NEW ORLEANS (Louisiana Record) — Disbarred Shreveport attorney Murray Neil Salinas faces a more difficult time being reinstated after a Sept. 24 Louisiana Supreme Court attorney disciplinary proceeding that found him guilty of additional charges.
In its eight-page disciplinary proceeding, the court adjudged Salinas guilty of having violated professional conduct rules regarding diligence and failures to return unearned fees and cooperate with disciplinary authorities in two client matters. The additional violations since his disbarment "shall be considered in the event he seeks readmission after becoming eligible to do so," the disciplinary proceeding said. The court also ordered Salinas to pay all costs and expenses.
Salinas was admitted to the bar in Louisiana on Oct. 10, 2003, according to his profile at the Louisiana State Bar Association's website.
In previous disciplines he was admonished in 2013 for failing to cooperate with the office of disciplinary counsel in its investigation of a complaint, according to the disciplinary proceeding.
Salinas was disbarred following an October 2016 Supreme Court attorney disciplinary proceeding over allegations in eight separate matters that included failures to return unearned fees, communicate with clients, return client files and cooperate with the ODC investigation. The court also ordered Salinas to pay restitution to his former clients in those matters.
In the more recent charges against him, Salinas did not file an answer and the charges were deemed admitted, according to the proceeding.
In June a Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board (LADB) hearing committee recommended the additional charges against Salinas be considered in any request for readmission The hearing committee noted that Salinas already is disbarred and "we can impose no real sanction on" him.
Neither Salinas nor the office of disciplinary counsel filed an objection to the hearing committee's report and recommendation, according to the disciplinary proceeding.
"As such, in the absence of an objection from either party, we agree with the hearing committee that [Salinas] should be adjudged guilty of additional rule violations instead of imposing an additional sanction," the proceeding noted. "Accordingly, we will adopt the committee's recommendation and adjudge [Salinas] guilty of additional rule violations to be considered when and if he applies for readmission to the practice of law."