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STATE OF MINNESOTA IN SUPREME COURT A08-623

Original Jurisdiction

Per Curiam Dissenting, Page, J.

In re Petition for Disciplinary Action against Bent Karlsen, a Minnesota Attorney, Registration No. 254344. ________________________

Filed: February 11, 2010 Office of Appellate Courts

Martin A. Cole, Director, Kevin T. Slator, Assistant Director, Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility, St. Paul, Minnesota, for petitioner. Bent Karlsen, Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, pro se. ________________________ SYLLABUS Indefinite suspension with no right to petition for reinstatement for a minimum of 12 months is the appropriate discipline when lawyer neglected eight client matters over a two-year period, failed to communicate with clients, made false and misleading statements to clients, made a false statement under oath, and failed to cooperate with the Director's investigation. OPINION PER CURIAM. In March 2008, the Director of the Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility (Director) filed a petition for disciplinary action against Bent Karlsen asserting six counts

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of unprofessional conduct. Karlsen served and filed a general denial. Subsequently, the Director filed a supplementary petition asserting four additional counts of unprofessional conduct. Karlsen was served with a notice of hearing, but failed to appear at the referee hearing. In November 2008, the referee filed findings of fact, conclusions of law, and a recommendation that Karlsen be indefinitely suspended from the practice of law in the State of Minnesota and be ineligible to petition for reinstatement for a minimum of 12 months, together with other related conditions. We adopt the referee's

recommendation and suspend Karlsen indefinitely, with no right to petition for reinstatement for a minimum of 12 months. Karlsen was admitted to practice law in Minnesota in May 1995 and in North Dakota in 2002.1 Prior to 2005, he was a solo practitioner in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. In July 2005, Karlsen joined Hunt Karlsen Law. In August 2006, he left Hunt Karlsen Law and returned to solo practice. Karlsen failed to renew his attorney license and it became inactive on April 1, 2007. Karlsen, however, continued to practice law in

Minnesota until approximately July 2007. On March 10, 2008, the Director served Karlsen with a petition for disciplinary action asserting six counts of unprofessional conduct in connection with Karlsen's representation in five separate client matters. On May 2, 2008, the Director received a
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On December 23, 2008, the North Dakota Supreme Court disbarred respondent for misconduct involving three client matters. Disciplinary Bd. v. Karlsen, 2008 ND 235,

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