The Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board e-Newsletter.
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January 2022
NOTA BENE, Latin for "note well." Each month N.B. will feature ethics, professionalism and board developments.

2021 Snapshot

 

 

1 Active suspension of one year or less imposed.
2 Active suspension greater than one year imposed.


Recent Rules and Decisions

IN RE BRAD THOMAS ANDRUS (Lafayette), 2021-B-01508 (1/19/22): The Court disbarred the respondent for neglecting his client’s legal matter, charging and collecting an unreasonable fee, converting client funds held in his trust account, failing to return his client’s file upon request, and engaging in deceptive and dishonest behavior in the course of the disciplinary proceeding.

IN RE ANNA M. JACKSON (Baton Rouge), 2021-B-01488 (1/12/22): The Court suspended the respondent for one year and one day for neglecting client matters, failing to communicate with her clients, failing to reduce a contingency fee agreement to writing, and failing to cooperate with the ODC in its investigation. The factual allegations in the formal charges were deemed admitted pursuant to Louisiana Supreme Court Rule XIX, §11(E)(3).

IN RE MATTHEW JOHN UNGARINO (Metairie), 2021-B-01455 (1/19/22): The Court suspended the respondent for one year and one day, with all but forty-five days deferred, for filing a defective notice of removal, misleading the magistrate judge regarding the issue during a hearing, engaging in an ex parte communication with the district court judge’s law clerk in an attempt to prevent or delay a show cause hearing before the magistrate judge, and then lying to the magistrate judge about the true intent of the ex parte communication.

Consent Discipline:

IN RE CAROL SAVANT LOY (Natchez, MS), 2021-B-01582 (1/19/22): The Court publicly reprimanded the respondent based upon her violation of Rules of Professional Conduct 1.3 and 1.4.

 

 


Lawyer Advertising Rules Amended

The Supreme Court of Louisiana amended the Rules of Professional Conduct concerning lawyer advertising. Changes are effective January 1, 2022. Read the press release here. Read the orders here and here.

Read updated Rules 7.2, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, and 7.8.

 

Welcome New Board Members!

The Louisiana Supreme Court has appointed four new members to the Disciplinary Board.

R. Alan Breithaupt

Mr. Breithaupt, an attorney with the Monroe law firm of Breithaupt, DuBos & Wolleson, has been appointed to serve as a lawyer member of the Board. Mr. Breithaupt has practiced in Monroe since 1993. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Louisiana Monroe and graduated from the Dedman School of Law at Southern Methodist University. His practice areas include personal injury, products liability, corporate law, commercial litigation, family law, oil and gas law, and civil litigation.

Todd S. Clemons

Todd S. Clemons, recently appointed to the Board, is a native and current resident of Lake Charles. He leads the criminal defense practice group for his firm, Todd Clemons and Associates. Previously, Mr. Clemons served as an Assistant District Attorney for Calcasieu Parish and as a federal prosecutor in the Western District of Louisiana. He also served as a Judge Pro Tempore in the 14th Judicial District Court. Mr. Clemons earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Louisiana Lafayette and is a magna cum laude graduate of the Southern University Law Center.

Valerie S. Fields, Ed.D.

Dr. Fields, Vice President of Student Affairs at the University of Louisiana Monroe, has been appointed to serve as a public member. A native of Winnsboro, Dr. Fields received her Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction (Instructional Technology) from Louisiana Tech University. She holds two degrees from ULM: a Master of Education, Administration and Supervision; and Education Specialist, Administration and Supervision. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from Southern University Baton Rouge.

Aldric “Ric” C. Poirier, Jr.

Mr. Poirier, a partner in the law firm of Blue Williams in its Mandeville office, has been appointed by the Court to serve as a lawyer member of the Board. Prior to this appointment, he was appointed by the Board in 2018 to serve as a hearing committee member. Mr. Poirier’s practice consists primarily of professional liability, civil, and commercial litigation. Mr. Poirier earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of New Orleans. He received his Juris Doctorate, cum laude, from Tulane University Law School. Mr. Poirier is admitted to the bar in Louisiana and Mississippi.

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