In Re: Sonya Eloyace Hall

Supreme Court of Louisiana
September 26, 2023
Chief Deputy Clerk of Court
For the Court
The Supreme Court of the State of Louisiana
IN RE: SONYA ELOYACE HALL
No. 2023-B-01081
_ _ _ _
_ _
IN
RE: Office of Disciplinary Counsel - Applicant Other; Sonya Eloyace Hall -
Applicant Other; Rule to Revoke Probation;
_ _ _ _ _ _
September 26, 2023
Joint motion for revocation of probation granted. See per curiam.
JDH
JLW
SJC
JTG
WJC
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PDG
09/26/2023 "See News Release 041 for any Concurrences and/or Dissents."

S
UPREME COURT OF LOUISIANA
NO. 20
23-B-1081
I
N RE: SONYA ELOYACE HALL
AT
TORNEY DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS
P
ER CURIAM
Th
is disciplinary matter arises from a motion for revocation of probation filed
jointly by the Office of Disciplinary Counsel (“ODC”) and respondent, Sonya
Eloyace Hall, based upon respondent’s violation of the conditions of her probation
imposed in In re: Hall, 21-1389 (La. 12/21/21), 329 So. 3d 281 (“Hall I”).
U
NDERLYING FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY
The record in Hall I established that respondent mishandled her client trust
account and failed to cooperate with the ODC’s investigation. Following the filing
of formal charges, respondent and the ODC submitted a joint petition for consent
discipline, proposing that respondent be suspended from the practice of law for one
year and one day, with all but thirty days deferred, followed by a two-year period of
probation with conditions. The court accepted the petition for consent discipline on
December 21, 2021. The court’s opinion specifically provided that “[a]ny failure of
respondent to comply with the conditions of probation, or any misconduct during
the probationary period, may be grounds for making the deferred portion of the
suspension executory, or imposing additional discipline, as appropriate.”
Respondent was reinstated to the practice of law effective January 24, 2022.
She and the ODC executed a two- year probation agreement on February 7, 2022.
The probation agreement provided, in pertinent part, that respondent shall:
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1. Promptly respond to all requests by and make
herself reasonably available for conferences with
the Office of Disciplinary Counsel (“ODC”);
***
6. On a quarterly basis (periods ending March 31 st,
June 30th, September 30th, and December 31st) and
at her expense , submit her c lient trust account to
audits by an Office of D isciplinary Counsel
approved accountant and provide the ODC with
written audit reports and supporting documentation
in a form and manner approved by the ODC no later
than 5:00 p.m. on April 30th, July 30th, October 30th,
and January 30th;
***
7. Attend an additional twelve (12) hours of
continuing legal education over the course of the
two-year probationary period, with six (6) hours in
the first year of proba tion and six (6) hours in the
second year of probation. All twelve (12) hours
must have an emphasis on proper acco unting
practices, small firm pr actice, law office
management, and/or ethics. These hours are in
addition to the standard 12. 5 hours of annual,
mandatory continuing legal education; [and]
***
9. Acknowledge that any violation of the Rules of
Professional Conduct and/or this Probation
Agreement may result in summary revocation of her
probation and mak ing the defe rred suspension
executory and/or may re sult in the imposition of
additional discipline as appropriate.

On August 4, 2023, the parties filed the instant joint motion. In the motion,
the parties stipulate that respondent is not in compliance with paragraphs one and
six of the probation agreement because the documentation she submitted with her
trust account audits for the periods ending March 31, 2022 and June 30, 2022 was
insufficient or nonresponsive. Respondent did not respond to the ODC’s efforts to
obtain the required documentation. Furthermore, respondent failed to provide trust
account audits for the periods ending September 30, 2022, December 31, 2022,
March 31, 2023, and June 30, 2023.
The parties further stipulate that respondent is not in compliance with
paragraphs one and seven of the probation agreement because respondent failed to
assist the ODC in accessing her continuing legal education transcript through a faulty

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link respondent provided. When the ODC independently obtained respondent’s
continuing legal education transcript for 2022 from the Louisiana State Bar
Association, it showed that respondent failed to attend the additional six hours in
courses “with an emphasis on proper accounting practices, small firm practice, law
office management, and/or ethics.”
Under these circumstances, the parties agree that r espondent has failed to
comply with the terms of her probation. Accordingly, they ask the court to revoke
her probation and make the previously-deferred portion of the one year and one day
suspension imposed in Hall I executory, which will require respondent to apply for
reinstatement to the practice of law pursuant to Supreme Court Rule XIX, § 24.

DISCUSSION
Respondent recognizes that she has violated several conditions of her
probation. She has, therefore, consented to having her probation revoked and having
the previously-deferred portion of the one year and one day suspension imposed in
Hall I made executory.
Therefore, we will revoke respondent’s probation and make the previou sly-
deferred portion of the one year and one day suspension imposed in Hall I executory.

DECREE
For the reasons assigned, respondent’s probation is revoked and the
previously-deferred portion of the one year and one day suspension imposed in In
re: Hall , 21 -1389 (La. 12/21/21), 329 So. 3d 281 , is hereby made immediately
executory. All costs and expenses in the matter are assessed against respondent,
Sonya Eloyance Hall , Louisiana Bar Roll number 25323 , in accordance with
Supreme Court Rule XIX, § 10.1, with legal interest to commence thirty days from
the date of finality of this court’s judgment until paid.