Recent Decisions From the Louisiana Supreme Court

IN RE HEATHER M. MURPHY (Metairie), 2017-B-0068, (6/29/17):  The Court permanently disbarred the respondent for neglecting legal matters, failing to communicate with clients, failing to refund unearned fees, attempting to solicit clients from other attorneys, engaging in dishonest conduct, making misrepresentations to a court, practicing law while ineligible to do so, engaging in the unauthorized practice of law after being placed on interim suspension, engaging in criminal conduct, and failing to cooperate with ODC in its investigations.

IN RE CHARLES L. DIRKS, III (Baton Rouge), 2017-B-0067, (6/29/17):  The Court suspended the respondent for sixty days for failing to properly communicate with his client regarding the status of her case and providing false information to his client and to ODC.

Consent Discipline:

IN RE LENISE R. WILLIAMS (Smyrna, GA), 2017-B-0906, (6/29/17):  The Court suspended the respondent for one year and one day, with all but sixty days deferred, for neglecting a legal matter, failing to communicate with a client, failing to properly withdraw from a representation, and failing to cooperate with ODC in its investigation.

IN RE MICHAEL J. PHILLIPS (New Orleans), 2017-B-0943, (6/29/17):  The Court suspended the respondent for one year and one day, fully deferred, for mishandling his trust account.

IN RE FREDDIE KING, III (Gretna), 2017-B-1010, (6/29/17):  The Court suspended the respondent for one year and one day, fully deferred, for mishandling his trust account.

Permanent Resignation in Lieu of Discipline:

IN RE SHERMAN STANFORD (Opelousas), 2017-B-1069, (6/28/17)

Conditional Admission Revoked:

IN RE BRADLEY J. TREVINO (Lake Charles), 2017-B-1053, (6/29/17):  The Court revoked the conditional admission of the respondent pursuant to the joint petition of the respondent and ODC.

2017-2018 Annual Requirements

LSBA membership dues and registration statements, along with LADB assessments and trust account registration forms, were due on July 1, 2017.

Please note that every attorney licenced to practice law in Louisiana is required to disclose the existance of a trust or escrow account or declare that because of the nature of his or her practice that he or she is not required to maintain such an account.

Those attorneys who fail to update their trust account forms by August 31, 2017 will be assessed a $25.00 delinquency penalty, and will be summarily certified ineligible to practice law pursuant to Rule  XIX, Section 8(D). They will additionally be assessed a $25.00 reinstatement fee pursuant to Rule XIX, Section 8(F).

For those who have not yet completed the requirements:

• File your Trust Account Registration Form at LADB's website ladb.org/trustaccount».
• Manage your Louisiana State Bar Association (LSBA) account and pay your LSBA Membership Dues and LADB Assessment at LSBA's website lsba.org».