OLR alleges La Crosse attorney mishandled more than $13K in client money

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A La Cross attorney faces a year-long suspension of her license over allegations that she mishandled thousands of dollars in client money.

According to a complaint filed by Office of Lawyer Regulation on Aug. 15, while Sonja Davig was working with her now ex-husband, Mark Huesmann, she mishandled trust account money belonging to nine clients. Davig and Huesmann divorced in 2012, and the two worked practiced law together at Huesmann’s firm in Holmen until 2013.

According to the complaint, Davig, who practices trusts and estates law as well as family law in La Crosse, was the attorney for an estate from 2011 to 2013 but failed to hold $13,732.43 in trust for the estate.

The OLR also alleges that Davig, who has been licensed to practice law in Wisconsin since 1994, failed to hold $14,677.27 for eight other clients, and that she transferred $28,000 of her personal money to cover up that she had failed to do so.

She also blocked the OLR’s efforts to investigate the trust account violations, made several prohibited electronic deposits and withdrawals from her former firm’s trust account and failed to keep proper trust account records, according to the complaint.

Over all, the OLR alleges Davig committed eight counts of misconduct and is asking the Wisconsin Supreme Court to suspend her license for one year.

Davig and Huesmann could not be immediately reached Wednesday.

According to the OLR and State Bar websites, Davig’s license is in good standing and the Wisconsin Supreme Court has not previously disciplined her. Follow @erikastrebel