Colorado attorney agreeing to revocation of Wisconsin license

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A Colorado attorney is agreeing to have his Wisconsin license revoked for conduct that got him disbarred in his home state.

Philip Kleinsmith had been admitted to practice law in Colorado since 1967 but a hearing board in December 2016 disbarred him for converting money that had belonged to a title company. The Colorado Supreme Court affirmed the decision. The disbarment stems from Kleinsmith’s work representing U.S. Bank in 74 foreclosures in Idaho and Montana from 2012 to 2014.

The Office of Lawyer Regulation filed a complaint on Dec. 29 charging the solo practitioner, Philip Kleinsmith, with failing to notify the agency that he had been disbarred in Colorado and contending that Kleinsmith should also be disciplined in Wisconsin.

The OLR is asking the Wisconsin Supreme Court to revoke Kleinsmith’s Wisconsin license as a reciprocal disciplinary action to his disbarment in Colorado. Revocation would ban Kleinsmith from practicing in Wisconsin, although he would be able to petition the court to reinstate his license after five years.

Kleinsmith and the OLR filed a stipulation on Feb. 22 in which Kleinsmith agreed to the revocation and agreed not to contest the facts and allegations in the complaint.

Both are asking the Wisconsin Supreme Court to accept the stipulation without appointing a referee to preside over the matter.