In Re: Timmy James Fontenot

Summary

The court found that respondent committed multiple intentional and knowing violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct by settling clients’ claims without consent, forging settlement documents, misleading the clients, delaying disbursement of settlement proceeds, failing to memorialize a contingent-fee agreement, and making prohibited cash withdrawals from a trust account. Given the intentional deception, substantial harm, prior discipline involving misrepresentation, and five-year deprivation of settlement funds, the court imposed disbarment without deviating from the baseline sanction. The court also assessed the costs and expenses of the proceeding against respondent.