November 2024 Discipline

These lawyers were the subject of Louisiana Supreme Court disciplinary orders of Louisiana Attorney Discipline Board recommendations published during the month of November 2024.

Louisiana Supreme Court

1. Dale R. Baringer. The Court accepted a joint petition for consent discipline and suspended the respondent from the practice of law for six months, deferred in its entirety. Respondent neglected his client’s legal matter, which resulted in the dismissal of the matter, and then failed to communicate that his malpractice caused the dismissal.
2. Victor Hastings. The court accepted a joint petition for consent discipline and suspended the respondent from the practice of law for one year and one day, with six months deferred. Respondent acknowledged he violated Rules 1.1, 1.3, 1.4(a), 3.2, 5.5(a)(e)(3), and 8.4(a)(c)(d).
3. Marc R. Michaud. The Court accepted a joint petition for consent discipline and suspended the respondent from the practice of law for six months, deferred in its entirety. The ODC commenced an investigation that respondent had mishandled his client trust account. Prior to the filing of formal charges, respondent and the ODC submitted a joint petition for consent discipline.
4. Benjamin Northcutt Gibson. The Court granted a joint petition to transfer to active status, subject to the condition that respondent fully adhere to his agreement with the Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program.
5. William B. Hidalgo. The Court Granted to joint petition to transfer to active status, effective immediately.
6. Chadwick A. Tobler. The Court accepted a joint petition for consent discipline and suspended the respondent for two years, deferred in its entirety. Prior to filing the joint motion for consent discipline, the ODC investigated respondent into allegations that he engaged in criminal conduct.
7. Robert Bartholomew Evans. The Court denied petitioner’s application for readmission. Petitioner may not reapply for readmission for three years.
8. Yasha Latrice Clark. The Court accepted a joint petition for consent discipline and ordered the respondent disbarred. Prior to submitting the joint petition, ODC was investigating allegations that respondent commingled and converted client funds, presented forged medical records to insurance companies in support of her client’s claims, and engaged in criminal conduct. In addition, respondent made misrepresentations to ODC during her sworn statement. Respondent admitted that her conduct violated Rules 1.15(a), 1.15(b), 1.15(f), 4.1(a), 4.1(b), 5.3(c)(1), 8.1(a), 8.4(a), 8.4(b), 8.4(c), and 8.4(d).
9. Lionel Burns, Jr. The Court suspended the respondent from the practice of law for two years. Respondent failed to notify his client that he had been suspended from the practice of law, failed to immediately return an unearned fee and client file after suspension, failed to comply with reinstatement requirements, filed a knowingly false reinstatement affidavit with the Court, and collected attorney’s fees while suspended. Respondent violated the following Rules: 1.4, 1.5(f)(5), 1.16(d),3.4(c), 5.5(e)(4), 8.1(a), and 8.4(c).