A Baton Rouge federal judge has ordered Walter Dumas, whose voluntary resignation from the practice of law was approved yesterday, to comply with an IRS investigation.
U.S. District Judge James Brady signed the compliance order the same day that the Louisiana Supreme Court accepted Dumas’ petition, ending his law career. His resignation came as the Office of Disciplinary Counsel was investigating allegations of misconduct involving conversion of client and third-party funds.
Dumas is now permanently barred from practicing law in Louisiana or any other jurisdiction, and cannot seek readmission. He previously was suspended from practice for a year in 2002 for commingling client and third-party funds, and was also reprimanded in 1987 and 1996 for other charges.
Motions filed in federal court in January indicate that Dumas—whose term on the Southern University Board of Supervisors ended in December 2014—has failed to comply with three summonses from an IRS investigator dating back to April 2015. According to an affidavit from IRS revenue officer Brent Schouest and copies of the summonses, the agency is investigating the attorney’s failure to file tax returns for himself and Dumas Law Firm from 2010 to 2013. Dumas met with Schouest on May 5 and again on June 18 of last year, but did not provide the documents sought by the IRS at either session, the affidavit alleges.
Brady’s order follows the filing of a joint motion by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Dumas—who is representing himself—calling for Dumas to meet with the IRS on April 14 and again on June 1 to provide the financial records in question, including bank statements, cancelled checks, stocks and bonds, property deeds and other documents.
—Penny Font
