NEW ORLEANS (Louisiana Record) — The fully deferred suspension of Covington attorney Christa Hayes Forrester has been made executory following an Oct. 15 Louisiana Supreme Court attorney disciplinary proceeding after she allegedly failed to comply probation conditions handed down last year.
In its six-page disciplinary proceeding, the court accepted a Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board recommendation, granted a motion to revoke Forrester's probation and made the previously-deferred six-month suspension immediately executory.
The high court also ordered Forrester to pay all costs and expenses in the matter, plus legal interest.
"A review of the record reveals that [Forrester] has not complied with the requirements of her probation agreement that she attend the Louisiana State Bar Association's ethics school, promptly respond to all requests by the office of disciplinary counsel, and comply with all bar membership requirements," the disciplinary proceeding said. "In order to protect the public, we believe it is necessary to revoke respondent's probation and impose the previously-deferred suspension."
Forrester was admitted to the bar in Louisiana on Oct. 29, 2010, according to her profile at the Louisiana State Bar Association's website.
Forrester received a fully deferred suspension following a Supreme Court attorney disciplinary proceeding issued in March 2018 over allegations arising from a single client matter. At the time the court accepted a joint petition for consent discipline reached between Forrester and the office of disciplinary counsel.
In the joint petition, Forrester acknowledged that she neglected a legal matter and failed to communicate with her client.
This past July the office of disciplinary counsel filed a motion for a ruling to revoke Forrester's probation, alleging she failed to comply with probation conditions "despite numerous reminders" by the state bar, the disciplinary proceeding said.
"During her probationary period, [Forrester] was also rendered ineligible to practice law for failure to pay her bar dues and the disciplinary assessment," the disciplinary proceeding said.
A new disciplinary complaint also was filed against Forrester in January, to which she has failed to respond nor did not appear at a hearing in August, according to the disciplinary proceeding. Forrester subsequently paid her bar dues and fees but remains ineligible for failing to complete her mandatory continuing legal education requirements.