by Jonathan Lowy, director of the Brady Center’s Legal Action Project, has run into more problems in Wisconsin. Just last month he and fellow Brady Center attorney Alla Lefkowitz were forced to withdraw from one of their “Bad Apple” lawsuits for violating Wisconsin Supreme Court rules. These rules dealt with attorney conduct with respect to pretrial publicity.
Now it appears that he may have done it again in the other case involving Badger Guns and Badger Outdoors.
Now an attorney for Badger Guns and Badger Outdoors, the West Milwaukee gun-selling operations sued by the officers, wants the Brady attorneys off the second case, citing in a new court filing “zealous and unethical trial publicity.”
A hearing on whether the Brady attorneys will be removed from the case is set for July before Milwaukee County Circuit Judge John DiMotto, who is now presiding over both cases. This second case was filed by Officer Jose Lopez III and former Officer Alejandro Arce, who were injured in a 2007 shooting by weapons sold by the gun dealer.
Brady attorneys Jonathan Lowy and Alla Lefkowitz are not licensed to practice law in Wisconsin, but were allowed to join both cases —as they have in cases across the country litigated by Brady. Milwaukee attorney Patrick Dunphy also represents the officers and former officers.
The permission that allows an out-of-state attorney on a case can be rescinded, and the attorneys for Badger Guns and Badger Outdoors are seeking a court order withdrawing the permission.
“The Brady Center’s conduct is inexcusable,” Brookfield attorney Wendy Gunderson wrote in a brief filed earlier this month. “Attorneys appearing before Wisconsin courts are here as a matter of privilege and charged with knowing the rules. The privilege has been abused, seriously affecting not only these two cases but countless others.”
Ms. Gunderson said the material posted by Lowy on the Brady Campaign website and in fundraising letters about Badger Guns with regard to the earlier case also could serve to prejudice the jury in this case. Gunderson submitted copies of the social media and fund raising letters to the court in a sealed filing.
Jonathan Lowy is one of the attorneys that I plan to feature in my “Bad Apple Lawyers” series. I am still gathering material regarding Lowy. Given his position as head of the Legal Action Project, Lowy must be considered the King of the Bad Apple Lawyers.
