NEW ORLEANS (Louisiana Record) – Suspended DeRidder attorney Mitchel M. Evans II faces permanent disbarment for violating professional conduct rules following a recommendation issued Oct. 30 by a Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board (LADB) hearing committee.
"He appears to have abandoned his legal practice and has left the state," the 11-page recommendation issued by LADB Hearing Committee No. 7 said. "Matters involving (Evans) have previously been before this committee resulting in a recommendation of disbarment. The committee finds that he has violated multiple rules of professional conduct involving multiple complainants, causing real and substantial injury to the complainants, the public and the legal system. The committee, therefore, recommends permanent disbarment."
The recommendation was signed Oct. 29 by Committee Chair Terrance E. McCay and was issued the following day. Attorney member Bradley J. Gadel and public member Richard A. Hinton concurred in the recommendation.
Evans was admitted to the bar in Louisiana on April 28, 1989, according to his profile at the Louisiana State Bar Association's website.
Evans was suspended by the state Supreme Court in late 2016 over alleged misconduct between 2005 and 2012.
Earlier in October, Evans received additional suspension time from the state Supreme Court over allegations arising from his representation in a custody dispute.
Hearing Committee No. 7's most recent recommendation was issued over allegations arising from four separate complaints filed with the office of disciplinary counsel by Evans' former clients. The committee found Evans violated professional conduct rules, including those regarding competent representation, failing to abide by a client's decision, diligence and promptness, failing to keep clients reasonably informed, failing to return unearned fees and entering into a prohibited business transaction with a client.
Evans dismissed one client's case without her knowledge, "acted dishonestly and failed to timely file the petition" on behalf of another client and "provided grossly incompetent legal services in a serious criminal matter," on behalf of a third client, the hearing committee's recommendation said. In the third client's matter, Evans' alleged misconduct resulted "in not only financial hardship but also a significant prison term" for the client, the recommendation said.