NEW ORLEANS (Louisiana Record) — Kenner attorney Jaymeski Shuntai Pullins-Gorham faces possible probation following a recommendation issued June 11 by a Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board (LADB) hearing committee over alleged trust account irregularities.
In its 11-page recommendation, LADB hearing committee No. 8 recommended that the Louisiana Supreme Court hand down a fully deferred six-month suspension against Pullins-Gorham, subject to a year's conditional probation. Conditions would include Pullins-Gorham's submission to "regular audits," continuing legal education in the area of law office/client trust account management and completing the state bar's trust accounting program, the recommendation said.
The hearing committee also recommended that Pullins-Gorham be ordered to pay all costs in the matter.
Pullins-Gorham was alleged to have violated professional conduct rules, including those regarding safekeeping of client or third party property, performing trust account reconciliation and engaging in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation.
The recommendation was signed June 10 by committee chair Terrance A. Prout and was issued the following day. Attorney member Darryl J. Foster and public member Vickie E. Shreves concurred in the recommendation.
Pullins-Gorham was admitted to the bar in Louisiana on Oct. 23, 2008, according to her profile at the Louisiana State Bar Association’s website. No prior discipline before the state bar is listed in Pullins-Gorham's profile and a search of the LADB's online database of disciplinary decisions and rulings also turned up no prior record of discipline
Allegations against Pullins-Gorham stem from an August 2016 overdraft notice on the attorney's client trust account reported to the office of disciplinary counsel, prompting an investigation, according to the hearing committee's recommendation. Pullins-Gorham alleged the overdraft was caused by her attempt to issue a refund to a former client and that she didn't put enough money in her trust account.
"By failing to deposit the correct amount into her trust account, and then failing to properly disburse those funds, [Pullins-Gorham] exercised improper dominion and control over the funds belonging to her client," the recommendation said.
The investigation also turned up "an additional instance of conversion" relating to $500 in funds belonging to another client, the recommendation said.