SHOREWOOD, Wis. — The Wisconsin Supreme Court on Thursday suspended the license of the Shorewood attorney who spit on a Black teen during a protest in 2020. She was also ordered to pay a fine of $3,164.77.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Woman convicted of spitting on teen in Shorewood sentenced to 60 days in jail
According to court documents, Stephanie Rapkin's license to practice law in Wisconsin has been suspended for one year as a sanction for six counts of professional misconduct.
The misconduct allegations were related to her work on the estate and trust of a client following the client's death, as well as the spitting incident in 2020, and were filed by the Office of Lawyer Regulation (OLR) in 2024.
The incident
Rapkin was arrested June 6, 2020, after she was seen on video spitting on Black Lives Matter protester Eric Lucas.
According to a criminal complaint, people were yelling at Rapkin to move her car outside Metro Market on Oakland Avenue during a rally. Lucas allegedly began chanting, "I'm Black, and I'm proud," with his friends as he approached Rapkin.
As he stood several feet from her and chanted, Rapkin turned and spit on him. According to the complaint, Rapkin's "saliva struck him in his face/mouth area and on the top of his shirt."
Rapkin told Shorewood police she was a cancer survivor and felt threatened because she was surrounded and people did not have masks on. A day after being detained and released, Rapkin was arrested a second time when protesters were outside her home and she kneed a responding officer in the groin.
The court said in a per curiam opinion Thursday that it has "no trouble concluding that Attorney Rapkin's criminal conduct — spitting in the face of a teenager who was taking part in a protest — seriously adversely reflects on her fitness to practice law," adding that "The incident is an embarrassment to the bar. A period of suspension is clearly in order."
Misconduct allegations related to Rapkin's work for the estate and trust
Also outlined in the document were allegations that while working as the personal representative for the estate and trust of N.H.B., Rapkin charged both the estate and the trust thousands of dollars without a valid written fee agreement in place and that her bills encompassed a combination of services to the estate and the trust without identifying which services related to which entity.
The complaint added that Rapkin failed to diligently carry out her duties as personal representative and attorney for the estate, which allegedly left the estate languishing for two years before the probate court removed her as personal representative for failing to timely close the estate.
She also allegedly failed to keep the trustee informed about the status of the probate proceedings and eventually ceased responding altogether to the trustee's requests for information.
After being removed as a personal representative, Rapkin filed a claim against the estate for approximately $6,500 in services — a claim the probate court denied.
According to the document, Rapkin was also ordered to repay the trust almost $19,000 in improper fees, an order Rapkin appealed. Her appeal remains pending.
Rapkin's response
According to the document, the OLR personally served Rapkin with its complaint. Rapkin did not answer.
The OLR then filed a motion for default, and when contacted about scheduling matters related to the motion, Rapkin sent an email to OLR counsel stating: "My reply is that I am retired and I have not renewed my bar dues and am no longer a member. Thus, I believe you have no jurisdiction over me."
According to the document, a hearing was held on OLR's motion for default judgment, which Rapkin failed to appear at.
The document outlined that "The referee issued a report recommending that this court grant the OLR's motion for default judgment. In so doing, the referee deemed the allegations in the OLR's complaint to be established."
What's next
Rapkin has 60 days to pay the $3,164.77 and must comply with the conditions of the order to be reinstated.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
