In Re: Michael Thomas Joseph, Jr.

Supreme Court of Louisiana
October 04, 2022
Chief Deputy Clerk of Court
For the Court
The Supreme Court of the State of Louisiana
IN RE: MICHAEL THOMAS JOSEPH, JR.
No. 2022-B-01279
_ _ _ _
_ _
IN R
E: Office of Disciplinary Counsel - Applicant Other; Joint Petition for Consent
Discipline;
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October 04, 2022
Joint petition for consent discipline accepted. See per curiam.
Crichton, J., would reject consent discipline as too lenient.
Genovese, J., would reject consent discipline as too lenient.
McCallum, J., would reject consent discipline as too lenient.
JLW
JDH
WJC
PDG
10/04/2022 "See News Release 043 for any Concurrences and/or Dissents."

S
UPREME COURT OF LOUISIANA
NO. 2
022-B-1279
I
N RE: MICHAEL THOMAS JOSEPH, JR.
AT
TORNEY DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS
P
ER CURIAM
T he Office of Disciplinary Counsel (“ODC”) commenced an investigation
into allegations that respondent mishandled his client trust account, resulting in
multiple instances of commingling and conversion of client funds, failed to abide by
a disciplinary board order to attend the Louisiana State Bar Association’s Trust
Accounting School, failed to reduce cont ingency fee agreements to writing, and
failed to cooperate with the ODC in its investigation. Following the filing of formal
charges, respondent and the ODC submitted a joint petition for consent discipline in
which respondent admitted to violating Rules 1.5(c), 1.15(a)(b)(f), 3.4(c), 8.1(c), and
8.4(c) of the Rules of Professional Conduct. Having reviewed the petition,
IT IS ORDERED that the Petition for Consent Discipline be accepted and that
Michael Thomas Joseph, Jr., Louisiana Bar Roll number 32880, be suspended from
the practice of law for a period of eighteen months, with six months deferred,
followed by a one-year period of probation subject to the conditions set forth in the
petition for consent discipline. The probationary period shall commence from the
date respondent and the ODC execute a formal probation plan. Any failure of
respondent to comply with the conditions of probation, or a ny misconduct during
the probationary period, may be grounds for making the deferred suspension
executory, or imposing additional discipline, as appropriate.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that all costs and expenses in the matter are
assessed against respondent in accordance with Supreme Court Rule XIX, § 10.1,
10/04/22

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with legal interest to commence thirty days from the date of finality of this court’s
judgment until paid.