LADB Newsletter

Annual Requirements

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

Louisiana State Bar Association (LSBA) members must pay their 2022-23 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. All members should include an office email address on the registration statement.

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.

Recent Rules and Decisions

IN RE LENISE ROCHELLE WILLIAMS (Atlanta, GA), 2022-B-0468 (6/8/22): The Court suspended the respondent for three years for practicing law after being suspended. The factual allegations in the formal charges were deemed admitted pursuant to Louisiana Supreme Court Rule XIX, §11(E)(3).

IN RE GEORGE RANDY TRELLES (Baton Rouge), 2022-B-0534 (6/22/22): The Court suspended the respondent for eighteen months, retroactive to the date of his interim suspension (11/19/2019), for neglecting legal matters, failing to communicate with clients, failing to refund unearned fees, practicing law while ineligible to do so, being arrested for DWI, and failing to cooperate with the ODC in its investigation.

IN RE DERRICK K. WILLIAMS (Vidalia), 2022-B-0350 (5/24/22): The Court suspended the respondent for one year and one day for allowing his trust account to become overdrawn on numerous occasions, engaging in the unauthorized practice of law during a period of ineligibility, and failing to cooperate with the ODC in several investigations. The factual allegations in the formal charges were deemed admitted pursuant to Louisiana Supreme Court Rule XIX, §11(E)(3).

Consent Discipline:

IN RE ERIC J. HESSLER (New Orleans), 2022-B-0791 (6/22/22): The Court suspended the respondent for one year and one day, fully deferred, based upon his arrest for driving while intoxicated.

IN RE HEIDI M. VESSEL (Zachary), 2022-B-0776 (6/22/22): The Court suspended the respondent for one year and one day, fully deferred, for mishandling her client trust account.

Reinstatement/Readmission Matters:

IN RE RICHARD C. OUSTALET, JR. (Jennings), 2022-OB-0597 (6/8/22): Reinstatement granted.

IN RE JAMAR BROOKS AKAI MYERS-MONTGOMERY (Shreveport), 2022-OB-0767 (6/22/22): Reinstatement denied.

“Eye opening” is how Brad Gadel describes his experience as a hearing committee member. “I was initially floored with the things that were crossing my desk,” which included serious (and sometimes criminal) allegations of attorney misconduct. “The things most practitioners worry about - filing deadlines, prescription, missing an appeal, etc. - usually don’t warrant [disciplinary] charges.” Brad also came to realize the importance of attorneys “policing their own.” “Many of [the issues that come before hearing committees] need to be viewed through the prism of one who sits behind a desk and interviews, speaks with, and represents clients.”

Brad applied to be a committee member at the recommendation of two family members, one of whom was serving as a public member at the time. Brad served two terms as a committee member from 2008 to 2013. He applied again and was reappointed for another two terms in 2017 and 2022.

Brad was admitted to the bar in 1984 after graduating from LSU Law School. He has practiced insurance and workers compensation defense in Alexandria since being admitted. He is a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association, Alexandria Bar Association, Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel, and LABI.

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Annual Requirements

Stay Tuned . . .

Recent Rules and Decisions

Hearing Committee Member Spotlight – Bradley J. Gadel

In Memoriam: Adrianne Landry Baumgartner