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Supreme Court of Louisiana
FOR IMMEDIATE NEWS RELEASE FROM: CLERK OF SUPREME COURT OF LOUISIANA NEWS RELEASE #075

The Opinion handed down on the 14th day of December, 2012, is as follows:

PER CURIAM: 2012-B -1435 IN RE: OWEN J. TRAHANT, JR. Upon review of the findings and recommendations of the hearing committee and disciplinary board, and considering the record, briefs, and oral argument, it is ordered that Owen J. Trahant, Jr., Louisiana Bar Roll number 12890, be and he hereby is suspended from the practice of law for six months, followed by a one-year period of supervised probation governed by the terms and conditions set forth in this opinion. All costs and expenses in the matter are assessed against respondent in accordance with Supreme Court Rule XIX, Section 10.1, with legal interest to commence thirty days from the date of finality of this court's judgment until paid. KNOLL, J., concurs in part and dissents in part with reasons.

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SUPREME COURT OF LOUISIANA NO. 12-B-1435 IN RE: OWEN J. TRAHANT, JR.

ATTORNEY DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS

PER CURIAM
This disciplinary matter arises from formal charges filed by the Office of Disciplinary Counsel ("ODC") against respondent, Owen J. Trahant, Jr., an attorney licensed to practice law in Louisiana.

UNDERLYING FACTS At all times relevant to these proceedings, respondent confined his law practice to the handling of real estate closings. In the mid-1990's, the volume of respondent's business increased substantially.1 At that time, O'Neal Jones, Jr., a lawyer who shared office space with respondent, agreed to assist by performing title examinations and notarial services for some of the closings that were assigned to respondent's office for handling. This arrangement continued until April 2001, when Mr. Jones moved out of respondent's office. The ODC alleges that

respondent engaged in the following instances of misconduct during the period of his association with Mr. Jones:

Count I

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