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ATTORNEY disciplinary
proceeding. Attorney's license
suspended.
¶1 PER CURIAM. We review a
stipulation filed by the Office of Lawyer
Regulation (OLR) and Attorney Christopher
Stephen Petros pursuant to SCR 22.12. The
stipulation requests this court to suspend
Attorney Petros's license to practice law in
Wisconsin as reciprocal discipline identical
to that imposed by the Minnesota Supreme
Court.
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¶2 Attorney Petros was admitted to
practice law in Wisconsin in 2009.
According to the stipulation, on August 6,
2013, the Minnesota Supreme Court suspended
Attorney Petros's Minnesota law license for
90 days based on misconduct consisting of
submitting false evidence and making false
statements to the director of the Minnesota
Office of Lawyers Professional
Responsibility; failing to notify a client
about a hearing; lying to a court through an
associate and failing to correct the
misrepresentations he caused to be made to
the court; failing to timely notify clients
of their appeal rights and that he would not
file an appeal on their behalf; and failing
to diligently pursue a client's case,
communicate with that client, and timely
return the client's property, in violation
of Minn. R. Prof. Conduct 1.3, 1.4, 1.16(d),
3.3(a)(1), 8.1(a), and 8.4(c) and (d).
¶3 On September 19, 2013, the OLR filed
a complaint alleging that by virtue of
having received discipline imposed in
Minnesota for his violations of the
Minnesota Rules of Professional Conduct,
Attorney Petros is subject to reciprocal
discipline in Wisconsin pursuant to SCR
22.22.
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¶4 In the stipulation, Attorney Petros
does not claim that any of the conditions
listed in SCRs 22.22(3)(a) through (c)
prevent the imposition of reciprocal
discipline in this case. Attorney Petros
and the OLR jointly request that Attorney
Petros's license to practice law in
Wisconsin be suspended for 90 days.
¶5 The stipulation properly provides
that it did not result from plea
bargaining. Attorney Petros says he does
not contest the facts and misconduct alleged
by the OLR or the discipline that the OLR's
director is seeking in this matter.
Attorney Petros further states that he fully
understands the misconduct allegations and
the ramifications should this court impose
the stipulated level of discipline. He also
states he fully understands his right to
contest the matter and he understands his
right to consult with counsel. Attorney
Petros further states that his entry into
the stipulation is made knowingly and
voluntarily and represents his decision not
to contest the misconduct alleged in the
OLR's complaint or the level and type of
discipline sought by the OLR director.
¶6 Based upon our independent review of
the matter, we conclude that the SCR 22.12
stipulation should be accepted and that
Attorney Petros's license to practice law in
Wisconsin should be suspended for 90 days as
reciprocal discipline identical to that
imposed by the Minnesota Supreme Court.
Since Attorney Petros entered into a
stipulation with the OLR and there was no
need to appoint a referee, we agree that no
costs should be assessed.
¶7 IT IS ORDERED that the license of
Christopher Stephen Petros to practice law
in Wisconsin is suspended for a period of 90
days, effective February 3, 2014.
¶8 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that
Christopher Stephen Petros shall comply with
provisions of SCR 22.26 concerning the
duties of a person whose license to practice
law in Wisconsin has been suspended.
¶9 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that
compliance with all conditions of this order
is required for reinstatement. See SCR
22.28
(2).
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