NEW ORLEANS (Louisiana Record) — Baton Rouge attorney Raushanah Shakia Hunter has been suspended following a May 18 Louisiana Supreme Court attorney disciplinary proceeding after she stipulated to violating professional conduct rules in two client matters.
The state Supreme Court suspended Hunter for a year and a day with all but four months deferred, followed by two years' supervised probation, according to the high court's 12-page attorney disciplinary proceeding. "Any failure of the respondent to comply with the conditions of probation, or any misconduct during the probationary period, may be grounds for making the deferred portion of the suspension executory, or imposing additional discipline, as appropriate," the attorney disciplinary proceeding said.
The Supreme Court also ordered Hunter to pay all costs and expenses in the matter, plus interest.
Hunter was admitted to the bar in Louisiana on Dec. 21, 2011, according to her profile at the state bar's website. Hunter had no prior discipline before the state bar, according to the attorney disciplinary proceeding.
The Supreme Court's decision to suspend Hunter followed a Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board (LADB) recommendation in February that she be suspended and then placed on probation. The LADB recommended Hunter's probation be conditional on her Louisiana State Bar Association's ethics school attendance, her participation in practice assistance programs, paying restitution and practicing under the supervision of another attorney.
"The record supports a finding that [Hunter] negligently and knowingly violated duties owed to her clients and the legal profession, causing actual harm," the attorney disciplinary proceeding said. "The baseline sanction for this type of misconduct is suspension."
Aggravating factors in the matter included a pattern of misconduct while mitigating factors included inexperience in the practice of law, Hunter's character or reputation and her remorse. "We also note that respondent has expressed a genuine desire for assistance from the LSBA and other attorneys to learn how to properly manage her practice of law and has already made positive changes to her office procedures," the attorney disciplinary proceeding said.