Opinion
A23-0671
06-23-2023
IN RE Petition for DISCIPLINARY ACTION AGAINST Julie L. BRUGGEMAN, a Minnesota Attorney, Registration No. 0317305.
ORDER
The Director of the Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility has filed a petition for disciplinary action alleging that respondent Julie L. Bruggeman committed professional misconduct warranting public discipline—namely, in one client matter, representing clients with a conflict of interest, providing incompetent representation by naming an improper party as a defendant in a complaint and failing to properly serve defendants with the complaint, neglecting the matter, failing to communicate with the clients, forging a client's electronic signature on an affidavit and filing it with the court, making multiple knowingly false statements to the clients, failing to timely withdraw from representation, failing to provide the clients with a copy of the file upon termination of the representation, failing to inform the clients if costs they would be responsible for would be deducted before or after the contingent fee is calculated, and fabricating documents and making knowingly false statements to the Director during a disciplinary investigation. See Minn. R. Prof. Conduct 1.1, 1.3, 1.4(a)(2)–(4), 1.4(b), 1.5(c), 1.7(a)(2), 1.15(c)(4), 1.16(d), 3.2, 3.3(a)(1), 4.1, 8.1(a), 8.4(c), 8.4(d).
The parties have entered into a stipulation for discipline. In it, respondent waives her rights pursuant to Rule 14, Rules on Lawyers Professional Responsibility (RLPR), waives her right to answer, and unconditionally admits the allegations of the petition. The parties recommend that the appropriate discipline is an indefinite suspension, with no right to petition for reinstatement for 90 days. In a memorandum attached to the stipulation, the Director states that respondent presented evidence of extreme personal stress.
We have independently reviewed the file and approve the jointly recommended disposition.
Based upon all the files, records, and proceedings herein,
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT:
1. Respondent Julie L. Bruggeman is indefinitely suspended from the practice of law, effective 14 days from the date of this order, with no right to petition for reinstatement for 90 days.
2. Respondent may petition for reinstatement pursuant to Rule 18(a)–(d), RLPR. Reinstatement is conditioned on successful completion of the written examination required for admission to the practice of law by the Minnesota State Board of Law Examiners on the subject of professional responsibility, see Rule 18(e)(2), RLPR ; see also Rule 4.A.(5), Rules for Admission to the Bar (requiring evidence that an applicant has successfully completed the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination); and satisfaction of continuing legal education requirements, see Rule 18(e)(4), RLPR.
3. Respondent shall comply with Rule 26, RLPR (requiring notice of suspension to clients, opposing counsel, and tribunals), and shall pay $900 in costs pursuant to Rule 24(a), RLPR.
BY THE COURT:
/s/ Natalie E. Hudson
Natalie E. Hudson
Associate Justice