Attorney Michael Steinhafel of Brookfield, WI; convicted loser

The state of Wisconsin presented Michael W. Steinhafel with a law license in 1988 after he graduated from Marquette University Law School.

The Office of Lawyer Regulation (OLR) found Mike guilty of the following misconduct.

In a divorce case, Mike assisted his client in the sale of two income properties that were both potential marital assets. Mike and opposing counsel agreed that the proceeds from the sale of the two properties would remain in Mike’s trust account pending a determination of the parties’ respective interests.

After the first property was sold, Mike paid the entire amount to his client. When the second property sold, Mike did the same thing.

At the subsequent divorce hearing, opposing counsel told the court that Mike was holding the proceeds of the sales in his trust account. Mike was present at the hearing but failed to advise the trial judge that he had already paid all of the funds to his client.

In another matter, Mike was the subject of a traffic stop that led to criminal charges, which he ultimately resolved by pleading guilty to a felony charge of third-offense operating while intoxicated with a minor child in the car.

As one would suspect, this wasn’t Mike’s First bite at the Attorney Misfit Apple Tree. He previously received a complimentary reprimand for engaging in a variety of misconduct.

As a consequence of his misconduct, cheerleaders for Attorney Misfits sitting on the Wisconsin Supreme Court punished Mike by gifting him with a complimentary 4-month suspension of his law license.

As we speak (ca. February 2014) Mike practices at 15350 West Capitol Drive in Brookfield, Wisconsin.