Respondent, Attorney Edward J. Ritger, 57, practices in Random Lake, Wisconsin. Respondent had been the attorney for a man and his wife since about 1984. The man died in January 2001, and his will provided that his son and his wife, the son’s stepmother, act as co-personal representatives for his estate. Respondent, the son and the stepmother met in early April 2003 to discuss probating the man’s estate. Respondent, acting as the attorney for the estate, filed a Petition for Administration and had the will admitted to probate on April 23, 2001. Respondent represented the estate, and the son and stepmother in their capacities as co- personal representatives of the estate.

In a May 4, 2001 letter, Respondent told the son a “discrepancy” existed because, although his father’s Marital Agreement with his stepmother provided that she receive all life insurance proceeds, the son had been listed as a beneficiary and received the proceeds from one of his father’s life insurance policies. The letter proposed that the son give the stepmother from estate assets an amount equivalent to the life insurance proceeds he had received. In the May 4, 2001 letter, Respondent emphasized that the stepmother was his client and he advised the son to get separate legal advice with respect to “matters which may involve a conflict of interest.” Nevertheless, Respondent stated, “I am, however, willing to complete the probate paperwork at [stepmother’s] expense because the Marital Agreement requires [stepmother] to pay for that expense.” Estate matters and potential resolution of issues between the stepmother and the son were discussed at a meeting and in further correspondence in late June and early July 2001. In a July 9, 2001 letter, Respondent reiterated his expectation that the son would seek separate legal counsel.

On August 6, 2001, the deadline for filing claims, Respondent filed a claim against the estate on behalf of the stepmother for the life insurance proceeds allegedly due her. The son said he did not learn of the claim until 2003. Respondent cannot confirm that he sent a copy of the claim to the son, but said he thought the son was monitoring the estate on the Internet and was aware of the claim.

Consolidated Court Automation Program (CCAP) records indicate no activity in the estate after August 6, 2001 until a Notice of Overdue Inventory was filed on June 12, 2002. Respondent subsequently filed a petition to extend the time to file the inventory, and the general inventory was filed on October 14, 2002. CCAP records show no further activity after the general inventory was filed until the court sent a Notice of Delinquent Estate to the co- personal representatives on June 11, 2003. Subsequently, on July 1, 2003, Respondent requested a scheduling conference due to the stepmother’s unresolved claim.

The son actively involved his attorney sometime in the spring of 2003 to assist him in concluding his father’s estate. That attorney’s associate sent an April 14, 2003 letter to Respondent asking for information about the stepmother’s claim. Respondent responded to the April 14, 2003 letter by letter dated July 1, 2003.

On August 8, 2003 a scheduling conference was held and a CCAP notation reads, “Respondent is removed as Attorney on the case and as Attorney for claimant.” The order to remove Respondent as attorney for the co-personal representatives, the estate and attorney for claimant was filed on September 10, 2003. The son’s attorney, retained by the son in his capacity as co- personal representative, entered an appearance as attorney for the estate on October 23, 2003. Subsequently, the stepmother retained successor counsel to represent her in her claim against the estate, both the son and the stepmother resigned as co-personal representatives, and a different attorney was appointed personal representative.