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Paul Strouse (“Strouse”) is a Wisconsin
attorney whose State Bar identification
number is 1017891. Strouse practices law
in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Strouse was first
licensed to practice law in Wisconsin on
October 3, 1991.
On June 2, 2014, the Board of Bar
Examiners (“BBE”) administratively suspended
Respondent’s license to practice law
pursuant to SCR 31.10 for noncompliance with
Wisconsin mandatory CLE requirements for the
2012-2013 reporting year. Notice of the
suspension was sent to Respondent on June 3,
2014 and received by him at noon on June 4,
2014. Notice of the suspension was preceded
by notice from BBE to Respondent dated April
3, 2014 that in the absence of compliance
with CLE requirements, Respondent’s law
license would be automatically suspended on
June 2, 2014 at 4:30 p.m. Respondent
personally signed for the April 3, 2014
notice, which was sent by certified mail.
Respondent’s petition for reinstatement
dated June 10, 2014 was filed with BBE on
June 11, 2014. Respondent’s license was
reinstated on June 12, 2014.
During the period of administrative
license suspension, Respondent appeared on
behalf of a client in a Chapter 13 matter,
and, in addition, appeared on behalf of a
client at a 341 Hearing. Further,
Respondent filed a Chapter 13 petition as
well as a Chapter 7 petition in two other
matters while his law license was under
administrative suspension. When Respondent
filed his petition for reinstatement with
BBE, Respondent informed BBE of his personal
appearances in two bankruptcy matters, but
neglected to inform BBE that he had filed
the Chapter 13 and Chapter 7 petitions while
under suspension. Respondent submits that
one petition was filed electronically before
he received the June 3, 2014 notice of
suspension, and the second petition,
although admittedly filed after he received
notice of suspension, was prepared prior to
his receipt of the suspension notice.
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By engaging in the practice of law or
otherwise acting in a manner purporting to
be authorized or qualified to practice law
while his law license was suspended for
failure to comply with continuing legal
education requirements, Respondent violated
SCR 31.10, which states, “A lawyer shall not
engage in the practice of law in Wisconsin
while his or her state bar membership is
suspended under this rule” and SCR 22.26(2),
which states, “An attorney whose license to
practice law is suspended or revoked . . .
may not engage in this state in the practice
of law or in any law work activity
customarily done by law students, law
clerks, or other paralegal
personnel . . . .” SCR 31.10 and SCR 22.26
(2) are enforceable through SCR 20:8.4(f),
which states, “It is professional misconduct
for a lawyer to: . . . (f) violate a . . .
supreme court rule . . . regulating the
conduct of lawyers. . . .”
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In his petition for reinstatement filed with
BBE on June 11, 2014, by failing to inform
BBE that in addition to making appearances
on behalf of clients, he also filed two
bankruptcy petitions during the period of
suspension, including one filed after his
receipt of the notice of suspension,
Respondent engaged in deceitful conduct in
violation of SCR 20:8.4(c), which
provides, “It is professional misconduct for
a lawyer to: . . . (c) engage in conduct
involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or
misrepresentation.”
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Respondent has two prior public reprimands,
one imposed in 2010 and the other in 2011.
In accordance with SCR 22.09(3),
Attorney Strouse is hereby publicly
reprimanded.
Dated this 12th day of May, 2015.
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