Annual Requirements

✓ LADB Assessment
✓ Trust Account Form
✓ LSBA Dues
✓ Registration Statement

Louisiana State Bar Association (LSBA) members must pay their 2021-22 LSBA dues and Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board (LADB) assessment and file their Attorney Registration Statement and Louisiana Supreme Court Trust Account Disclosure and Overdraft Notification Authorization Form by July 1.

Make sure to include an office email address on the registration statement.  The Louisiana Supreme Court recently amended La. S. Ct. Rule XIX Sec. 8C to require the inclusion of an office email address on the registration statement for service of process.  See the order here.

File your Trust Account Registration at the LADB's website here.

File your LSBA Attorney Registration Statement and pay your LSBA Membership Dues and LADB Assessment at the LSBA's website here.

ELLI: Key Concepts

Unauthorized Practice of Law

A lawyer who facilitates the unauthorized practice of law by failing to properly supervise an unlicensed staff member may be subject to discipline.   This video discusses cases and scenarios where a lawyer was disciplined for facilitating the unauthorized practice of law.

Recent Rules and Decisions

IN RE NICHOLAS ANTHONY BELLARD (Church Point), 2021-B-00339 (5/4/21): The respondent neglected his clients’ legal matters, failed to communicate with his clients, failed to refund unearned fees, and failed to cooperate with the ODC in its investigations. The Court adjudged the respondent guilty of additional violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct, which will be considered when and if he applies for readmission from his prior disbarment. The factual allegations in the formal charges were deemed admitted pursuant to Louisiana Supreme Court Rule XIX, §11(E)(3).

IN RE DONALD R. DOBBINS (Baton Rouge), 2020-B-01403 (5/13/21): The Court suspended the respondent for three years, retroactive to January 29, 2020, for being arrested for DWI on multiple occasions, failing to provide competent representation to a client, neglecting a legal matter, failing to adequately communicate with a client, including failing to adequately explain the fee arrangement, and failing to account for and/or refund an unearned fee.

IN RE CECELIA F. ABADIE (Hammond), 2020-B-01276 (5/13/21): The Court suspended the respondent for one year and one day for failing to provide competent representation to a client and making false statements about the integrity of a judge.

IN RE KATHLEEN M. WILSON (Baton Rouge), 2020-B-01488 (5/13/21): The Court suspended the respondent for one year and one day, with all but ninety days deferred, based on her arrest for driving while intoxicated.

Consent Discipline:

IN RE DAVID S. SCALIA (New Orleans), 2021-B-00301 (5/11/21): The Court suspended the respondent for one year, fully deferred, based upon his violation of Rules of Professional Conduct 8.4(a) and 8.4(b).

Reciprocal Discipline:

IN RE VINCENT WILKINS, JR. (Upper Marlboro, MD), 2021-B-00298 (5/4/21): The Court suspended the respondent for ninety days, with sixty days deferred, based upon an order of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals.

Reinstatement/Readmission Matters:

IN RE KIMUEL WAYNE LEE (Baton Rouge), 2021-OB-00366 (5/11/21): Conditional reinstatement granted.

Rehearing:

IN RE CLARENCE T. NALLS, JR. (Baton Rouge), 2020-B-01126 (5/13/21): Rehearing denied.