March 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 March 2015.

Louisiana Supreme Court

1. James A. Gray II. The court suspended the respondent, an elected city councilman for the City of New Orleans, from the practice of law for two years. The court found that the respondent neglected the legal matters of four clients, failed to communicate with those clients despite their requests for information, failed to return his clients’ files upon request, failed to refund unearned fees to two clients, and failed to respond to the disciplinary complaints against him and cooperate with the ODC.
2. Phyllis A. Southall. The court suspended the respondent from the practice of law for three years, retroactive to the date of her interim suspension. The court found that the respondent had neglected legal matters, failed to communicate with a client, engaged in a conflict of interest with a former client, mishandled her client trust account which resulted in commingling and conversion, and failed to cooperate with the ODC investigation into her conduct.
3. Tiffany M. Peterson. The court accepted the respondent’s petition for consent discipline and suspended her from the practice of law for one year, deferred in its entirety subject to the successful completion of a two-year probationary period. The respondent acknowledged that she violated the following provisions of the Rules of Professional Conduct: Rules 1.1(a), 1.3, 1.4, 1.16, 3.3, 8.4(a), 8.4(c), and 8.4(d).
4. Peggy M. Hairston Robinson. The court suspended the respondent from the practice of law on an interim basis pursuant to Supreme Court Rule XIX, § 19.2.
5. Phil C. Nugent. The court accepted the respondent’s petition for consent discipline. Respondent was convicted of domestic abuse battery in May 2014. In addition, ODC commenced an investigation into allegations that respondent threatened to present criminal charges solely to obtain an advantage in a civil matter.
6. Thomas R. Pittenger. The court ordered that the petitioner be immediately readmitted to the practice of law in Louisiana, subject to a two-year period of supervised probation. The petitioner had been disbarred in 2009 for engaging in conflicts of interest, failing to supervise nonlawyer staff, engaging in impermissible fee-sharing with non-lawyers, and facilitating the unauthorized practice of law by nonlawyers. The court determined that the petitioner demonstrated that he currently possesses the requisite competence, honesty, and integrity to be readmitted to the practice of law.
7. Malcolm Brasseaux. The court suspended the respondent from the practice of law on an interim basis pursuant to Supreme Court Rule XIX, § 19.2.
8. Timothy B. Burnham. The court denied the petitioner’s application for readmission and stated that he may not reapply for readmission for three years.
9. Timothy L. Spratt. The court revoked the respondent’s conditional admission to the practice of law. It stated that the respondent may not re-apply for admission until he can demonstrate at least a one-year period of sobriety and compliance with the terms and conditions of his contract with the Lawyers Assistance Program.
10. June Placer. The court suspended the respondent from the practice of law on an interim basis pursuant to Supreme Court Rule XIX, § 19.
11. Frank V. Zaccaria, Jr. The court granted the respondent’s joint petition for transfer to disability inactive status. The court stated that all disciplinary proceedings against respondent shall be deferred until he resumes active status.
12. Dalonshia Shunette Thomas-Jordan. The court accepted a joint petitions for consent discipline and suspended the respondent from the practice of law for one year. The suspension was deferred in its entirety subject to the respondent completing a two year probationary period. The respondent failed to communicate with a client, failed to promptly submit a court-ordered judgment, and failed to cooperate with the ODC in its investigation.
13. Michael H. Bercier. The court suspended the respondent from the practice of law for two years. The respondent  provided false evidence and false statements to the ODC, and engaged in dishonest conduct with two clients.

Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board

1. William J. Jefferson. The board recommended that the respondent, a former United States Congressman from New Orleans, be permanently disbarred. The respondent was convicted in federal court in Virginia on August 5, 2009 on felony corruption charges, and he was sentenced to 13 years in prison. His crimes arose out of using his official position as a congressman to facilitate business deals in Africa for personal gain.

Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board Hearing Committee

1. Debra L. Cassibry. Hearing Committee No. 37 recommended that the respondent be disbarred and that reinstatement be conditioned on the successful completion of a substance abuse counseling program. The respondent failed to appear at her DWI trials. The respondent also submitted forged documents to a court, failed to pay fines associated with a DWI incident, and failed to cooperate with ODC in its investigation.