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PETITION for
reinstatement. Reinstatement
granted.
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1. PER CURIAM. We review the
recommendation
of the referee that Gregory J. Straub's
license to practice law in Wisconsin be
reinstated. The Office of Lawyer Regulation
(OLR) and the Board of Bar Examiners join in
that recommendation.
2. We adopt the referee's findings of
fact
and conclusions of law and agree with his
recommendation that Gregory J. Straub's
license to practice law be reinstated,
subject to compliance with current
Continuing Legal Education (CLE)
requirements. Mr. Straub shall also be
required to pay the costs of the
reinstatement proceeding. In addition, for a
period of two years after he opens a trust
account, Mr. Straub shall be required to
submit said trust account for inspection and
monitoring by the OLR on a quarterly basis.
3. Gregory J. Straub was admitted to
practice law in Wisconsin in 1990 and
engaged in private practice in Milwaukee. By
order dated September 16, 1993, Mr. Straub's
license to practice law was revoked based on
professional misconduct including forging a
client's signature on a settlement check and
release, converting a client's settlement
funds to his own use, misrepresenting to his
client and others the amount of the
settlement received, settling clients'
claims without their knowledge or
authorization, depositing personal funds in
an account with client funds, failing to
keep required records of trust account
transactions, and fabricating lien
satisfactions in order to obtain a personal
loan.
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4. On March 20, 2001, Mr. Straub filed a
petition for reinstatement of his license
under SCR 22.28. Attorney Charles J. Herro
was assigned as referee. The referee held a
public hearing on the reinstatement petition
in August 2002. Various witnesses testified
at the hearing. The referee issued his
report and recommendation on September 25,
2002.
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5. The referee concluded that Mr. Straub
had
satisfactorily addressed all of the
requirements for reinstatement set forth in
SCR 22.29(4).
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6. The referee recommended that Mr.
Straub's
license be reinstated subject to monitoring
of his trust account on a quarterly basis by
the OLR. The referee also recommended that
Mr. Straub be required to pay the costs of
the reinstatement proceeding.
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7. After a review of the record we conclude
that Gregory J. Straub has established by
clear, satisfactory, and convincing evidence
that he has satisfied all the criteria for
reinstatement. Accordingly, we adopt the
referee's findings of fact and conclusions
of law and we agree with the referee's
recommendation that Mr. Straub's license to
practice law in Wisconsin be reinstated.
8. IT IS ORDERED that the petition for
reinstatement of the license of Gregory J.
Straub to practice law in Wisconsin is
granted, effective the date of this order,
subject to compliance with current CLE
requirements.
9. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that for a
period
of two years after Mr. Straub opens a trust
account he be required to submit said trust
account for inspection and monitoring by the
OLR on a quarterly basis.
10. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that within
six
months of the date of this order Gregory J.
Straub pay to the OLR the costs of this
proceeding. If the costs are not paid within
the time specified, and absent a showing to
this court of his inability to pay the costs
within that time, the license of Gregory J.
Straub to practice law in Wisconsin shall be
suspended until further order of the court.
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