May 2019 Discipline

These lawyers were the subject of Louisiana Supreme Court disciplinary orders or Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board recommendations published during the month of May 2019.

Louisiana Supreme Court

1. Evelyn S. Adams. The court reinstated the respondent to active status subject to the condition that she must comply with all the terms of her May 10, 2018, recovery agreement with the Judges’ and Lawyers’ Assistance Program.
2. John M. Monsour. The court suspended the respondent for one year and one day, with all but six months deferred. The respondent violated Rules 5.5(a) and 8.4(a) by practicing law while ineligible to do so.
3. Zachary Ryan Moffett. The court suspended the respondent on an interim basis for threat of harm.
4. Connie M. Easterly. The court accepted a joint petition for consent discipline and suspended the respondent for a period of one year and one day. The respondent was arrested and charged with driving under the influence.
5. Iain A. Dover. The court accepted a joint petition for consent discipline and publicly reprimanded the respondent. The respondent engaged in an inappropriate verbal exchange with opposing counsel in open court.
6. John J. Steger, IV. The court suspended the respondent for eighteen months, with all but six months deferred. The respondent violated Rules 8.4(a) and 8.4(b) through multiple arrests and alcohol-related charges.
7. Dante J. Butler. The court suspended the respondent for eighteen months with all but one year deferred. The respondent shared fees with nonlawyers and facilitated the unauthorized practice of the law by working with nonlawyers to render legal services related to post-conviction proceedings.
8. Christine Y. Voelkel. The court suspended the respondent for one year and one day. The respondent negligently overdrew her trust account, knowingly practiced law while ineligible to do so, and knowingly and intentionally failed to cooperate with the ODC in its investigations.
9. Alan B. Tusa. The court publicly reprimanded the respondent and ordered him to complete the Louisiana State Bar Association’s Trust Accounting School within one year of the date of this judgment. The respondent neglected a legal matter, failed to communicate with a client, and failed to remit funds to a client and to two third-party medical providers in a timely manner.
10. Richard C. Oustalet, Jr. The court suspended the respondent for two years. The respondent neglected his clients’ legal matters, failed to communicate with his clients, relocated and accepted a position as an attorney with the state without giving notice to his clients, continued representing clients while employed with the state, and failed to return unearned fees and client files upon request.
11. Yolanda J. King. The court suspended the respondent from the practice of law for one year, retroactive to the date of her interim suspension. The respondent falsified her domicile in an attempt to be elected as juvenile court judge in Orleans Parish.
12. Stephen J. Holiday. The court reinstated the respondent, subject to a one-year period of probation. In 2005, the respondent failed to cooperate with an ODC investigation regarding multiple alcohol-related arrests, and the court suspended him for three years for the misconduct. In 2015, the respondent pleaded no contest to domestic abuse battery and filed a joint petition for consent discipline that was accepted by the court in 2015. In 2018, the respondent filed an application for reinstatement.
13. Kimberly E. DeBrock. The court suspended the respondent for one year and one day. The respondent was arrested and charged with felony possession of a Schedule II controlled dangerous substance, misdemeanor theft, and misdemeanor illegal possession of stolen things.

LADB Hearing Committee Reports

1. Shane E. Romero. Hearing Committee #19 recommended that the court suspend the respondent for one year, with three months deferred. The respondent violated Rules 3.4(b), 8.4(a), 8.4(b), and 8.4(c). The respondent lied under oath to the Louisiana Board of Ethics, and attempted to submit a false statement to the Office of Disciplinary Counsel.
2. Donald J. Melancon. Hearing Committee #55 recommended that the court suspend the respondent for one year and one day, fully deferred, subject to a two year period of supervised probation. The respondent mismanaged his client trust account by commingling funds.
3. Stacy M. Young. Hearing Committee #17 recommended that the court disbar the respondent. The respondent violated Rule 8.4(a), 8.4(b), and 8.4(c) by keeping reimbursement checks meant for her former firm for herself. The respondent knowingly converted the funds by endorsing the checks and placing them into her bank account. She did so eighty-nine times, and her conversions of client property totalled approximately $17,636.53.
4. William F. Henderson. Hearing Committee #6 recommended that the court deny the respondent’s application for readmission. The Louisiana Supreme Court disbarred the respondent on August 30, 2013, by consent. The respondent negligently continued to possess 50/50 ownership of his former firm with his wife post-disbarment.
5. Margot A. Tillman-Fleet. Hearing Committee #25 recommended that the court suspend the respondent for two years. The respondent submitted invoices to be paid for certain activities that were already funded by a federal grant and for events that did not occur. The respondent received over $50,000 through such fraudulent practices.