¶3 Attorney Cooper was admitted to practice law in Wisconsin in 2009. His license to practice law in Wisconsin was temporarily suspended, pursuant to SCR 22.03 (4), on October 17, 2012. His license remains suspended.

¶4 On October 24, 2012, the Office of Lawyer Regulation (OLR) issued a complaint against Attorney Cooper alleging 39 counts of professional misconduct arising out of ten different matters. On December 17, 2012, Attorney Cooper filed a one-page answer denying all allegations and facts contained in the complaint.

¶5 On January 23, 2013, the OLR filed an amended complaint alleging 78 counts of misconduct in 18 separate matters.

¶7 On March 21, 2013, the OLR filed a motion for default judgment. Attached to the supporting affidavit was a letter from Attorney Cooper dated March 19, 2013, addressed to the referee and the OLR's counsel. The letter stated, "I have decided to voluntary [sic] surrender my license to practice law in the State of Wisconsin due to personal reasons."

¶8 On April 8, 2013, the referee issued a notice that the OLR's motion for a default judgment would be heard on May 21, 2013. At the May 21 hearing, the OLR's counsel and an OLR investigator appeared by videoconference and a record was made. Neither Attorney Cooper nor any attorney or representative made an appearance on his behalf. As a result, the referee granted the OLR's motion for default judgment and found the OLR proved by clear, satisfactory, and convincing evidence all allegations in its amended complaint.

¶9 The allegations in the amended complaint, which are discussed in detail in the referee's report, will not be extensively recited or repeated here. We will briefly summarize the incidents giving rise to the misconduct.

Multiple Bankruptcy Proceedings (Counts 1 through 8)

¶10 Judge Pamela Pepper, Chief Bankruptcy Judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, made a submission to the OLR on May 13, 2011, reporting that, pursuant to the unanimous decision of the Eastern District of Wisconsin bankruptcy judges, Attorney Cooper had been barred from filing any new bankruptcy petitions for a period of six months. The prohibition on his filing any new cases arose out of his repeated mishandling of multiple bankruptcy matters, including failing to respond to communications from the bankruptcy court and trustee, failing to communicate with clients regarding court appearances, filing schedules in bankruptcy proceedings without prior client review, and filing bankruptcy petitions during times he was barred from doing so.

Matter of R.F. (Counts 9 through 14)

¶11 In May of 2010, R.F. hired Attorney Cooper to represent her with respect to charges of discrimination that she had already filed with the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). R.F. paid Attorney Cooper $4,000 for the representation. After requesting a postponement of a mediation, Attorney Cooper failed to respond to telephone calls from the mediator, failed to file a lawsuit within 90 days after receipt of the notice of dismissal of R.F.'s claims, causing R.F. to lose her rights to sue, failed to return R.F.'s file, and failed to timely respond to R.F.'s grievance.

Matter of N.L. (Counts 15 through 18)

¶12 In October of 2010, N.L. hired Attorney Cooper to file a Wis. Stat. chapter 128 petition in Milwaukee County for voluntary amortization of debts. Attorney Cooper filed the petition but never informed N.L. of the appointment of a trustee. The petition was later dismissed due to N.L.'s failure to make the initial payment to the trustee as ordered by the court. Attorney Cooper filed a second petition in April of 2011. The court sent Attorney Cooper a checklist of missing items and told him if the petition was not corrected within 30 days, it would be dismissed. Attorney Cooper failed to inform N.L. of the missing items and failed to contact the trustee or the court, so the second petition was also dismissed.

Matter of C.D. (Counts 19 through 21)

¶13 In September of 2010, C.D. hired Attorney Cooper to represent her in a chapter 128 proceeding in Milwaukee County. The petition incorrectly stated the debtor's name and listed an incorrect address. After appointment of a trustee, the trustee filed an affidavit and order for dismissal based on the fact that the debtor had made no plan payments. The trustee's documents listed the wrong address for C.D., and there was no correspondence from Attorney Cooper to C.D. informing the client that a trustee had been appointed.

Matter of Y.D. (Counts 22 through 26)

¶14 In December of 2010, Y.D. hired Attorney Cooper to represent her in a chapter 7 bankruptcy proceeding. Attorney Cooper electronically filed the voluntary bankruptcy petition and a meeting of creditors was scheduled. Attorney Cooper appeared at the hearing but Y.D. did not. The trustee filed a motion to dismiss the bankruptcy petition based on Y.D.'s failure to attend the meeting of creditors and failure to provide tax returns and other information. Attorney Cooper failed to obtain Y.D.'s signature on any of the documents he electronically filed with the bankruptcy court as required by local court rules. He also altered the original date on the bankruptcy petition prior to submitting a copy of it to the OLR, failed to have Y.D. review and sign the petition before filing it, failed to object to the trustee's motion to dismiss, and failed to keep Y.D. apprised of the status of her case.

Matter of S.J. (Counts 27 and 28)

¶15 On April 1, 2011, S.J. engaged Attorney Cooper to represent her in a chapter 128 petition in Milwaukee County for the voluntary amortization of debts. Attorney Cooper filed the petition. The court advised him that his proposed trustee was not presently in compliance with a local rule and directed Attorney Cooper to resubmit appropriate materials to the court within 30 days or the case would be dismissed. Attorney Cooper failed to respond within that time period and the proceeding was dismissed.

Matter of V.H. (Counts 29 through 33)

¶16 In March of 2011, V.H. hired Attorney Cooper to represent her in a chapter 7 bankruptcy proceeding. Attorney Cooper electronically filed the voluntary bankruptcy petition but failed to gather the required documents from V.H. prior to filing it. He also failed to have V.H. review and sign the petition and related schedules prior to filing, failed to keep V.H. informed about the status of the proceeding, represented to the bankruptcy court that V.H. had signed the documents when she had not, and changed the dates on some documents after they had been filed.

Matter of T.M. (Counts 34 and 35)

¶17 In March of 2010, T.M. hired Attorney Cooper to defend T.M. in various criminal matters pending in Racine County. T.M. paid Attorney Cooper $5,000 and a purported fee agreement letter was signed. T.M. claimed he terminated Attorney Cooper's representation in June 2010 but Attorney Cooper refused to withdraw. T.M. also claimed that Attorney Cooper failed to return his telephone calls and did nothing to defend him.

Matter of M.D. (Counts 36 through 38)

¶18 On February 1, 2011, M.D. hired Attorney Cooper to represent her in a chapter 13 bankruptcy proceeding. She paid him $255. She signed her voluntary petition, and Attorney Cooper electronically filed it. Attorney Cooper altered the date on the petition and failed to obtain documents and information from M.D. which were needed to prepare and file the chapter 13 schedules and plan.

Matter of T.C. (Count 39)

¶19 T.C. hired Attorney Cooper in October 2010 to represent her and her husband in a chapter 128 petition in Milwaukee County for the voluntary amortization of debts. The proceeding was dismissed based on the failure of the debtors to make the initial payment to the trustee as ordered by the court. Attorney Cooper failed to provide T.C. with any correspondence regarding the status of the proceeding.

Matter of R.C. (Counts 40 through 45)

¶20 In February of 2011, R.C. hired Attorney Cooper to represent him in a criminal proceeding in Dane County. R.C. paid an advance fee of $2,500 which Attorney Cooper deposited directly into his operating account rather than his trust account. In June of 2011, R.C. terminated the attorney- client relationship and asked Attorney Cooper to return any unearned portion of the $2,500 advanced fee. Attorney Cooper failed to respond to this request in an appropriate manner.

Matter of D.Co. (Counts 46 through 50)

¶21 In February of 2011, D.Co. paid Attorney Cooper $295 to represent her in a chapter 128 proceeding for the amortization of debts. Attorney Cooper never filed the petition. D.Co. repeatedly called Attorney Cooper's office regarding the status of the filing, but Attorney Cooper never returned her phone calls.

Matter of D.Cu. (Counts 51 through 57)

¶22 In April of 2012, D.Cu. hired Attorney Cooper to represent him in a bankruptcy action and paid him $1,500. Attorney Cooper failed to confirm the fee agreement with D.Cu. in writing, failed to file the bankruptcy petition, failed to keep D.Cu. informed about the status of the matter, and closed his office without notifying D.Cu.

Matter of C.H. (Counts 58 through 60)

¶23 In early 2011 C.H. hired Attorney Cooper to represent him regarding workplace discrimination claims in proceedings before the Wisconsin Equal Rights Division and the United States EEOC. C.H. paid Attorney Cooper an advance fee of $749. Attorney Cooper failed to confirm the fee agreement in writing. In January of 2012, C.H. and his employer reached a settlement, which Attorney Cooper approved, and the discrimination complaints with the two agencies were dismissed. Attorney Cooper failed to have a contingent fee agreement in writing and signed by C.H., failed to deliver the case file documents to C.H. when requested, and failed to provide the OLR with a written response to C.H.'s grievance.

Matter of D.H. (Counts 61 through 65)

¶24 In April of 2011, D.H. hired Attorney Cooper to represent him in a motion to modify a sentence imposed as the result of a 1998 conviction for five felonies. The original sentence imposed was 45 years in prison. Attorney Cooper was paid an advance fee of $2,500. Attorney Cooper failed to return telephone calls inquiring as to the status of the matter, nor did he file any motion to modify the sentence. D.H. terminated Attorney Cooper's representation in February of 2012 and requested a refund of the $2,500 and the return of all documents. Following the commencement of a small claims action for replevin to obtain the file and a small claims action for refund of the advanced fee, D.H. accepted a settlement of $1,500.

Matter of P.T. (Counts 66 through 71)

¶25 In February of 2012, P.T. hired Attorney Cooper to represent her in a petition for guardianship. P.T. agreed to a flat fee of $700 and paid $400 toward that fee. P.T. made numerous requests to Attorney Cooper for a copy of the petition for guardianship, which Attorney Cooper did not provide. She left telephone calls and text messages to which Attorney Cooper never responded. Attorney Cooper never filed the guardianship petition. When P.T. asked for a refund of the $400 she had paid toward the fee, Attorney Cooper offered her a credit for future legal services and did not refund any portion of the fee. In September 2012 the Wisconsin Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection approved payment of $350 to P.T. for reimbursement of funds arising out of Attorney Cooper's refusal to refund any part of the advanced fee.

Matter of A.R. and I.G. (Counts 72 through 76)

¶26 In February of 2011, A.R. and I.G. hired Attorney Cooper to modify a birth certificate for their son and paid him $1,100 for his services. Attorney Cooper filed a motion to change the birth certificate but failed to appear at a hearing on the motion. The court subsequently entered an order dismissing the matter.

Matter of E.W. (Counts 77 and 78)

¶27 In February of 2012, E.W. hired Attorney Cooper to represent him in a chapter 7 bankruptcy matter and paid Attorney Cooper $300 pursuant to a written engagement letter. The following month, E.W. informed Attorney Cooper he had decided not to file the bankruptcy petition and asked for a full refund. Attorney Cooper failed to respond to the request for a refund and failed to provide a written response to the OLR's grievance.

¶29 In his report and recommendation, the referee noted that although there was no indication Attorney Cooper had previously been the subject of professional discipline, the referee said he "cannot recall a prior disciplinary proceeding in which the respondent attorney demonstrated such a complete disregard of clients' rights in multiple matters and a total lack of respect for the legal profession as [Attorney] Cooper has in this proceeding." Accordingly, the referee recommends that this court revoke Attorney Cooper's license to practice law in the State of Wisconsin. The referee also recommends that Attorney Cooper be required to make restitution as follows: D.Co. $295; D.Cu. $1,500; P.T. $50; Wisconsin Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection $350; A.R. and I.G. $1,100; and E.W. $200.

¶30 Attorney Cooper has not filed an appeal from the referee's report and recommendation.

¶32 A referee's findings of fact are affirmed unless clearly erroneous. Conclusions of law are reviewed de novo. See In re Disciplinary Proceedings Against Eisenberg, 2004 WI 14, ¶5, 269 Wis. 2d 43, 675 N.W.2d 747. The court may impose whatever sanction it sees fit regardless of the referee's recommendation. See In re Disciplinary Proceedings Against Widule, 2003 WI 34, ¶44, 261 Wis. 2d 45, 660 N.W.2d 686.

¶33 There is no showing that any of the referee's detailed findings of fact are clearly erroneous. Accordingly, we adopt them. We also agree with the referee's conclusions of law that Attorney Cooper violated all of the supreme court rules set forth above.

¶34 Revocation of an attorney's license to practice law is the most severe sanction this court can impose. It is reserved for the most egregious cases. Although Attorney Cooper was not licensed to practice law until 2009, during the short time that he was a practicing attorney, he engaged in repeated misconduct in his handling of numerous client matters. Based on the state of the record before us, it appears that Attorney Cooper is unable to conform his conduct to the standards expected of all members of the Wisconsin bar. We agree with the referee that no sanction short of revocation would be sufficient to protect the public, achieve deterrence, and impress upon Attorney Cooper the seriousness of his misconduct. We also agree with the referee that Attorney Cooper should be required to make restitution to various clients and that he should be assessed the full costs of this proceeding.

¶36 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that within 60 days of the date of this order, Sean D. Cooper shall make restitution as follows:

¶37 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that within 60 days of the date of this order, Sean D. Cooper shall pay to the Office of Lawyer Regulation the costs of this proceeding.