October 2021 Discipline

These lawyers were the subject of Louisiana Supreme Court disciplinary orders or Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board recommendations published during the month of October 2021.

Louisiana Supreme Court

1. Shiela J. Linscomb. The court denied petitioner’s reinstatement request for a minimum of one year and until petitioner pays or makes a good faith effort to pay restitution to her clients.
2. Zachary Ryan Moffett. The court disbarred the respondent. The respondent neglected client legal matters, failed to communicate with clients, failed to cooperate with an ODC investigation, failed to inform clients of his suspension from the practice of law, engaged in the unauthorized practice of law after suspension and failed to return unearned fees to clients. In doing so, the respondent violated Rules 1.3, 1.4, 1.5(f)(5), 1.16(d), 5.5, 8.1(c), 8.4(a) and 8.4(c) of the Rules of Professional Conduct.
3. Claude P. Devall, Jr. The court granted a petition for transfer to disability inactive status.
4. Christine Y. Voelkel. The court disbarred the respondent. The respondent failed to provide competent representation, neglected legal matters, failed to communicate with clients, failed to return unearned fees, mismanaged her client trust account and failed to cooperate with ODC in its investigations. In doing so, the respondent violated Rules 1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5(f)(5), 1.15(a), 1.15(d), 8.1(c), 8.4(a) and 8.4(c) of the Rules of Professional Conduct.
5. Robert S. Glass. The court granted a petition for permanent retirement from the practice of law.
6. Alicia Johnson Butler. The court granted a petition for permanent retirement from the practice of law in lieu of discipline. The petitioner partook in a staged accident ring, provided the ODC with altered bank records and mishandled funds.
7. Brandon Creekbaum. The court granted a joint for petition for consent discipline and suspended respondent from the practice of law for one year and one day fully deferred. Respondent was arrested for driving while intoxicated.
8. Eugene Redmann. The court granted a joint petition for consent discipline and publicly reprimanded the respondent. The respondent failed to submit his legal advertisement, which failed to disclose the location of respondent’s principal office, for review by the LSBA prior to or concurrently with its publication. In doing so, the respondent violated Rules 7.2(a)(2) and 7.7(c) of the Rules of Professional Conduct.
9. John W. Redmann. The court granted a joint petition for consent discipline and publicly reprimanded the respondent. The respondent failed to submit his legal advertisement for review by the LSBA prior to or concurrently with its publication. In doing so, the respondent violated Rule 7.7(c) of the Rules of Professional Conduct.
10. Ramsey Terry Marcello. The court readmitted petitioner to the practice of law on a conditional basis. Petitioner previously violated the terms of his JLAP contract.
11. Dante J. Butler. The court granted a joint petition for consent discipline and disbarred the respondent. The respondent engaged in the unauthorized practice of law while suspended.
12. Cynthia Ann Lain. The court granted a petition for the imposition of reciprocal discipline and disbarred the respondent. The Supreme Court of Georgia disbarred respondent for engaging in a “pattern of serious misconduct.” In doing so, the respondent violated the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct.
13. Joseph Harold Turner, Jr. The court granted a petition for the imposition of reciprocal discipline and disbarred the respondent. The Supreme Court of Georgia disbarred respondent for failure to disburse client funds, failure to communicate with a client and failure to respond to inquiries concerning an overdraft of his client trust account. In doing so, the respondent violated the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct.
14. Harry Lane Tuten III. The court granted a joint petition for consent discipline and publicly reprimanded the respondent. The respondent violated Rule 1.15(a) of the Rules of Professional Conduct.

Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board

1. Myles Julian Johnson. The board recommended that the court suspend the respondent for six months. The respondent failed to: notify LSBA of address changes, represent a client diligently, communicate with a client, properly withdraw from representation of a client, satisfy continuing legal education requirements, comply with annual professional obligations and cooperate with the ODC in its investigations. In doing so, the respondent violated Rules 1.1(b), 1.1(c), 1.3, 1.4(a), 1.16(d), 8.1(b), 8.1(c) and 8.4(a) of the Rules of Professional Conduct.
2. Brad Thomas Andrus. The board recommended that the court disbar the respondent. The respondent failed to represent a client diligently, overcharged a client for legal work, mismanaged his client trust account, failed to return a client file, lacked candor with the ODC and failed to cooperate with the ODC in its investigation. In doing so, the respondent violated Rules 1.3, 1.5(a), 1.15(a), 1.16(d), 8.1(a), 8.1(b), 8.1(c), 8.4(a), 8.4(c) and 8.4(d) of the Rules of Professional Conduct.
3. Anna M. Jackson. The board recommended that the court suspend the respondent from the practice of law for one year and one day. The respondent failed to: represent clients diligently, communicate with clients, reduce a contingency fee arrangement to writing and cooperate with the ODC in its investigations. In doing so, the respondent violated Rules 1.3, 1.4, 1.5(c), 8.1(c) and 8.4(a) of the Rules of Professional Conduct.
4. Michael D. Cox. The board recommended that the court disbar the respondent from the practice of law. The respondent brought frivolous appeals and proceedings, knowingly disobeyed court orders, made statements concerning the integrity of a judge with reckless disregard to the truth and without a sufficient basis and committed numerous criminal acts. In doing so, the respondent violated Rules 3.1, 3.4(c), 8.2(a), 8.4(a) 8.4(b), 8.4(c) and 8.4(d) of the Rules of Professional Conduct.
5. Matthew Ungarino. The board recommended that the court suspend the respondent from the practice of law for one year and one day. The respondent knowingly made false statements to a court, disobeyed local court rules and initiated improper ex parte communications with a judge’s chambers. In doing so, the respondent violated Rules 3.3(a)(1), 3.4(c), 3.5(a), 3.5(b), 8.4(a), 8.4(c) and 8.4(d) of the Rules of Professional Conduct.

LADB Hearing Committees

1. Erin L. Tyrer. Hearing Committee #27 recommended that the court suspend the respondent from the practice of law for one year and one day. The respondent was arrested for DWI and subsequently admitted to using cocaine during a counseling session recommended by JLAP. In doing so, the respondent violated Rules 8.4(a) and 8.4(b) of the Rules of Professional Conduct.
2. Greta Wilson. Hearing Committee #12 recommended that the court permanently disbar the respondent. The respondent failed to communicate with a client, recovered funds on behalf of a client but failed to disburse them and failed to cooperate with ODC in its investigations. In doing so, the respondent violated Rules 1.3, 1.4, 1.15(d), 8.1(c), 8.4(a) and 8.4(c) of the Rules of Professional Conduct.