Louisiana Supreme Court Secretly Admit A Shady Texas Lawyer with Criminal Past to the State Bar

2020-BA-0288 SUPREME COURT OF LOUISIANA

In re Comm. on Bar Admissions CFN-159750

Decided Apr 13, 2021

PER CURIAM

IN RE: Confidential Party – Applicant Other; Petition for Admission to the Louisiana Bar; Conditional admission granted. See per curiam.

PDG, JLW, JDH,  SJC, JTG, WJC, JBM

For the Court

BAR ADMISSIONS PROCEEDING PER CURIAM

APR 13, 2018 | REPUBLISHED BY LIT: JUL 26, 2021

Petitioner, a member of the Texas Bar, passed the Louisiana Bar Examination.

The Committee on Bar Admissions (“Committee”) subsequently declined to certify petitioner for admission, citing his history of criminal offenses, a prior record of attorney discipline, and substantial delinquent debts.

On petitioner’s application to this court, we remanded the matter to the Committee on Bar Admissions Panel on Character and Fitness to conduct an investigation and appointed a commissioner to take character and fitness evidence.

Following the proceedings, the commissioner filed his report with this court, recommending that petitioner be conditionally admitted to the practice of law. Neither party objected to this recommendation.

Considering the commissioner’s recommendation and the entire record of this proceeding, we conclude petitioner is eligible to be admitted to the practice of law in Louisiana, subject to the following conditions:

1 Petitioner shall continue to comply with the terms of the recovery agreement he signed with the Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program (“JLAP”) on March 20,

2 The period of this conditional admission shall coincide with the period of petitioner’s JLAP However, petitioner’s conditional admission status shall not be terminated until this court so orders.

3 Petitioner shall authorize the Executive Director of JLAP to report any violations of the JLAP agreement to the Office of Disciplinary Counsel (“ODC”).

4 Upon the expiration of the term of petitioner’s JLAP agreement, the Executive Director of JLAP shall forward to the ODC (a) a final report of petitioner’s progress and participation in JLAP, and (b) a recommendation regarding the need for petitioner’s continued participation in JLAP.

5 Following receipt of the report from JLAP, the ODC shall file a report in this court in which it shall recommend whether the conditional admission shall be allowed to terminate or shall be extended.

6 Petitioner shall cooperate with JLAP and the ODC, and shall comply with any and all requirements imposed upon him by JLAP and the ODC.

7 During the period of the conditional admission, petitioner shall provide evidence to the ODC, on at least a quarterly basis, demonstrating that he has made a good faith effort to satisfy his financial obligations.

Should petitioner fail to make a good faith effort to satisfy these conditions, or should he commit any misconduct during the period of probation, his conditional right to practice may be terminated or he may be subjected to other discipline pursuant to the Rules for Lawyer Disciplinary Enforcement.

CONDITIONAL ADMISSION GRANTED.