A Brookfield law firm that advised former Student Association (SA) officials after the UWM Administration shut down SA’s office in 2006 says the SA owes $11,875 in past due legal fees.
SA President Tyler Draheim, in an interview Tuesday afternoon on Panther Talk Live, said that the law firm Schmidt Rupke Tess-Mattner & Fox, S.C. sent the SA a letter on September 9 demanding payment. The letter purportedly is threatening legal action.
According to Draheim, in fall of 2006 the SA Senate originally authorized spending $2,500 from a private bank account to pay for an attorney to represent the SA. At the time, UWM Administration shut down the SA’s office during the University’s investigation into potential SA embezzlement. Former SA President Russ Rueden was subsequently charged with theft and pleaded guilty. Rueden was sentenced this past August.
Draheim said the SA no longer has a private fund account and that there is no money for the law firm to collect.
“As long as there’s no private account, SA has no money, there’s no way they can collect on any of this,” said Draheim.
While Draheim says he is concerned about the possibility of the law firm collecting segregated fees, he doesn’t think it’s possible. UW System Policy F50 prohibits the use of segregated fees for legal services unless authorized by the governor.
Draheim said the contract does not mention the Student Association, only former SA President Samantha Prahl and former SA Treasurer Emily Grotz. Grotz is current SAC Chair. According to the contract, the signatories are responsible for payment.
Draheim said the law firm tried to collect the money last year, but that the previous SA administration did not resolve the situation. While Draheim said he is not sure how to proceed, he wants to deal with the matter now.
“I’m confused as to where we’re going to go with this, but I’m not going to enlist another attorney,” said Draheim. “I’m not going to put this on the backs of students again. I just want it taken care of this year so it’s not pawned off another year on a new administration.”
Draheim said the University Legal Clinic is not able to represent the SA. UWM’s Office of Legal Affairs does not provide legal representation to student organizations.
Update: 10/1/08 10:21 a.m.: Schmidt Rupke Tess-Mattner & Fox, S.C. declined comment.
External Link: Listen to SA President Draheim on Panther Talk Live
good old SUFC… no surprise here…
Although it had a lot of common people; SUFC was and is not the same old USV. SUFC as a whole has a more conservative makeup politically. Agree with our past decisions or not, we would never plunge the SA into this deep of a mess. We operate independent from people behind the scenes (Russ Rueden). It was a nearly completely different group of people… We are trying to solve this to the best of our ability.
even though USV and SUFC have the same people in their party, the new party name gives them a new and improved identity…
put lipstick on a slut and she’s still a slut…
At least we have the decency not to objectify women…
Ha ha, and THAT’S why your female SA personnel are not gratuitously fondled this year! I suppose a few USV holdouts had to turnover for women to be groper-free in the SA office.
That’s because Brian Bromberek doesn’t work here anymore…
All right, let’s keep this not personal, people.