June 2017 Discipline

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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 June 2017.

Louisiana Supreme Court

  1. Greta L. Wilson. The court disbarred the respondent and ordered her to pay restitution after she filed suit on behalf a client without the client’s authorization, falsely affixed her client’s signature on a check, and deposited that check into her trust account.
  2. Kenneth Robin Bowen. The court granted the respondent’s request for permanent resignation in lieu of discipline, and permanently prohibited him from practicing law in Louisiana or any other jurisdiction. Respondent was a former NOPD officer who was convicted of the deprivation of rights under color of law, conspiracy to obstruct justice, and obstruction of justice by engaging in misleading conduct, in connection with a shooting on the Danziger Bridge in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. For more on this case, click here.
  3. Preston G. Sutherland. The court suspended the respondent for one year and one day all deferred after his arrest for driving while intoxicated. The court also placed the respondent on probation to coincide with the term of a recovery agreement with the JLAP.
  4. Kathy M. O’Quinn. The court disbarred the respondent on a reciprocal basis after her disbarment in Arizona.
  5. David M. Mark. The court dissolved the interim suspension of respondent, which the court had imposed on May 22, 2013.
  6. Richard Collins Dalton. The court suspended the respondent for six months, fully deferred, and imposed a two-year period of probation. The ODC and respondent submitted a joint petition for consent discipline after the respondent admitted to mishandling his client trust account by commingling client with personal funds.

Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board

  1. Craig J. Robichaux. The Board dismissed the formal charges filed against the respondent and fully adopted the factual findings, conclusions, and recommendation of the Hearing Committee. The Committee and the Board found that the respondent did not violate any of the Louisiana Rules of Professional Conduct.
  2. Alvin Anthony Johnson, Jr. The Board recommended that the Louisiana Supreme Court suspend the respondent for one year and one day, fully deferred, with the following conditions: the respondent must attend the LSBA’s Trust Accounting School and Law Practice Management School, and the respondent’s trust account must be reviewed by a CPA on a quarterly basis. The respondent failed to deposit funds into his client trust account.
  3. Joseph M. Bruno. The Board recommended that the Louisiana Supreme Court suspend the respondent for ninety days, with all by thirty days deferred. The Board concluded that the respondent failed to act with reasonable diligence and promptness in representing a client, and that he failed to consult with his client and to keep his client reasonably informed about the progress of a matter.
  4. T. Ann Ward. The Board recommended that the Louisiana Supreme Court suspend the respondent for one year and one day. The formal charges alleged that the respondent engaged in the unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling, stalking, violation of a protective order, and the unauthorized use of a credit card.
  5. Mark G. Simmons. The Board recommended that the  Louisiana Supreme Court suspend the respondent for one year and one day, with all but sixty days deferred subject to the following conditions: successful completion of the LSBA Trust Accounting School, successful completion of the LSBA Ethics School, and two-years of probation with auditing of the respondent’s trust account.

LADB Hearing Committees

  1. Louise Anne Klaila. Hearing Committee #56 recommended that the Louisiana Supreme Court suspend the respondent for one year with all but three months deferred. The Committee found that the respondent collected an unreasonable fee and failed to return an unearned portion to the client. The Committee also found that the respondent intentionally or willfully failed to cooperate with the ODC.
  2. Debra L. Cassibry. Hearing Committee #33 recommended that the Louisiana Supreme Court permanently disbar the respondent.
  3. Wiley J. Beevers. Hearing Committee #33 found that the respondent violated Rules 1.7 and 1.9(a) by failing to avoid a conflict of interest. The Committee recommended that the Board publicly reprimand the respondent, and ordered him to take CLE on the subject of law-office management.
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