New Orleans attorney Richard C. Teissier has been disbarred following an Oct. 27 Louisiana Supreme Court disciplinary proceeding over allegations that included engaging in the unauthorized practice of law.
Other allegations against Teissier were accepting legal fees from clients, failing to complete legal matters for which he had been retained, engaging in deceitful and dishonest conduct and conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice, according to the state high court's single-page disciplinary proceeding.
Teissier and the Louisiana State Bar's office of disciplinary counsel agreed in a joint petition for consent discipline filed with the court seeking his disbarment, according to the disciplinary proceeding.
The high court accepted the joint petition for consent discipline and disbarred Teissier retroactive to July 28, 2015, the date of his previous interim suspension.
Teissier was admitted to the bar in Louisiana on Oct. 15, 1987, according to his profile at the Louisiana State Bar's website. Teissier's disciplinary history before the state bar goes back to November 2014 when the disciplinary board filed formal charges that included the declining or terminating representation, unauthorized practice of law and failing to cooperate with an office of disciplinary counsel investigation).
The board then recommended Teissier be suspended for one year and one day with all but 60 days deferred and that he be placed on unsupervised probation during the deferred period of his suspension.
In November 2015, Teissier was suspended for a year and a day, with all but 60 days deferred, following a state supreme court disciplinary proceeding after he had previously been declared ineligible to practice law for failing to satisfy his Mandatory Continuing Legal Education requirements, failed to pay his bar dues and failed to register his trust account.
In August 2016, a state bar hearing committee recommended that Teissier be permanently disbarred after having previously been suspended. Allegations then including neglecting a client matter, failing to communicate with a client, missing court appearances, failing to cooperate with an office of disciplinary counsel investigation, neglecting client matters and failing to communicate after receiving payment. During the same period of suspension, Teissier also allegedly engaged in the unauthorized practice of law, according to the hearing committee’s recommendation.