NEW ORLEANS (Louisiana Record) — Natchitoches attorney John Arthur Brittain has been voluntarily disbarred following a March 2 Louisiana Supreme Court attorney disciplinary proceeding after "numerous complaints" that included conversion of client funds.
Brittain's disbarment was made retroactive to March 29, 2017, the date of his interim suspension, according to the state high court's single-page attorney disciplinary proceeding.
The high court's proceeding follows an office of disciplinary counsel investigation "into numerous complaints of serious professional misconduct against [Brittain], including his conversion of client funds," the attorney disciplinary proceeding said. After the office of disciplinary counsel filed "two sets of formal charges" against Brittain, the office and Brittain field a joint petition for consent discipline, in which Brittain agreed to his disbarment, according to the disciplinary proceeding.
The high court accepted the petition and disbarred Brittain, the disciplinary proceeding said.
Brittain was admitted to the Louisiana bar April 16, 1996, according to his profile at the Louisiana State Bar Association's website.
Allegations against Brittain date back to 2016. In February 2016 a state bar hearing committee recommended Brittain be suspended for three years over alleged professional conduct rule violations that included failures to distribute settlement funds, communicate with clients regarding their cases and cooperate with an office of disciplinary counsel investigation.
In October 2016 the state Supreme Court issued an order that granted Brittain's petition for transfer to disability inactive status in advance of "a hearing to determine the validity of his claim of inability to assist in his defense due to mental or physical incapacity." All disciplinary proceedings were suspended prior to that hearing, according to the order.
In March 2017, the state Supreme Court issued an order granting a joint petition filed by Brittain and the office of disciplinary counsel in which Brittain agree to an interim suspension. The high court handed down the interim suspension, effective immediately, pending further court order, according to the March order.