High court hits attorney with second round of discipline

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The Wisconsin Supreme Court has imposed a second, year-long suspension on a former West Allis attorney.

Friday’s discipline stems from an Office of Lawyer regulation complaint filed Dec. 3, 2014, against Michael Hicks, alleging 19 counts of misconduct.

Hicks allegedly failed to communicate with three separate clients on several occasions and failed to cooperate with the OLR on subsequent investigations, according to the complaint.

The OLR had sought a one-year suspension of his law license. Initially, Hicks contested the OLR’s allegations, saying he had health problems and a heavy caseload that affected his work. However, he later pleaded no contest to all the counts detailed in the OLR’s complaint.

The high court on Friday agreed with the OLR and a referee’s recommendations, suspending Hicks’ license for one year.

Friday’s discipline comes just months after the court in February suspended Hicks’ license for two years over 19 counts of misconduct. The justices ordered that Friday’s suspension start March 16, 2018, subsequent to February’s discipline.

Hicks was also publicly reprimanded in 2012 for nine counts of misconduct, including neglect, failure to communicate with clients and failing to cooperate with the OLR on three client matters.

Hicks, who earned his law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School, had been admitted to practice in state since 1984. Follow @erikastrebel