BATON ROUGE, La. – Lake Charles attorney Benji J. Istre has chosen to give up his law license rather than face disbarment, as confirmed by the Louisiana Supreme Court. The court approved Istre’s request for permanent resignation instead of disciplinary action. Istre made this decision in response to charges of serious attorney misconduct, including neglecting client matters, failure to communicate with clients, and refusal to cooperate in a disciplinary investigation. The Office of Disciplinary Counsel of the Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board was handling the investigation. As a result of the court’s decision, Istre is permanently prohibited from practicing law in Louisiana or any other jurisdiction, including seeking readmission or admission to the practice of law.
Giving up his law license was the chosen course of action for Istre after facing allegations of neglecting his clients, failing to communicate with them, and refusing to cooperate with an investigation. The Louisiana Supreme Court accepted his request for permanent resignation in lieu of disciplinary action, permanently barring him from practicing law in any jurisdiction. Istre will not be able to seek readmission or admission to the practice of law.