Office of Lawyer Regulation v. Gordon C. Ring , 932 N.W.2d 408 ( 2019 )

2019 WI 87SUPREME COURT OF WISCONSIN
CASE NO.: 2019AP1148-D
COMPLETE TITLE: In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings
Against Gordon C. Ring, Attorney at Law:
Office of Lawyer Regulation,
Complainant,
v.
Gordon C. Ring,
Respondent.
DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS AGAINST RING
OPINION FILED: August 23, 2019
SUBMITTED ON BRIEFS:
ORAL ARGUMENT:
SOURCE OF APPEAL:
COURT:
COUNTY:
JUDGE:
JUSTICES:
CONCURRED:
DISSENTED:
NOT PARTICIPATING:
ATTORNEYS:
2019 WI 87NOTICE
This opinion is subject to further
editing and modification. The final
version will appear in the bound
volume of the official reports.
No. 2019AP1148-D
STATE OF WISCONSIN : IN SUPREME COURT
In the Matter of Disciplinary Proceedings
Against Gordon C. Ring, Attorney at Law:
Office of Lawyer Regulation, FILED
Complainant, AUG 23, 2019
v. Sheila T. Reiff
Clerk of Supreme Court
Gordon C. Ring,
Respondent.
ATTORNEY disciplinary proceeding. Attorney's license
suspended.
¶1 PER CURIAM. This is a reciprocal discipline matter.
On June 25, 2019, the Office of Lawyer Regulation (OLR) filed a
two-count complaint against Attorney Gordon C. Ring. Count one
alleged that by virtue of Attorney Ring's recent two-year
license suspension by the Illinois Supreme Court, Attorney Ring
should be subject to reciprocal discipline in Wisconsin pursuant
to SCR 22.22. Count two alleged by failing to notify the OLR of
his disbarment in Illinois within 20 days of the effective date
of the imposition of such discipline, Attorney Ring violated
No. 2019AP1148-D
Supreme Court Rule (SCR) 22.22(1).1 After service of the
complaint, the parties stipulated to the imposition of
reciprocal discipline. We approve the stipulation, and we
therefore order a two-year suspension of Attorney Ring's
Wisconsin law license.
¶2 Attorney Ring's law license history is as follows. He
was admitted to practice law in Wisconsin in May 1984, and in
Illinois in November 1977. His Wisconsin disciplinary history
consists of a six-month suspension in 1992, as discipline
reciprocal to that imposed on him by the Illinois Supreme Court
for professional misconduct. See In re Disciplinary Proceedings
Against Ring, 168 Wis. 2d 817, 484 N.W.2d 336 (1992). Attorney
Ring did not petition for reinstatement of his Wisconsin law
license; it remains suspended. Attorney Ring's Wisconsin law
license was also administratively suspended in 1985 for failure
to comply with continuing legal education requirements, and in
2011 for failure to pay State Bar dues. His license remains
administratively suspended.
¶3 On September 20, 2018, the Illinois Supreme Court
suspended Attorney Ring's Illinois law license for two years,
1 SCR 22.22(1) provides:
An attorney on whom public discipline for
misconduct or a license suspension for medical
incapacity has been imposed by another jurisdiction
shall promptly notify the director of the matter.
Failure to furnish the notice within 20 days of the
effective date of the order or judgment of the other
jurisdiction constitutes misconduct.
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No. 2019AP1148-D
effective October 11, 2018, for multiple counts of misconduct,
and ordered him to reimburse the Illinois Client Protection
Program Trust Fund for any payments arising from his misconduct
prior to the end of his suspension. According to the
allegations in the OLR's complaint and the Illinois disciplinary
records attached to the complaint, Attorney Ring's misconduct in
Illinois included misappropriation of over $124,000 in two
client matters, and, in a third matter, failing to work on a
case after the filing of the complaint, causing the case to be
dismissed. Attorney Ring did not tell his client that he had
failed to work on the case or that it had been dismissed, and he
later used funds in his client trust account belonging to others
to make a $10,000 payment to his client to resolve the matter.
By his conduct, Attorney Ring violated Rules 1.3, 1.4(a)(3),
1.15(a), 3.2, 8.4(c), and 8.4(d) of the Illinois Rules of
Professional Conduct.
¶4 On July 15, 2019, after the OLR's complaint had been
served on Attorney Ring but before a referee had been appointed,
Attorney Ring entered into a stipulation with the OLR whereby he
agreed that the facts alleged in the OLR's complaint supported a
two-year suspension of his Wisconsin law license as reciprocal
discipline to that imposed by the Illinois Supreme Court.
¶5 Supreme Court Rule 22.22(3) states as follows:
(3) The supreme court shall impose the identical
discipline or license suspension unless one or more of
the following is present:
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No. 2019AP1148-D
(a) The procedure in the other jurisdiction was so
lacking in notice or opportunity to be heard as to
constitute a deprivation of due process.
(b) There was such an infirmity of proof establishing
the misconduct or medical incapacity that the supreme
court could not accept as final the conclusion in
respect to the misconduct or medical incapacity.
(c) The misconduct justifies substantially different
discipline in this state.
¶6 Attorney Ring does not claim that any of the defenses
found in SCR 22.22(3) apply. Attorney Ring further states that
the stipulation did not result from plea bargaining; that he
understands the allegations against him; that he understands the
ramifications should the court impose the stipulated level of
discipline; that he understands his right to contest this
matter; that he understands his right to consult with counsel,
and represents that he has consulted with counsel; that his
entry into the stipulation is made knowingly and voluntarily;
and that his entry into the stipulation represents his decision
not to contest the misconduct alleged in the complaint or the
level and type of discipline sought by the OLR's director.
¶7 Upon our review of the matter, we accept the
stipulation and impose discipline identical to that imposed by
the Illinois Supreme Court; i.e., a two-year suspension of
Attorney Ring's Wisconsin law license. Because this matter was
resolved by means of a stipulation, the OLR has not sought the
imposition of costs, and we impose none.
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No. 2019AP1148-D
¶8 IT IS ORDERED that the license of Gordon C. Ring to
practice law in Wisconsin is suspended for two years, effective
the date of this order.
¶9 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, to the extent he has not
already done so, Gordon C. Ring shall comply with the provisions
of SCR 22.26 concerning the duties of a person whose license to
practice law in Wisconsin has been suspended.
¶10 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that compliance with all
conditions of this order is required for reinstatement. See
SCR 22.29(4)(c).
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