The Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board e-Newsletter.
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The Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board celebrates its 25th Anniversary with NOTA BENE, Latin for "note well." Each month N.B. will feature ethics, professionalism and board developments.

Call for Nominations for Public Members for LADB Hearing Committees

Non-lawyers (i.e. “public members”) play an important role in regulating the legal profession in Louisiana.  Public members bring a useful perspective to the attorney regulatory process in Louisiana and enhance the impartiality of hearing committees.

A public member is one of three members that comprise a Disciplinary Board hearing committee.  The other two members are lawyers. 

The Board often relies on the attorney population in Louisiana to nominate members of the general public to serve as hearing committee public members.  If you know of a non-lawyer who is willing and qualified to serve as a public member, please forward the nominee’s name, address, phone number, and email address to Donna Burgess at DonnaB@ladb.org.  Please discuss your nomination with the nominee before sending the nomination to the Board.  Hearing committee member qualifications can be found online.

 


Recent Decisions From the Louisiana Supreme Court

IN RE GILL, 2015-B-1373, (10/23/15)
The Court suspended the respondent for one year and one day for engaging in criminal conduct.  The respondent was arrested on three occasions for DWI offenses and on a fourth occasion for an alcohol-related incident.  The respondent also made false statements to ODC during its investigation of these matters.

IN RE WILLIAMS-BENSAADAT, 2015-B-1535, (11/06/15)
The Court suspended the respondent for one year, with six months deferred, for communicating with a party represented by counsel, mishandling a fee dispute, and filing a frivolous lawsuit.

 


CLE Countdown

Have you met your annual CLE requirement?  www.Ladb.org  offers interesting and helpful continuing legal education seminars online. The deadline for completing the requisite 12.5 CLE hours is fast approaching on December 31. Here are a couple of previews of the CLEs that are available.

Chief Disciplinary Council Chuck Plattsmier breaks down exactly what happens when a complaint is filed with his office, including the benefits of the newly enhanced complaint screening process.

Attorney Beau Sagona explains how to divide your client’s retirement benefits during a divorce including the division of federal, state, military, railroad, and social security benefits.

Hearing Committee Member Spotlight: Arlene Knighten

Don't sing in the shower.

That's the advice longtime Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board volunteer Arlene Knighten has for fellow attorneys.

Knighten has come into contact with dozens of cases of attorney misconduct in the last twenty years in her various roles as a hearing committee chairperson, committee member and board member.
“When faced with an ethical dilemma, attorneys should stop and evaluate what they are doing,” she explains. It's like singing in the shower, she says, because most people think they sound great in the shower. “It's not until you step out outside that reality sets in and you realize that you're probably not the best singer after all.”

Knighten urges attorneys to think twice before acting. “Take a step back. Think about what it is that you are about to do. If you are unsure as to whether it is ethical or not, ask somebody. Ask yourself, how does this sound?”

(Read More)

Did You Know?

The board has volunteer public hearing committee members located in the following cities:

Slidell, Baton Rouge, Hammond, Franklinton, Brusley, Roseland, Grambling, Ruston, Bossier City, Lafayette, DeRidder, Lake Charles, Church Point, Arnaudville, Harvey, Gretna, Kenner, New Orleans, Monroe, Abita Springs, and Abbeville.



Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board
2800 Veterans Memorial Boulevard Suite 310, Metairie, LA 70002

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