Minn. attorneys up for suspension in Wis.

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A pair of attorneys who were disciplined in Minnesota for misrepresenting themselves to clients and fumbling legal work now face similar sanctions in Wisconsin.

Louis Stockman is suspended from practicing law in Minnesota and will have to petition that state’s Supreme Court to be reinstated. He also is suspended in Wisconsin.

His former associate, Brian Fischer, was reprimanded and placed on probation for two years.

Stockman and Fischer, both of Duluth, Minn., were disciplined for mishandling several lawsuits dating to 2006, according to complaints filed Friday by the Wisconsin Office of Lawyer Regulation. Stockman also was punished for practicing law while suspended for five months in 2012 for a different case, and Fischer was disciplined for not supervising Stockman during the suspension and not cooperating with Minnesota’s regulatory investigators, the complaints state.

Wisconsin’s OLR is asking the Wisconsin Supreme Court to suspend Stockman for six months and to publicly reprimand Fischer. In its complaint, the department pointed out that neither attorney notified Wisconsin of their discipline in Minnesota.

If Wisconsin justices suspend Stockman for six months, he will have to petition them for reinstatement in Wisconsin.

Stockman did not immediately return messages left Tuesday.

Both attorneys worked for Stockman Law Offices PA. That name was not changed for some time after Stockman was suspended and Fischer took over the firm. The Minnesota Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility told Fischer that the name misled clients, and as a result the firm’s name was later changed to “Injury Law,” according to Fischer’s complaint.

Fischer said Tuesday that a stipulation to his admonishment is that he cut professional ties with Stockman. He now operates Fischer Legal with his wife, Kristi.

Fischer said that he does not have “any misgivings or great complaints” about Wisconsin’s OLR and its reciprocal complaint. He said he has been supervised by another attorney since his admonishment, per the Minnesota Supreme Court’s order.

Stockman also was admonished in 2009 for not consulting his client before making a settlement demand. The complaint makes no mention of any disciplinary history for Fischer. Follow @eheisigWLJ