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12/15/2006 "See News Release 070 for any Concurrences and/or Dissents." SUPREME COURT OF LOUISIANA NO. 06-B-2657 IN RE: ANN B. STEINHARDT

ATTORNEY DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS

PER CURIAM
This matter stems from a rule to revoke probation filed by the Office of Disciplinary Counsel ("ODC") against respondent, Ann B. Steinhardt, an attorney licensed to practice law in Louisiana.

UNDERLYING FACTS On September 9, 2004, we suspended respondent from the practice of law for three years, with two years deferred, for her conviction of possession of marijuana, failure to report the conviction to the ODC, and failure to cooperate with the ODC in its investigation. In re: Steinhardt, 04-0011 (La. 9/9/04), 883 So. 2d 404. We also placed respondent on probation for a period of two years, during which time we ordered respondent to comply with the terms of her recovery agreement with the Lawyers Assistance Program (LAP) and with such other conditions as may be imposed upon her by the LAP. We concluded that any violation of this condition by respondent, or the commission of any misconduct during the period of probation, "may be grounds for making the deferred portion of the suspension executory or imposing other discipline, as appropriate." Respondent's suspension commenced on October 29, 2004, upon the denial of her application for rehearing. Respondent was reinstated to the practice of law in Louisiana effective November 17, 2005.

On January 25, 2006, the adjudicative committee of the disciplinary board appointed New Orleans attorney Philip O. Bergeron to serve as respondent's probation monitor. In April 2006, respondent and Mr. Bergeron executed

respondent's probation plan. Among other provisions, the probation plan called for respondent's continued compliance with the terms and conditions of her LAP agreement, which expires in October 2007. In May 2006, the ODC received correspondence from Robert Murphy and Mark Mahfouz of the New Orleans law firm of Murphy, Rogers, Sloss & Gambel. Mr. Murphy and Mr. Mahfouz represented the Treasure Chest Casino in a lawsuit filed by respondent in May 2004 (prior to her suspension) on behalf of her client, Donald Gonzales. Mr. Murphy and Mr. Mahfouz informed the ODC that their firm contacted respondent on at least three occasions during late 2004 and early 2005 regarding Mr. Gonzales' suit. Mr. Murphy and Mr. Mahfouz stated that they were unaware of respondent's suspension from the practice of law when they contacted her on those occasions. After this complaint was filed, respondent gave a sworn statement to the ODC in which she admitted that she had failed to notify Mr. Murphy and Mr. Mahfouz of her suspension from the practice of law, as required by Supreme Court Rule XIX,

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