¶4 An attorney disciplinary investigation was conducted and on June 29, 2005, this court suspended Attorney Sostarich's license to practice law for a period of 18 months. In so doing we rejected as insufficient the referee's recommendation for a 12-month suspension. We ruled that Attorney Sostarich had committed a criminal act that reflected adversely on his honesty, trustworthiness or fitness as a lawyer in other respects, in violation of SCR 20:8.4(b) when he engaged in the conduct resulting in the aforementioned criminal conviction. The suspension was imposed retroactive to the date his summary suspension took effect. Attorney Sostarich was also directed to pay the costs of that disciplinary proceeding. See In re Disciplinary Proceedings Against Sostarich, 2005 WI 97, 282 Wis. 2d 712, 698 N.W.2d 711.

¶5 Attorney Sostarich now seeks reinstatement of his license to practice law in Wisconsin. Consistent with our standard practice, the matter was submitted to a referee for consideration.

¶8 In addition, SCR 22.29(4) sets forth related requirements that a petition for reinstatement must show. All of these additional requirements are effectively incorporated into SCR 22.31(1).

¶9 Here, the referee concluded that Attorney Sostarich had met all of the criteria for reinstatement, including compliance with repayment obligations, and has met his burden of demonstrating that his license to practice law in Wisconsin should be reinstated. The referee specifically noted that "the prior misconduct, for which Mr. Sostarich was sanctioned, is really an aberration in his life as an attorney, and not part of a pattern of improper behavior."

¶10 We note further that Attorney Sostarich cooperated fully in the underlying federal criminal proceeding, self-reported his conviction to the OLR, and is complying fully with the criminal penalties imposed upon him in the criminal proceeding. On March 11, 2005, Attorney Sostarich was sentenced in federal court to three years probation, conditioned on 150 days of home confinement with the usual conditions of home confinement, including electronic monitoring. He was also ordered to pay restitution to the Police Athletic League in the amount of $42,649 and to perform 75 hours of community service. We note that during the sentencing proceeding in the federal court, the sentencing judge considered Attorney Sostarich's significant health concerns, commented that there was no real financial gain to Attorney Sostarich, and commented very favorably on Attorney Sostarich's otherwise stellar record of community and public service.

¶11 After careful review of the record we agree that Attorney Sostarich has established by clear, satisfactory, and convincing evidence that he has satisfied all the criteria necessary for reinstatement. We note further that he was suspended for a period of 18 months and his license has now been under suspension nearly two years.

¶12 Accordingly, we adopt the referee's findings of fact and conclusions of law and we accept the referee's recommendation to reinstate Attorney Sostarich's license to practice law in Wisconsin. We direct Attorney Sostarich to pay the costs of this reinstatement proceeding, which total $2022.35 as of March 2, 2006.

¶13 IT IS ORDERED that the petition for reinstatement of the license of Mark E. Sostarich to practice law in Wisconsin is granted, effective the date of this order.

¶14 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that within six months of the date of this order Mark E. Sostarich pay to the Office of Lawyer Regulation 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 Mark E. Sostarich to practice law in Wisconsin shall be suspended until further order of the court.