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04/27/2007 "See News Release 028 for any Concurrences and/or Dissents." SUPREME COURT OF LOUISIANA NO. 07-B-0180 IN RE: EDDIE L. STEPHENS

ATTORNEY DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS

PER CURIAM
This disciplinary matter arises from formal charges filed by the Office of Disciplinary Counsel ("ODC") against respondent, Eddie L. Stephens, a disbarred attorney.

PRIOR DISCIPLINARY HISTORY Before we address the current charges, we find it helpful to review respondent's prior disciplinary history. Respondent was admitted to the practice of law in Louisiana in 1984. On October 1, 1993, we suspended respondent for one year for misconduct involving his failure to maintain a trust account, commingling of client funds with his own, and conversion of clients' funds to his own use. In re: Stephens, 624 So. 2d 903 (La. 1993). In 1994, we suspended respondent for eighteen months, to run consecutively to his October 1, 1993 suspension, for failing to communicate with a client and notarizing a forged affidavit before filing it into a court record. In re: Stephens, 94-1924 (La. 11/18/94), 645 So. 2d 1133. In 1998, we disbarred respondent for numerous instances of commingling and conversion of client funds, neglect of legal matters, and engaging in the unauthorized practice of law while suspended. In re: Stephens, 98-2515 (La. 12/11/98), 722 So. 2d 1001. Respondent never sought reinstatement following his suspension, and consequently, he has been precluded from practicing law since October 1993.

UNDERLYING FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY The ODC filed three sets of formal charges against respondent, consisting of a total of four counts of misconduct. The three sets of formal charges were considered by separate hearing committees before being consolidated by order of the disciplinary board chair dated March 29, 2006. On January 26, 2007, the board filed in this court a single recommendation of discipline encompassing all three sets of formal charges.

99-DB-070 Counts I & II

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Louisiana Law