According to its fiscal year 2008 annual report, during the year the Office of Lawyer Regulation (OLR) saw a slight increase in its case load, with a corresponding increase in the number of pending matters at year end (651) compared to the end of last year (617) and significantly decreased the overall average case processing time from 163 days last year to 115 days this year.
Wisconsin
Lawyer
Vol. 81, No. 12, December
2008
Office of Lawyer Regulation keeps pace with workload, improves
processing time, according to annual report
According to its fiscal year 2008 annual report, during the year the
Office of Lawyer Regulation (OLR) saw a slight increase in its case
load, with a corresponding increase in the number of pending matters at
year end (651) compared to the end of last year (617) and significantly
decreased the overall average case processing time from 163 days last
year to 115 days this year. The new ethics rules, including a new trust
account rule with an advanced fee alternative, were in effect this past
year.
“The system is adequately resourced to keep pace with new
matters,” says Keith Sellen, OLR director.
Other highlights for the period July 1, 2007 – June 30, 2008,
include:
- Central Intake received 2,066 inquiries and grievances (170 more
than last year):
- 8% resolved minor disputes or withdrawn grievances
- 8% diverted to alternative programs
- 16% forwarded for formal investigation
- 68% closed, insufficient information to allege ethical
misconduct
- 38 attorneys received a public disciplinary sanction, representing
0.2% of the 23,013 State Bar members
- Most common allegations made in grievances: lack of diligence
(24.7%), lack of communication with client (12.14%),
misrepresentation/dishonesty (11.77%)
- Practice areas producing the most grievances: criminal law
(33.22%), family/juvenile law (19.58%)
- 69 overdrafts on client trust accounts and fiduciary accounts
reported, a decrease of 28% from last year
The Wisconsin Supreme Court set the assessment for fiscal year
2009 at $148 (for full active licensed lawyers) up from $144 in
2008.
Read the complete 2007-08 report and accompanying appendices, at
wicourts.gov/about/organization/offices/docs/olr0708fiscal.pdf.
Wisconsin Lawyer
