High court suspends Neenah attorney’s license

Listen to this article

The Wisconsin Supreme Court recently suspended the license of a Neenah attorney.

Thursday’s discipline stems from charges the Office of Lawyer Regulation filed last year against the solo-practitioner David Templeton, alleging that Templeton had committed three counts of misconduct.

According to the allegations, Templeton had engaged in conduct, leading up to a felony drug conviction in May, that violated the state’s attorney-ethics rules. Morevoer, Templeton failed to tell his clients and opposing counsel that his license had been suspended since May 2017 for failing to report the completion of continuing legal-education requirements, according to the OLR. He also appeared in Winnebago County Circuit Court on behalf of a client in June 2017, according to the OLR.

The OLR had asked the Wisconsin Supreme Court to suspend Templeton’s license for six months. That means that, to get his license reinstated, Templeton would have to present evidence at a hearing showing he is fit to practice law again.

Templeton filed a hand-written letter in January answering the OLR’s complaint, admitting to the allegations in the complaint and agreeing with the OLR’s recommendation for discipline.

Templeton and the OLR reached a stipulation in which Templeton stated that he agreed that his license should be suspended for six months and agreed that the reinstatement of his license would have some conditions, including that he provide the OLR with signed medical releases for providers who have given him substance-abuse treatment in the past three years.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court on Thursday accepted the OLR and Templeton’s stipulation.

Templeton’s license suspension took effect Thursday. The justices did not order Templeton to pay for the cost of the proceeding because he and the OLR had reached a stipulation without the court’s appointing a referee to preside over the matter.

Under the court’s’ order, Templeton will have to undergo a substance-abuse assessment before he can file a petition for reinstatement. Also, if Templeton succeeds in having his license reinstated, the OLR will also have to monitor Templeton for two years if Templeton succeeds in getting his license reinstated him for two years. Follow @erikastrebel