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SUPREME COURT OF LOUISIANA NO. 99-B-0608 IN RE: CHARLES J. PISANO

ATTORNEY DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS

PER CURIAM*
This attorney disciplinary proceeding arises from one count of formal charges instituted by the Office of Disciplinary Counsel ("ODC") against respondent, Charles J. Pisano.1

UNDERLYING FACTS In 1978, following the death of her husband, Mrs. Reta Reed entrusted substantially all of her cash assets to respondent for management on her behalf. Thereafter, respondent converted over $400,000 of these funds for his own use. In February, 1983, respondent gave Mrs. Reed a promissory note in the amount of $407,777.45, representing the amount of funds he converted. Respondent made occasional interest payments on this note until 1990. He made very few, if any, payments after that date, and the debt was never satisfied. Subsequently, Mrs. Reed filed a civil lawsuit seeking recovery of her funds. On February 2, 1995, the district court rendered judgment in her favor for the amount of the promissory note, together with legal interest. The district court made a specific finding of fact that respondent had breached his fiduciary duties as Mrs. Reed's attorney in administering her financial affairs. The record indicates that respondent has since left the State of Louisiana and his whereabouts are unknown.

DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS After investigation, the ODC instituted formal charges against respondent, alleging

*

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

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