Section 12 - Additional Resources
Louisiana State Bar Association Services and Website
The Louisiana State Bar Association is located at: Louisiana State Bar Association
601 St. Charles Ave. • New Orleans, La. 70130 (800)421-5722 • (504)566-1600 •
LSBA.org
(985)778-0571 or toll-free (866)354-9334
Confidential Help for Lawyers and Judges
Have you ever wished that you could sit down and talk in complete confidence with someone about your law practice; someone whose drinking or drug problem may have been worse than yours; someone who can tell you what drinking or the use of drugs did to her practice, family and health; or perhaps just someone to listen with an understanding heart rather than with judgment and condemnation?
Have you ever thought what a relief it would be, without any cost whatsoever, to be able to talk frankly with just such a person — a person who is solving problems just like yours and is living happily and usefully in so doing?
Now you can by calling the Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program, Inc. hotline (see number above). Telephone anytime in confidence. J. E. “Buddy” Stockwell, Jr., the Judges and Lawyers’ Assistance Program Director, is avail- able to help.
jlap@louisianajlap.com.
The fund compensates clients who lose money or property due to their lawyers’ dishonest conduct. The fund can re- imburse clients up to a certain amount for thefts by a lawyer. For further information, contact Cheri Cotogno Grodsky, Louisiana State Bar Association, 601 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans, La. 70130, (504)566-1600 or (800)421-5722.
cgrodsky@lsba.org.
The Committee encourages ethical lawyer conduct by providing informal non-binding ethics opinions. For further in- formation, contact:
Eric K. Barefield, Ethics Counsel
Louisiana State Bar Association,
601 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans, La. 70130 (504)566-1600 or (800)421-5722, ext. 122
ebarefield@lsba.org
Richard P. Lemmler, Jr., Ethics Counsel
Louisiana State Bar Association
601 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans, LA 70130 504-619-0144 or (800)421-5722, ext. 144
rlemmler@lsba.org
Fastcase (online legal research)
Fastcase, a Web-based legal research program, is available free to members of the Louisiana State Bar Association. The program provides online access to millions of cases, statutes and regulations via the American Law Library. Users can search all jurisdictions at one time, resulting in the most often cited references from the database. Inquiries can be made using keywords, Boolean phrases and citations. Fastcase also features dual-column printing and hyperlinked citations. Access the program via the LSBA’s website, www.lsba.org/Member_Services/fastcase.asp.
Although most attorney-client relationships are concluded without fee disputes, disputes and controversies will occasionally arise regarding fees. The dispute may be between the lawyer and the client, or it may be between lawyers who have been involved in a case. Of course, such disputes could be resolved through the courts; however, there are alternatives to going to court which are intended to provide quick, low cost and confidential solutions.
The Louisiana State Bar Association sponsors one program for the resolution of legal fee disputes through impartial arbitration. Some local bar associations may sponsor similar programs and the LSBA encourages their use. In addition, several private organizations sponsor dispute resolution programs. For further information or assistance regarding the LSBA program, contact Shawn L. Holahan, Louisiana State Bar Association, 601 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans, La. 70130, (504)566-1600 or (800)421-5722, ext. 153.
Louisiana State Bar Association’s Website
www.lsba.org
Check the LSBA’s website for additional resources and services offered to members, including information on upcoming CLE programs.
The mission of the Practice Assistance and Improvement Committee is to serve the bar and the public in furtherance of the LSBA goals of prevention and correction of lawyer misconduct and assistance to victims of lawyer misconduct by evaluating, developing and providing effective alternatives to discipline programs for minor offenses, educational and practice assistance programs, and programs to resolve minor complaints and attorney-client disputes.
If you need assistance with your practice, contact Cheri Cotogno Grodsky, Associate Executive Director, or William N. King, Professional Programs Counsel, 601 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans, La. 70130, (504)566-1600 or (800)421-5722, or email cgrodsky@lsba.org or
bking@lsba.org.
If you have questions about the management and marketing of your office, the LPM Advisory Service can point you in the right direction.You may direct your inquiries to Shawn L. Holahan via email
shawn.holahan@lsba.org or by calling (504)619-0153.
Other Lawyer Resources
Gilsbar L.L.C.
The best way to protect yourself from losses is to prevent them in the first place. Gilsbar, under the auspices of the Malpractice Insurance Committee, offers a number of loss prevention programs specifically designed for attorneys. The Office of Loss Prevention can be contacted at:
Gilsbar L.L.C., Office of Loss Prevention
P.O. Box 998, Covington, La. 70434 • (985)898-1584 • fax (985)898-1636 • lossprevention@gilsbar.com • Gilsbar.com
American Bar Association
American Bar Association Service Center
541 N. Fairbanks Ct., Chicago, Ill. 60611-3314 • (312)988-5522 • abanet.org
American Bar Association Center for Professional Responsibility
The Center provides programs and educational materials to help all lawyers manage their practice ethically and professionally.
ABA Center for Professional Responsibility
541 N. Fairbanks Ct., Chicago, Ill. 60611-3314 • (312)988-5304 • ctrprofresp@abanet.org • abanet.org/cpr/
Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board
Ste. 310, 2800 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, La. 70002
(504)834-1488 • (800)489-8411 • fax (504)834-1449 • ladb@ladb.org • ladb.org
Office of Disciplinary Counsel
Charles B. Plattsmier, Chief Disciplinary Counsel
Ste. 607, 4000 S. Sherwood Forest Blvd., Baton Rouge, La. 70816 (225)293-3900 • (800)326-8022 • fax (225)293-3300
Louisiana Supreme Court
400 Royal Street, New Orleans, La. 70130 (504)568-5707 • lasc.org
Judiciary Commission of Louisiana
Office of Special Counsel
601 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans, La. 70130 • (504)568-8299 • OSC@lajas.org
Acknowledgments
The Louisiana State Bar Association gratefully acknowledges the contributions of the following authors, Reading Committee members, publications and organizations for materials contained in the guide:
2004 Authors
- Johanna G. Averill, Covington, La., Gilsbar L.L.C., Loss Prevention Counsel
- Cheri Cotogno Grodsky, New Orleans, La., Louisiana State Bar Association Associate Executive Director
- Lila Tritico Hogan, Hammond, La., Louisiana State Bar Association Practice Assistance and Improvement Committee
- William N. King, New Orleans, La., Louisiana State Bar Association Professional Programs Counsel
- Lindsey M. Ladouceur, New Orleans, La., Gilsbar L.L.C., Loss Prevention Counsel
- Fritz B. Ziegler, Covington, La., Louisiana State Bar Association Practice Assistance and Improvement Committee
2017 Authors
- Johanna G. Averill, Covington, La., Gilsbar L.L.C., Loss Prevention Counsel
- Eric K. Barefield, New Orleans, La., Louisiana State Bar Association Ethics Counsel
- Cheri Cotogno Grodsky, New Orleans, La., Louisiana State Bar Association Associate Executive Director
- Shawn L. Holahan, New Orleans, La., Louisiana State Bar Association Law Practice Management Counsel
- William N. King, New Orleans, La., Louisiana State Bar Association Professional Programs Counsel for Practice Assistance
- Lindsey M. Ladouceur, Abita Springs, La., Gilsbar L.L.C., Loss Prevention Counsel
- Richard P. Lemmler, Jr., New Orleans, La., Louisiana State Bar Association Ethics Counsel
- Ryan M. McCabe, New Orleans, La., Louisiana State Bar Association Practice Assistance and Improvement Committee
- Julie Brown White, Baton Rouge, La., Louisiana State Bar Association Practice Assistance and Improvement Committee
- Fritz B. Ziegler, Covington, La.
Organizations
- Gilsbar L.L.C., Office of Loss Prevention, Covington, La.
- Louisiana State Bar Association
- CNA Insurance Company
Publications
- The Ohio State Bar Association, Client Keeper, 1997, reprinted by permission.
- The Mississippi Bar, Client Relations, Forms, Letters & Useful Information, reprinted by permission.
- Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board, The Disciplinary Review, reprinted by permission.
2004 Reading Committee
- Brett A. Bonin
- Dana Marie Douglas
- E. Phelps Gay
- Charles B. Plattsmier
- Joseph L. “Larry” Shea, Jr.
- Richard C. Stanley
- James F. Willeford
- Christine Lipsey
- Carol M. Rider
2017 Reading Committee
- Johanna G. Averill
- Eric K. Barefield
- Dane S. Ciolino
- William N. King
- Lindsey M. Ladouceur
- Richard P. Lemmler, Jr.
- Charles B. Plattsmier
- Richard C. Stanley
Special Thanks
Special thanks to Gilsbar L.L.C. and CNA Insurance Company for providing funding for the Louisiana State Bar Association Practice Aid Guide.
• Barbara Baldwin, Production, Layout and Design