CHARLESTON, S.C. — The South Carolina Supreme Court has revoked the law license of Louis S. Moore, citing numerous client complaints accusing him of misappropriating funds and failing to return legal fees. The court issued the disbarment order on May 14, following an interim suspension that began in 2019 due to eight separate complaints received by the Office of Disciplinary Counsel.
Moore faced multiple allegations that span from September 2018 to February 2019. Among the most significant accusations were claims that he took at least $31,000 from four heirs in an inheritance matter, neglected to pay a process server, and failed to expunge a nurse’s criminal record essential for her employment. Despite promising to reimburse clients, by December 2024, he still had not paid them back.
Under the terms of the disbarment agreement, both Moore and the justices consented to the license revocation, although the court opted not to count the nearly five years he had already spent on suspension toward this decision. The specifics of the agreement were not disclosed in the court’s order.
Four of the complaints against Moore involved cases in which he represented clients without proper fee agreements. He allegedly collected approximately $63,000 from an estate for the heirs but is accused of improperly diverting around half of that amount for his personal use. Investigators found that Moore neither maintained proper accounting records nor responded to communications from the court regarding these allegations.
In a separate case, a Georgia woman claimed that Moore’s inaction had negatively affected her prospects for employment. She retained his services for $600 with the understanding that he would facilitate the dismissal and expungement of her criminal case, a requirement for obtaining a nursing license tied to a job offer. Moore assured her that the process would take just two weeks, yet the matter extended for months without resolution, prompting her to file a complaint with the Supreme Court.
Additional complaints highlighted his failure to reimburse clients after disputes over his legal fees, as well as accusations of not paying several hundred dollars owed to a process server. Moore attributed these issues to ongoing financial difficulties, which he claimed obstructed him from settling his debts with clients and associates.
Moore’s history of financial challenges includes prior disciplinary actions. The court noted that he had previously faced scrutiny in 2013, when special conditions were imposed on his legal practice. In 2009, he received a one-year suspension after admitting to mishandling a real estate transaction, and in 2011, he was suspended for 90 days for utilizing his firm’s account for personal banking, claiming that no bank would assist him due to poor credit.
Moore’s disbarment serves as a stark reminder of the consequences that can arise from ethical breaches within the legal community, reflecting the standards expected from practitioners to uphold their clients’ interests.
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