High court suspends Milwaukee family attorney’s license

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The Wisconsin Supreme Court has suspended a Milwaukee family attorney’s license for six months over 12 counts of misconduct.

Tuesday’s decision stems from a complaint the Office of Lawyer Regulation filed Feb. 12, 2015, alleging misconduct involving 12 of Thor Templin’s clients. The alleged misconduct included filing motions for relief from a divorce judgement after the statute of limitations had passed, failing to communicate with clients and taking payment for legal work he never did.

The OLR had asked the court to suspend Templin’s license for four months and pay $500 in restitution to two of his clients.

Templin later reached a stipulation with the OLR, admitting to all 12 counts in the OLR’s complaint and agreeing to the OLR’s suggested sanctions.

However, the court-appointed referee, while agreeing with the stipulated restitution, recommended that the court suspend Templin’s license for six months. The referee noted that Templin worked for a non-profit law firm, Milwaukee-based Lagmann Inc., which serves clients who often cannot afford to retain an attorney.

The referee also contended that Templin had shown no remorse or responsibility for his actions and that he had racked up numerous violations of the Supreme Court Rules of Attorney Professional Conduct in a short amount of time since he was licensed to practice law.

The high court on Tuesday agreed with the referee and ordered Templin to pay $7,564.50, the full cost of the disciplinary proceeding and complete six hours of continuing legal education centered on civil procedure and appellate practice.

Templin earned his law degree from Marquette University Law School and has been licensed to practice law in Wisconsin since 2008. He was privately reprimanded in 2011 for failing to communicate with a client.

Tuesday’s discipline may not be the last for Templin. The OLR filed a complaint against him Jan. 7, just after the referee in the current case submitted her recommendations in Tuesday’s disciplinary case.

The OLR alleges six counts of misconduct including that Templin again failed to communicate with clients, failed to respond to the OLR’s investigation of a client’s grievances and blew a deadline in a client’s case. This time the OLR is asking that the court suspend Templin’s license for 60 days.

According to the State Bar of Wisconsin website, Templin is in the process of surrendering his law license.