IN RE: Ali Zito SHIELDS (2018)

ON APPLICATION FOR REINSTATEMENT

This proceeding arises out of an application for reinstatement filed by petitioner, Ali Zito Shields, an attorney currently suspended from the practice of law in Louisiana.

UNDERLYING FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Petitioner instructed a client to sign petitioner's name on the attorney and notary lines of pleadings to be filed with a court, failed to return a client's file, failed to provide two clients with accountings, failed to refund unearned fees to two clients, and failed to cooperate with the Office of Disciplinary Counsel (“ODC”) in an investigation. For this misconduct, we suspended petitioner from the practice of law for one year and one day and ordered her to “refund in full the legal fees paid by” the two clients. In re:  Shields, 14-2473 (La. 2/27/15), 161 So.3d 614.

Petitioner subsequently filed an application for reinstatement with the disciplinary board, alleging she has complied with the reinstatement criteria set forth in Supreme Court Rule XIX, § 24(E). Included with petitioner's application were documents indicating that she refunded in full the legal fees paid by the two clients who were the subjects of her disciplinary proceeding. The ODC filed a notice concurring in petitioner's reinstatement. Accordingly, the matter was referred to the disciplinary board's adjudicative committee chair, who approved petitioner's petition for reinstatement and recommended the petition be granted.

After considering the record in its entirety, we will adopt the adjudicative committee chair's recommendation and reinstate petitioner to the practice of law.

DECREE

Upon review of the recommendation of the disciplinary board's adjudicative committee chair, and considering the record, it is ordered that Ali Zito Shields, Louisiana Bar Roll number 25247, be immediately reinstated to the practice of law in Louisiana. All costs of these proceedings are assessed against petitioner.

PER CURIAM