NEW ORLEANS — Eric O. Person, who has practiced law in Louisiana for more than 43 years, has been placed on two years of supervised probation after he admitted he mishandled his client trust account.
The Louisiana Supreme Court handed down an entirely deferred six-month suspension against Person on March 2 and two years of supervised probation, according to the court's two-page attorney disciplinary proceeding. Person's probation is to be governed by conditions contained in the petition for consent discipline filed with the court, according to the attorney disciplinary proceeding.
"The probationary period shall commence from the date [Person], the probation monitor, and the office of disciplinary counsel execute a formal probation plan," the attorney disciplinary proceeding said. "Any failure of respondent to comply with the conditions of probation, or any misconduct during the probationary period, may be grounds for making the deferred suspension executory, or imposing additional discipline, as appropriate."
The state Supreme Court also ordered Person to pay all costs and expenses in the matter, plus legal interest to begin 30 days "from the date of finality of this court's judgment until paid," the attorney disciplinary proceeding said.
Person was admitted to the bar in Louisiana on Oct. 2, 1974, according to his profile at the Louisiana State Bar Association's website. No prior discipline before the state bar is listed on his state bar profile. Person maintains his law office on Jackson Avenue in New Orleans, according to his state bar profile.
The state Supreme Court handed down the entirely deferred suspension and probation against Person following the joint petition for consent discipline filed by the state bar's office of disciplinary counsel, according to the attorney disciplinary proceeding. In that petition for consent discipline, Person "acknowledges that he mishandled his client trust account and entered into an improper business relationship with a client," the attorney disciplinary proceeding said.
Person's misconduct violated the court's professional conduct rules regarding business transactions with a client and the safekeeping of clients' or third parties' property, according to the attorney disciplinary proceeding.