Can I Quit?
No, not yet. The future of Louisiana’s mandatory bar association is uncertain. This is because the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals recently held that the Louisiana State Bar …
Fifth Circuit: Compelled LSBA Membership Violates First Amendment
On November 13, 2023, the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals held that the Louisiana State Bar Association’s “mandatory membership and dues are . . . unconstitutional” because they …
Lawyer Suspended After Filing A Bar Complaint
Lawyers panic upon receiving a bar complaint from the Office of Disciplinary Counsel. Am I going to lose my law license? How will public discipline impact my practice? Can I …
Is “Tagging” A Communication?
Louisiana Rule of Professional Conduct rule 4.2 prohibits lawyers from communicating with represented persons without authority either from the law, the court, or the represented person’s lawyer. Whether a lawyer’s …
Lawyer Suspended for Double-Dipping on CLEs
On September 11, 2023, the Supreme Court for the State of Maine ordered that lawyer Jason R. Buckley be suspended from the practice of law for one year, with none …
Judicial Recusal for Activities of a Spouse
Many married couples exemplify the adage “what’s mine is yours, and what’s yours is mine.” It’s an expression of generosity meaning that things belong to both parties equally and that …
United States Supreme Court Dismisses Appeal In In re Grand Jury
On January 23, 2023, the United States Supreme Court dismissed as improvidently granted (“DIG”) the appeal in In re Grand Jury, Docket No. 21-1397. The appeal presented the issue of …
Does the presence of a third party waive the lawyer-client privilege?
The lawyer-client privilege is one of the oldest and most important privileges of confidential communications in our judicial system. See Upjohn Co. v. United States, 449 U.S. 383, 389 (1981). …
California Judge Orders New Trial After Lawyer’s Bragging Session Caught on Tape
Lawyers boast about their success rates.1 You see it everywhere. From billboards to courthouse conversations, lawyers like to talk about their wins. Such self-congratulatory chatter may be irritating, but usually …
May a Louisiana Lawyer Sign Another Lawyer’s Name on a Pleading?
Yes, a Louisiana lawyer may sign another lawyer’s name on a pleading with the permission of that lawyer. See La. Civ. Code art. 2989. A Louisiana lawyer may not, however, sign another …