MADISON – The Republican Party of Wisconsin has filed a complaint with the Office of Lawyer Regulation regarding Governor Jim Doyle’s Chief Legal Counsel acting as an attorney despite not being licensed to practice law in Wisconsin.

The complaint refers to Chandra Miller Fienen’s violation of the Wisconsin Rules of Professional Conduct for Attorneys by representing herself as Doyle’s Chief Legal Counsel on official legal documents and governmental boards. 

“The fact that the Governor's Chief Legal Counsel is not even licensed to practice law in Wisconsin is astonishing, and as an attorney himself and her supervisor, Governor Doyle should know better,” according to Mark Jefferson, Executive Director of the Republican Party of Wisconsin.  “Perhaps we’ve found one of the reasons this administration has such a difficult time following the law.”

Attached to this news release is a copy of the complaint as well as documentation of Miller Fienen representing herself as Chief Legal Counsel” on official letterhead from the Office of the Governor.

“Not only was Ms. Miller Fienen representing herself as ‘Chief Legal Counsel’ without a license to practice law, her supervisor Governor Jim Doyle— himself a lawyer and former Attorney General—should have made an effort to ensure his Chief Legal Counsel was following the Rules of Professional Conduct,” Jefferson said. “This is another example of the recklessness and arrogance of this administration.”

As the state's chief executive, Doyle is a direct supervisor to Miller Fienen and therefore may have also violated the code of professional conduct.  SCR 20:5.1 (b) states:  “A lawyer having direct supervisory authority over another lawyer shall make reasonable efforts to ensure that the other lawyer conforms to the Rules of Professional Conduct.”

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See the Complaint

Attachment A

Attachment B

Attachment C