La. Court Disbars Lawyer for Diverting Funds, Rejects ADHD Defense

A Baton Rouge, La., lawyer who claimed his judgment was impaired by Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder has been disbarred for diverting $50,000 in settlement funds from his law firm.

The Louisiana Supreme Court said there was no evidence that ADHD caused the misconduct by Baton Rouge lawyer John Sharp, and it refused to consider the condition as a mitigating factor, according to 2theadvocate.com.

Sharp had been managing partner with the Baton Rouge law firm of Sharp, Henry, Cerniglia, Colvin, Weaver and Hymel. The Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board claimed Sharp took about $50,000 in attorney fees from a settlement without reporting it to his partners, but later repaid the money.

Sharp was general counsel for Dixie Electric Membership Corp., where he earned about $400,000 last year, and the town attorney for Walker, the story says.