Office of Lawyer Regulation said Gorokhovsky, of Gorokhovsky Law Office LLC, violated numerous Wisconsin Supreme Court rules in the course of representing a man convicted of two misdemeanor charges and one felony charge. The OLR filed an eight-count complaint in October 2010 alleging Gorokhovsky:

• failed to take proper care in reviewing material relevant to the case in violation of SCR 20:1.1;
• failed to seek input from the client before taking action in violation of former SCR 20:1.2(a);
• did not communicate with the client for nearly a month in violation of former SCR 20:1.4(a) and SCR 20:1.4(a)(3);
• accepted compensation from the client’s former girlfriend without consent in violation of former SCR 20:1.8(f)(1);
• discussed the client’s case with the client’s former girlfriend, and allowing the former girlfriend to make decisions about the case, without consent, in violation of SCR 20:1.8(f)(3), former SCR 20:1.6(a) and SCR 20:1.6 (a);
• hesitated to work on the client’s case because the client couldn’t pay in violation of SCR 20:1.8(f)(2);
• dishonestly or fraudulently represented himself to OLR in violation of SCR 20:8.4(c) and SCR 22.03(6); and
• charged unreasonable fees in violation of former SCR 20:1.5(a) and SCR 20:1.5(a).

In his response to the OLR’s complaint, Gorokhovsky denied violating state Supreme Court rules. He objected to the referee’s recommendation that he be made to pay costs of the proceedings, calling them “excessive.” He said a medical condition and divorce prevent him from paying the full cost of the proceeding.

State justices ordered Gorokhovsky to pay the costs of the proceeding; he has 60 days to do so.

The state Supreme Court privately reprimanded Gorokhovsky in 2009, as well, for ethics violations concerning attorney’s fees, trust accounts and cooperation with an OLR investigation.