High-Profile Milwaukee Attorney Stole $700,000: Prosecutors

MILWAUKEE, WI — Criminal charges have been filed against Robert C. Menard, a high-profile Milwaukee attorney, after prosecutors say he stole funds from former law partner Alan Derzon and assets from the law firm where they worked.

On Monday, prosecutors brought a total of 14 charges against Menard. They are as follows:

• Nine counts of embezzlement
• Four counts of forgery
• Misconduct in Public Office

According to Milwaukee County Court documents, an arrest warrant was been issued for Menard on Monday. If he is convicted, Menard faces more than 55 years behind bars in addition to any fines he may incur.

According to the criminal complaint, authorities claim Menard used his former law firm, Derzon & Menard, S.C., and his current law firm, Menard & Menard, LLC, as means to defraud his former law partner, his clients, and insurers. Prosecutors say Menard stole $700,000.

Prosecutors say Menard stole more than $200,000 of 401(k) retirement funds belonging to his former law partner, Alan Derzon. According to the criminal complaint, at one point, Menard promised to roll over Derzon’s retirement funds into a new retirement account. In August 2013, Menard transferred Derzon’s retirement funds into Derzon & Menard, S.C.’s business account.

Prosecutors then said Menard spent the retirement funds on law firm business operations, overdue payments to clients, and his own personal expenses including his children’s tuition at Boston College and Drake University.

According to the criminal complaint, Menard routinely stole from clients in a “rob Peter to pay Paul” pattern of theft.

Prosecutors say Menard received personal injury and worker’s compensation settlement checks in trust on behalf of his clients.

Menard was required to keep those funds in a segregated client trust account, however prosecutors say Menard deposited personal injury and worker’s compensation settlement checks directly into his law firm business account, spent the proceeds for his own benefit until the account fell below a zero balance, and then many months later paid old clients with new clients’ insurance settlement funds.

Patch has reached out to Menard at his Milwaukee office for comment.