May 2024 Discipline

These lawyers were the subject of Louisiana Supreme Court disciplinary orders or Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board recommendations published during the month of May 2024.

Louisiana Supreme Court

1. David Band, Jr. The court conditionally granted the petitioner’s motion for reinstatement to the practice of law.
2. Albert A. Bensabat, III. The court granted the ODC’s motion for modification of the respondent’s probationary terms.
3. Leo Callier, III. The court granted the joint petition for consent discipline and publicly reprimanded the respondent. Prior to the filing of the joint petition for consent discipline, the ODC had commenced an investigation into allegations that the respondent failed to obtain his clients’ written informed consent to limit the scope of his representation with his co-counsel in a contingency fee agreement, failed to communicate with his clients over a period of several months, and failed to take reasonable steps to protect his clients’ interests upon termination of the representation. In doing so, the respondent violated Rules, 1.2(c), 1.4, and 1.16(d) of the Rules of Professional Conduct.
4. Edward Moses, Jr. The court suspended the respondent from the practice of law on a reciprocal basis for a period of one year. The court further ordered that the respondent shall not be eligible to apply for reinstatement to the practice of law unless and until he submits to a comprehensive mental health examination through JLAP. The respondent was suspended by the United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana for a period of one year based on conduct involving the filing of frivolous litigation as well as attempts to co-opt his clients’ cases to assert his own personal agenda.
5. Keelus Renardo Miles. The court accepted a joint petition for consent discipline and disbarred the respondent retroactive to the date of the imposition of suspension in a prior discipline case. The respondent failed to reduce a contingency fee agreement to writing, neglected a legal matter, failed to adequately communicate with a client, made false statements to a client and the ODC, and engaged in the unauthorized practice of law during a period of suspension.
6. Yasha Latrice Clark. The court granted the ODC’s petition for interim suspension and suspended the respondent from the practice of law on an interim basis.

Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board

1. Jami D. Pellerin. The board dismissed the formal charges filed against the respondent.
2. Desha M. Gay. The board recommended that the respondent be suspended from the practice of law for six months, fully deferred. The respondent misrepresented to her client the status of a petition for divorce, failed to procure the client’s written consent to the terms and conditions under which financial assistance was provided to her, and refused to respond to the ODC’s repeated requests for documents and information, despite personal service of a subpoena to appear and produce records. In doing so, the respondent violated Rules 1.8(e), 8.1(c), 8.4(a), and 8.4(c).
3. Jesse P. Lagarde. The board recommended that the respondent be suspended for one year and one day. The respondent failed to take any action on the record of his client’s community property proceeding for over two years, had only sporadic communication with his client only precipitated by continued complaints by the client to the ODC. The respondent failed to act with reasonable diligence and promptness and failed to make reasonable efforts to expedite the litigation consistent with the interests of the client. In doing so, the respondent violated Rules 1.3, 1.4, 1.16(d), 3.2, and 8.4(a).
4. Toni Rachelle Martin. The board recommended that the respondent be suspended for six months, with three months deferred. The respondent failed to return client funds for over three years. In doing so, the respondent violated Rules 1.5(f)(5) and 1.16(d).