High court reinstates ex-Milton lawyer’s license

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The Wisconsin Supreme Court recently gave a former Milton attorney back his law license.

The justices suspended the license of John Koenig for two years in 2015, finding that he had embezzled nearly $40,000 over four years from his former employer, the Monona firm Kohls & Associates. The justices also ordered him to pay more than $12,000 worth of restitution to the firm.

Koenig filed a petition in April seeking reinstatement, saying he intended to practice elder law again. Since 2013, he has been working full time as a sales manager at Morgan Corp.’s Janesville office. Koenig also paid full restitution to his former employer.

After an evidentiary hearing in October, the referee in the case, Kim Peterson, recommended in November that the high court reinstate Koenig’s license to practice law on the condition that Koenig complete certain continuing legal-education courses required to be eligible for reinstatement.

The justices on March 21 agreed with Peterson, noting that the state’s Board of Bar Examiners in December had reported that Koenig had completed the required education credits.

The high court also ordered Koenig to pay the cost of the proceeding within 60 days. That amount is $3,646.23 as of Dec. 5.