High court suspends Milwaukee attorney’s license for mishandling money

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The Wisconsin Supreme Court has suspended a Milwaukee attorney for 60 days for mishandling money belonging to clients and third parties.

The action stems from an Office of Lawyer Regulation complaint filed in February over an overdraft of a trust account managed by the Milwaukee-based lawyer Michael Bishop. The overdraft occurred in August 2013.

In its investigation, the OLR asked Bishop to provide bank statements, transaction registers and a copy of a client ledger related to a withdrawal of $50. Bishop failed to comply. It was only after the OLR petitioned the Wisconsin Supreme Court to order Bishop to answer that Bishop responded.

The OLR also found that Bishop had deposited $3,000 worth of bail money into his trust account, even though it did not belong there. Bishop described it as a deposit for money past due, according to the complaint.

The OLR had asked the justices to suspend Bishop’s license for 60 days over five counts of alleged misconduct for mishandling money belonging to clients and third parties.

Bishop later agreed to all the OLR’s allegations, as well as its recommendation for discipline, so no referee was appointed. The court thus did not order Bishop on Tuesday to pay costs.

The justices also ordered Bishop, should he seek to be reinstated, to provide written notice and evidence to the OLR that he has opened a business account.