Preview:

SUPREME COURT OF LOUISIANA NO. 98-B-2089 IN RE: JAMES F. QUAID

ATTORNEY DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS

PER CURIAM*
This matter arises from one count of formal charges filed by the Office of Disciplinary Counsel ("ODC") against respondent, James F. Quaid, an attorney who has been disbarred on two previous occasions.1 The charges allege violations of Rules 1.4, 1.5 (a), 1.5(d)(1), 1.16(d), 8.1(c), 8.4(a)(c) and (g) and 5.5 of the Rules of Professional Conduct.2

UNDERLYING FACTS In October 1994, Karain Marie Vitrano retained respondent to represent her in connection with a community partition matter. Although he filed a petition to partition community property, he took no further action other than communicating with his client briefly by phone. On February 16, 1995, several months after being hired by Ms. Vitrano, respondent was disbarred from practice (for the second time). Nonetheless, he failed to advise his client of this fact. By the fall of 1995, the community property matter was resolved by the parties themselves through the assistance of another attorney "sitting in" for respondent, who was allegedly ill. Respondent charged his client a contingency fee based on the value of community assets, charging the client a total fee of $29,892.00, despite the fact he had done little or no work on the case.

*

Johnson, J. not on panel. Rule IV, Part II,

Download 98-B-2089 IN RE: JAMES F. QUAID.pdf

Louisiana Law