Professional Responsibility — revocation

Listen to this article

Wisconsin Supreme Court

Civil

Professional Responsibility — revocation

Where attorney Michael D. Mandelman committed trust account violations and this is his seventh time he has been disciplined, revocation is appropriate.

“In the present case, Attorney Mandelman did commingle his personal and business funds with client trust funds, he did convert the trust funds of clients by engaging in trust account transactions that left negative balances in his own subsidiary accounts, he did fail to deliver trust funds to clients for many years, he did keep incomplete and inaccurate trust account records (such that determining who is still owed money is a very difficult task), and he did on multiple occasions file income tax returns that were recklessly false, whether because of failing to report income or because of claiming expenses to which he was not entitled. He showed a multi-year lack of diligence in one matter, failed to notify a client of his suspension in another, and also gave a false affidavit to the OLR. Moreover, this is not the first time that Attorney Mandelman is being disciplined for his misconduct. It is the seventh time, and the fifth time that his misconduct has been serious enough to warrant having his license to practice law suspended. We think that it is not improper to say that Attorney Mandelman’s conduct is as serious as the misconduct in Gedlen, Sheehan, and Weigel, and that, in light of his lengthy disciplinary history, he should receive the same sanction that they did, namely the revocation of their licenses to practice law in this state.”

2011AP584-D OLR v. Mandelman

Per Curiam.

Attorneys: For Appellant: Mandelman, Michael D., Mequon; Nicolet, Spiros S., Milwaukee; Andrews, Paul J., Boston; For Respondent: Spoke, Julie Marie, Madison