March 2014 Discipline

Louisiana State SealThese Louisiana lawyers were the subject of Louisiana Supreme Court disciplinary orders or Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board recommendations made public during the month of March 2014.

Louisiana Supreme Court

  1. In re Scott M. Hawkins. The court granted the applicant’s petition for reinstatement from suspension. Two justices voted to deny.
  2. In re Mack Arthur Hollis. The court suspended the respondent for a year and a day for improper notarial practices and neglect of a client’s personal injury matter.
  3. In re Andre Thomas Haydel. The court granted the joint petition of the respondent and ODC for transfer to disability inactive status.
  4. In re Timothy B. Holden. The court suspended (by consent) the respondent for a period of three years for criminal possession of marijuana and for misrepresenting his drug use to the Committee on Bar Admissions and to a Lawyers Assistance Program Evaluator.

Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board

  1. In re Randy J. Fuerst. The board recommended that the respondent be suspended for 30 days, all deferred. He engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a female client. Notably, however, the board rejected ODC’s contention that the respondent engaged in inappropriate relationships with other women.
  2. In re C. Hearn Taylor. The board recommended that the respondent be suspended for a year and a day. He failed to respond to the formal charges, which were deemed admitted. He accepted a fee of $2,500 from a client and failed to communicate with the client, failed to do any work and failed to return any portion of the unearned fee.
  3. In re Craig Thomas Broussard. The board recommended that the petitioner be reinstated to the practice of law after a period of suspension.
  4. In re Kenner O. Miller, Jr. The board recommended that the respondent be permanently disbarred. He commingled and converted more than $200,000 in funds due to various clients and third-party medical providers from the proceeds of personal injury cases.

Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board Hearing Committees

  1. In re James A. Gray, II. Hearing Committee No. 24 recommended that the respondent (a New Orleans City Council member) be disbarred, or at a minimum, suspended for a period of three years, for the neglect of several client matters and for “a pattern of behavior” reflecting a lack of competence, diligence and communication, and a failure to return client files and to cooperate with ODC.
  2. In re David W. Oestreicher, II. Hearing Committee No. 55 recommended that the formal charges against the respondent be dismissed. Although ODC contended that he failed to safeguard client funds in his trust account, the committee found that he was the victim of embezzlement by his office manager and that he acted reasonably in maintaining his trust account.
  3. In re Allen A. Krake. Hearing Committee No. 38 recommended that the respondent be suspended for a year and a day, with all but six months deferred. He practiced law for more than three years while ineligible to do so, failed to maintain MCLE requirements, failed to register with the LSBA, failed to pay dues and failed to file required trust account disclosures. He also failed to cooperate with ODC’s investigation. The committee did find, however, that the respondent was merely “negligent,” and that mitigating factors existed.
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