Revoked Again
The Wisconsin Supreme Court has accepted the license revocation by consent of an attorney.
He had been reinstated from a prior revocation
Attorney Mazza was admitted to the practice of law in Wisconsin in 1965 and practices in Pewaukee. In 1978, his law license was indefinitely suspended, with leave to apply for reinstatement after one year, for misconduct consisting of misuse of client funds and neglect of legal matters. In re Disciplinary Proceedings Against Mazza, 82 Wis. 2d 598, 262 N.W.2d 767 (1978). In 1984, his law license was revoked based on his conviction of a criminal charge of conspiracy to commit theft as party to a crime. In re Disciplinary Proceedings Against Mazza, 117 Wis. 2d 770, 345 N.W.2d 492 (1984). This court reinstated Attorney Mazza’s law license in 2002. In re Reinstatement of Mazza, 2002 WI 36, 252 Wis. 2d 86, 643 N.W.2d 83.
The attorney was the subject of charges of misconduct relating to his handling of the financial affairs of an incarcerated client
During J.D.’s incarceration, Attorney Mazza took possession of six silver dollars owned by J.D., valued at $300 and a three-gallon jar of change valued at between $400-$500. Those items were never returned to J.D., nor has Attorney Mazza accounted for the proceeds from those items.
During J.D.’s incarceration, Attorney Mazza withdrew funds from J.D.’s bank accounts for his own use or the use of others besides J.D. and transferred J.D.’s funds to Attorney Mazza’s own business or personal accounts.
The client filed the bar complaint after his release.
The complaint also involved a second client’s landlord-tenant matter.
There were three pending investigations including
The final grievance being investigated by the OLR arose out of Attorney Mazza’s service as treasurer for the Saint Vincent de Paul Conference – Saint Francis of Assisi Parish (Conference), a non-profit organization affiliated with Attorney Mazza’s local Catholic parish, from approximately March 28, 2018 until October 31, 2018. In that matter, the OLR is investigating allegations that Attorney Mazza converted to his own use or the use of other clients or third parties at least $9,500 of the Conference’s funds entrusted to him as treasurer; made misrepresentations to and provided the Conference with false reports and records in an effort to hide his conversion of funds; made misrepresentations to law enforcement; and commingled the Conference’s funds in his IOLTA client trust account when the Conference was not a client and the Conference repeatedly instructed Attorney Mazza to open a separate account to hold their funds.
The court
The seriousness of his misconduct demonstrates the need to revoke his law license to protect the public, the courts, and the legal system from the repetition of misconduct; to impress upon Attorney Mazza the seriousness of his misconduct; and to deter other attorneys from engaging in similar misconduct.
(Mike Frisch)