NEW ORLEANS -- Chalmette attorney Gregory J. Noto, practicing in Louisiana for more than 33 years, has been placed on probation after he admitted to having engaged in a conflict of interest.
On March 2, the Louisiana Supreme Court handed down a fully deferred six-month suspension against Noto subject to a six month period of probation, according to the court's single-page attorney disciplinary proceeding.
"The probationary period shall commence from the date [Noto] and the office of disciplinary counsel execute a formal probation plan," the attorney disciplinary proceeding said. "Any failure of [Noto] 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 Noto 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.
Noto was admitted to the bar in Louisiana on Oct. 5, 1984, 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. Noto maintains his law office on East Judge Perez Drive in Chalmette, according to his state bar profile.
The state Supreme Court handed down the fully deferred suspension and probation against Noto following the joint petition for consent discipline filed by Smith and the state bar's office of disciplinary counsel, according to the attorney disciplinary proceeding. In that petition for consent discipline, Noto "admitted he violated the Rules of Professional Conduct by engaging in conduct that constitutes a conflict of interest," the attorney disciplinary proceeding said.
The state high court reviewed the joint petition for consent discipline and accepted it before handing down the fully deferred suspension and probation against Noto, according to the attorney disciplinary proceeding.