High court disciplines Minnesota attorney

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The Wisconsin Supreme Court has suspended a Minnesota attorney’s Wisconsin license for one year.

Friday’s discipline stems from a complaint filed in November by the Office of Lawyer Regulation asking that the justices discipline Scott Selmer, who practiced in Minneapolis, for failing to notify the OLR that the Minnesota Supreme Court suspended his license in July.

The OLR also asked the court to impose reciprocal discipline for the conduct that resulted in his Minnesota suspension.

Selmer’s Minnesota license was suspended for 12 months for misconduct he committed while handling suits and countersuits related to when he led the St. Paul Urban League from 2008 to 2011. According to the Minnesota Supreme Court, he failed to follow court orders, refused to comply with discover requests and engaged in harassing and frivolous litigation.

Selmer earned his degree from the University of Wisconsin law School in 1975 and was admitted to practice law in Wisconsin in 1978. His license is currently suspended in Wisconsin for failing to pay bar dues and failing to report completing legal education requirements.

Selmer has had an extensive history of professional discipline in Wisconsin, including two public reprimands, one private reprimand and a year-long license suspension.

Selmer fought the OLR’s latest charges, asking the justices to either dismiss the case or conduct a trial on the merits. He alleged that the Minnesota discipline was wrong because the trial court in the initial action he was disciplined for did not have subject matter jurisdiction.

However, the Wisconsin Supreme Court was not persuaded, calling his denials “unsupported” and “conclusory.” The justices on Friday ordered his license suspended for a year, the same length of time for which his Minnesota license had been suspended.

The high court also ordered him to pay the full cost of proceeding of $842.50. Follow @erikastrebel