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State Supreme Court suspends attorney for one year

State Supreme Court suspends attorney for one year

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A Milwaukee attorney now living in California lost his law license for one year after defaulting on 14 disciplinary charges filed against him by the Wisconsin Office of Lawyer Regulation.

The state Supreme Court on Tuesday handed down the suspension recommended by referee Hannah Dugan.

According to the court opinion, J. Manuel Raneda violated ethical rules in two client matters and diverted $8,700 from trust accounts.

The first instance involved representation of a client in a 2007 foreclosure case where Raneda allegedly took $5,000 out of the client’s trust account to pay himself attorney’s fees, without notifying the court or opposing counsel.

In 2008, Raneda withdrew an additional $3,700 from the client’s trust account and, according to the court opinion. Milwaukee County Circuit Court eventually ordered the attorney to repay the $8,700.

Raneda earned his law license in 2002 and, according to the opinion, maintained a practice in Milwaukee for several years. He currently resides in San Francisco, according to the order.

Raneda failed to respond in writing to the OLR complaint filed April 12, 2011, and did not appear at his hearing, which led to the referee’s recommendation that Raneda be declared in default by the court.

In addition to the one-year suspension, Raneda also was ordered to pay $3,232.05 in costs for the disciplinary proceeding.

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