Recent Rules and Decisions
IN RE JOHN C. ALEXANDER (Baton Rouge), 2022-B-0931 (9/7/2022): The Court suspended the respondent for three years, retroactive to the date of his interim suspension (1/10/2020), for engaging in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation, engaging in criminal conduct, failing to properly communicate with two clients, holding himself out as an attorney after he was placed on interim suspension, and assisting someone with a legal matter following his interim suspension, including accepting funds meant to pay legal fees.
IN RE ZACHARY RYAN MOFFETT (Shreveport), 2022-B-1039 (9/7/2022): The Court adjudged the respondent guilty of additional violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct for neglecting legal matters, failing to communicate with clients, failing to refund unearned fees, failing to return file materials to a client, and engaging in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation.The respondent was previously disbarred.
IN RE JUSTIN BO WEST (Ville Platte), 2022-B-1058 (9/20/2022): The Court suspended the respondent for one year and one day, fully deferred, based upon his arrest for driving while intoxicated.
Permanent Resignation in Lieu of Discipline:
IN RE EDMOND H. KNOLL (Lafayette), 2022-OB-1308 (8/31/2022).
Permanent Retirement from the Practice of Law:
IN RE DOMINICK SAVONA, JR. (Harvey), 2022-OB-1049 (9/7/2022).
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Did You Know?
The LADB provides a number of statistics on its website related to attorney regulation.
A review of the past seven years of data reveals several notable trends.
Who files the most complaints against attorneys?
➢For seven consecutive years, PAST CLIENTS have filed more complaints than any other category of complainant. The runner up category for seven straight years is UNRELATED PARTY which includes family members and friends of clients, ex-spouses of attorneys, and prior employees of attorneys.
What types of conduct form the basis of most complaints?
➢For seven consecutive years, NEGLECT has been the number one allegation lodged by complainants.
➢The second most prolific allegation over the past seven years has been LACK OF COMMUNICATION, followed by:
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OTHER (which includes trust account overdrafts, notarial violations, failure to pay third parties, conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice, and failure to respond to ODC);
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MISREPRESENTATION/DISHONESTY;
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SCOPE OF REPRESENTATION.
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Regarding Deceased Attorneys
If you are aware or become aware of an attorney who has recently passed away, please notify the Membership Department at the Louisiana State Bar Association.
The notice will help the Bar Association keep updated and accurate records. Having this information in advance of the Annual Registration period is particularly helpful and can eliminate the need for family members of deceased members to attend to this task.
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