May 2015 Discipline

These lawyers were the subject of Louisiana Supreme Court disciplinary orders or Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board recommendations that were made public during the month of May 2015.

Louisiana Supreme Court

1. Jessee Phillip Terrell, Jr. The court accepted a joint petition for consent discipline, and suspended the respondent from the practice of law for a year and a day, all deferred.  ODC had commenced an investigation into allegations that the respondent failed to properly supervise a nonlawyer employee, allowing the employee to commingle and to convert client funds.
2. William J. Jefferson. The court permanently disbarred the respondent, who had been previously convicted of ten felony criminal offenses arising from his involvement in multiple bribery and fraud schemes committed during his service as a member of the United States House of Representatives.
3. Brian A. Eddington. The court accepted a joint petition for consent discipline, and publicly reprimanded the respondent. ODC had commenced an investigation into allegations that respondent filed five separate suits in the same court on the same date, all of which were identical in substance except for naming a different plaintiff, and then after obtaining what may have been considered a favorable judge, dismissed four of the suits and attempted to consolidate the claims of the newly-dismissed plaintiffs into the lone remaining action.
4. Rejohnna Brown-Mitchell. The court ordered that the respondent be disbarred. The respondent disregarded court orders, converted $7,000 in third-party funds, persuaded her client to sign a quitclaim deed under false pretenses, and failed to return an unearned fee or her client’s file.
5. Ronald A. Rossitto. The court accepted the respondent’s petition for permanent resignation in lieu of discipline. The respondent had previously pleaded guilty to one count of obscenity, one count of purchasing alcohol for a person under 21, a felony charge of malfeasance in office, and a misdemeanor charge of simple battery.
6. William Clifton Stoutz. The court suspended the respondent from the practice of law on an interim basis pursuant to Supreme Court Rule XIX, § 19.2.
7. Michael S. Sepcich. The court accepted a joint petition for consent discipline, and disbarred the respondent. ODC had commenced an investigation into allegations that respondent submitted false billing for work not performed in connection with the representation of his clients.
8. John Roumain Peters, III. The court accepted a joint petition for consent discipline, and suspended the respondent from the practice of law for three months, all deferred. The respondent acknowledged that he violated the following provisions of the Rules of Professional Conduct: Rules 4.1(a), 8.4(a), 8.4(c), and 8.4(d).
9. Carl J. Ciaccio. The court accepted a petition for consent discipline, and suspended the respondent from the practice of law for six months, all deferred. ODC had commenced an investigation into allegations that the respondent recklessly called a judge’s integrity into question.
10. Kevin Douglas McCleary. The court suspended the respondent from the practice of law on an interim basis pursuant to Supreme Court Rule XIX, § 19.2.

Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board

1. Anthony Hollis. The board recommended that the respondent be adjudged guilty of additional violations warranting disbarment pursuant to the Louisiana Supreme Court’s holding in La. State Bar Ass’n v. Chatelain, 89-0703 (La. 1/22/1991), 573 So.2d 470. The respondent failed to communicate a plea offer to his client, and claimed to have lost the client’s file. Also, the respondent was arrested for domestic violence, and failed to communicate with a client.
2. Melvin N. Cade. The board recommended that the respondent be suspended from the practice of law for a year and a day, six months deferred. The respondent knowingly violated his duty to his client by refusing to communicate with her, and by failing to diligently pursue her legal matter.
3. Charles R. Joiner. The board recommended that the respondent be suspended for thirty days, fully deferred. The respondent failed to supervise a nonlawyer employee, who in turn stole from the respondent’s client trust account.
4. Frank T. Fradella. The board recommended that the respondent be disbarred. The respondent failed to diligently represent a client, commingled client funds, failed to return unearned fees, and failed to cooperate with ODC.

Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board Hearing Committees

1. Carla Ann Brown-Manning. Hearing Committee No. 9 recommended that the respondent be suspended from the practice of law for a year and a day. The respondent failed to diligently represent a client, failed to return unearned fees and the client’s file, and failed to cooperate with the ODC in its investigation.