Friday, March 20, 2020

View on the Campaign

Judge Lance M. Africk Lance M. Africk received a Bachelor of Arts and Laws degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1973, and his Jurist Doctorate degree from the University of North Carolina Law School at Chapel Hill in 1975. Following a judicial clerkship, and several years in private practice, Judge Africk served as the Chief of the Career Criminal Bureau for the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s office and the Chief of the Criminal Division for the United States Attorney’s office in . In 1990, he was appointed a United States Magistrate Judge. On April 17, 2002, he was confirmed as a United States District Judge for the Eastern District of . Judge Africk is an adjunct professor of law at Law School and former president of the Allstate Sugar Bowl. He currently serves on the 5th Circuit Committee on Criminal Pattern Jury Instructions. Judge Africk was also a reviewing author for Moore's Federal Practice/Criminal Procedure Chapters, Third Edition. Judge Africk was appointed by Chief Justice Rehnquist to the Judicial Conference Committee on Criminal Law and he was reappointed to that committee by Chief Justice Roberts, his term ended on October 1, 2011. He was inducted into the Louisiana Justice Hall of Fame in July, 2011.

Judge Jane Triche Milazzo Jane Triche Milazzo was sworn in as a United States District Court Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana on October 12, 2011. Judge Milazzo was nominated by President Obama on March 13, 2011 and was unanimously confirmed by the on October 11, 2011. Judge Milazzo graduated from Nicholls State University in 1977, and taught elementary school for several years. In 1986, she went to work for her father as his legal assistant and eventually found her way to law school. She graduated from LSU Law School in 1992. After graduation, she immediately went into practice with her family, Law Offices of Risley Triche, LLC, where she engaged in a general practice. In 2008, Judge Milazzo was elected to the 23rd Judicial District Court without opposition. She was the first female elected to that position. During her years in private practice, Judge Milazzo was active in several legal organizations and served as president of both the Assumption Parish Bar Association and the Twenty-Third Judicial Bar Association. She was also a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association House of Delegates where she served as a member of the Legislative Committee and as chair in 2007. As a state district judge she served on the executive committee of the District Judges Association. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the New Orleans Federal Bar Association. Judge Milazzo is married to John Milazzo, Jr. and has four children, Richard Perque, Anne Perque Schmidt, Jerome Perque and K. Joseph Perque, Jr. and two step-children, Jack Milazzo and Jennifer Milazzo Bailey; they have four grandchildren. She is the daughter of the late Risley “Pappy” and Clara Triche of Napoleonville.

Jordan Ginsberg, Assistant U.S. Attorney-Eastern District of Louisiana

William M. Ross William M. Ross is a member of Stanley, Reuter, Ross, Thornton & Alford, LLC. He practices primarily in the areas of legal ethics and malpractice, judicial ethics, commercial litigation, and civil appeals in the state and federal courts of Louisiana. Mr. Ross graduated summa cum laude from Southeastern Louisiana University in his hometown of Hammond, Louisiana, in 1997. Mr. Ross went on to earn his J.D. from Tulane Law School in 2000, where he graduated summa cum laude first in his class and was inducted into the Order of the Coif. While in law school at Tulane, Mr. Ross served as a Managing Editor of the Tulane Law Review, worked as a Research Assistant for Professor A.N. Yiannopoulos, and received awards in Criminal Law, Civil Procedure, Legal Profession, Obligations I, Obligations II, and Remedies.After graduation from law school in 2000, Mr. Ross joined Stanley, Flanagan & Reuter as an associate lawyer. He was elected to membership in the firm effective in 2008 and is a former Managing Member of the firm.Mr. Ross is also a frequent lecturer and presenter on issues of legal ethics at continuing legal education programs sponsored by organizations such as the American Bar Association, the Louisiana State Bar Association, the New Orleans Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, the New Orleans Bar Association, the Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel, and the Louisiana Association for Justice.

Sharonda R. Williams Sharonda Williams serves as Special Counsel with Fishman Haygood following a distinguished career in public service and private practice. Sharonda served as City Attorney for the City of New Orleans from May 2013- November 2015. As City Attorney, Sharonda was the lead attorney handling the most comprehensive police consent decree in the history of the United States. At the same time, she represented the City in another consent decree aimed at reforming the Orleans Parish Jail, which was then-recognized as one of the worst prisons in America. Both of those consent decrees required Sharonda to engage in negotiations with the United States Department of Justice on a near daily basis. Sharonda also was the lead attorney representing the City in settling a more than 30- year dispute relating to back pay and pension issues for the New Orleans Firefighters. Sharonda had served as Chief Deputy City Attorney from October 2011 until May 2013. Prior to joining the City of New Orleans legal staff, Sharonda was a partner in the general litigation section of major New Orleans law firm, where she handled cases ranging from construction disputes, medical malpractice, insurance coverage disputes, entertainment law contract negotiations, intellectual property licensing issues, and bankruptcy adversary proceedings. Before her career as an attorney, Sharonda attended the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, and she worked as a research laboratory technician there and at the Duke University School of Medicine. She graduated summa cum laude from Xavier University New Orleans in 1994, and earned her law degree from Loyola University New Orleans School of Law in 2001, where she was a member of Loyola Law Review. Sharonda is very active in legal and community organizations on the local and statewide level. She served as Chair of the Judiciary Commission of Louisiana from 2010-2011, and was also appointed to the Planning Committees for the National Association of Women Judges Conference in 2013 and the appellate Judges Educational Institute in for the 2012 Summit. Sharonda has served as President of the Board of Bridge House, and was a Grace House Women of Substance Honoree in 2009. Sharonda was also honored as Loyola University’s Young Alumna of the Year in 2011, and she was also recognized as an Honoree at the Greater New Orleans Urban League Gala in 2011. She served as past president of the Louis A. Martinet Legal Society, Inc., from 2006-2007 and earned the organization’s prestigious A.P. Tureaud Award in 2014. She was also a member of the inaugural class of the Norman C. Francis Leadership Institute from 2012-2014, and has also served on the Board of Directors of the American Civil Liberties Union. In 2010, she was locally recognized by Gambit Weekly as a “40 under 40” honoree. She was also one of the City Business Women of the Year Honorees in 2011. Sharonda has served as a Trial Advocacy Instructor at Tulane University School of Law, and also as a guest lecturer and Skills Course Instructor at Loyola University College of Law, New Orleans. She regularly lectures on the state and national level at seminars and continuing education events.

View from the Bench

Judge Jay C. Zainey Honorable Jay C. Zainey was appointed by President George W. Bush to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana on February 19, 2002. He is the past President of the Louisiana State Bar Association. As State Bar Association President, he created the Community Action Committee and the Committee to Provide Legal Services for the Disabled. These two committees are purportedly the first of their kind in the nation. Jay is a 1969 graduate of Jesuit High School, and serves on the Board of Visitors of the Ave Maria Law School. Jay is co-founder of SOLACE, a Louisiana State Bar Association program, which provides services to members of the legal community and their families who experience tragedies, and who otherwise have special needs. In May 2004, Jay organized the Homeless Experience Legal Protection (H.E.L.P.) Program. In this program, over 450 attorneys provide legal consultation services and notary services at five homeless centers in New Orleans. He assisted in developing a Homeless Court in New Orleans, and is assisting in developing Veterans Courts in Jefferson Parish, St. Tammany Parish, Terrebonne Parish, Lafourche Parish and in Federal Court. Jay has also worked with the Louisiana State Bar Association Committee to Provide Legal Services for the Disabled in providing pro bono legal services to people with disabilities and their families, and has assisted Tulane Law School develop its Disability Law Society, one of the first of its kind in the country. In October, 2004 Jay and his wife Joy founded the God’s Special Children Program. The program includes a monthly mass for people with special needs, their families and friends. Jay and Joy co-founded St. Andrew’s Village, a faith-based long term living community for adults with disabilities. St. Andrew's Village will provide a loving environment for many of God’s special angels. Jay proudly serves as President of the Board of St. Andrew’s Village. Besides serving as president of the Louisiana State Bar Association, Jay is also past president of the Jefferson Bar Association, Former Chair of the Pro Bono Project, Former member of the New Orleans Chapter of the Executive Board of the Federal Bar Association, and is Past-President of the Judge John C. Boutall American Inn of Court. He also served on the American Bar Association’s Task Force, and has written a chapter in “Lawyer’s Working to End Homelessness,” a book published by the American Bar Association’s Commission on Homelessness and Poverty. He served in the United States Air Force Reserves from 1970-1976. In 2011, Chief Justice John Roberts appointed Judge Zainey to serve on the Judiciary Commission Codes of Conduct Committee.

Saturday, March 21, 2020

View from the Inside

Judge , USDC – EDLA Born 1961 in New Orleans, LA Federal Judicial Service: Judge, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana Nominated by Donald J. Trump on January 23, 2019, to a seat vacated by . Confirmed by the Senate on May 16, 2019, and received commission on May 29, 2019. Education: Sam Houston State University, B.A., 1982 Tulane University Law School, J.D., 1986 Professional Career: Assistant district attorney, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, 1987-1992; deputy chief of trials, 1989-1990; chief of trials, 1990-1992 Private practice, New Orleans, Louisiana, 1992-1993 Roman Catholic Church of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, 2012-2019; project director, 2012-2013; general counsel, 2013-2019

Judge Michael B. North Judge Michael North was sworn in as Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana on March 1, 2014. Judge North attended Jesuit High School in New Orleans and received a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Louisiana State University in 1987 and a J.D. from Tulane Law School, where he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Tulane Law Review and graduated first in his class. Magistrate Judge North spent 16 years in private litigation practice, handling and trying cases in state and federal courts throughout the country in diverse areas of the law, including products liability, commercial litigation, labor and employment, maritime, and insurance coverage and casualty matters.

Lisa M. Africk Lisa Africk has represented Crescent Drilling for many years and recently made the move to become our general counsel. Formerly a partner at a national firm, she brings a broad industry background and technical knowledge to Crescent. Her familiarity with our client base and operations enables her to respond to our day-to-day legal needs and can assist and guide us regarding matters and events requiring legal input or action. Ms. Africk is especially knowledgeable regarding the use of consultants, is familiar with many of the support services involved in the operations and management of offshore and land-based oil and gas drilling projects, and is skilled at drafting and negotiating the various contracts with which Crescent is presented. She brings with her years of experience representing clients involved in Title VII and other employment-related issues and claims, insurance defense, insurance coverage, personal injury and fatality matters. Ms. Africk has a masters’ degree in social work and a juris doctor degree, both from Tulane, and is licensed to practice law in the State of Louisiana. She has served on a number of local boards and remains involved in the New Orleans legal and business communities.

Endya Delpit Endya Delpit began working for Entergy Services, Inc., in 2001 in the litigation group but left after her family was displaced by Hurricane Katrina. During her break in service, she worked at ExxonMobil where she handled commercial transactions in the upstream and downstream organizations and served on the pro bono committee. In 2017, she rejoined the company and now works in commercial transactions. She has also worked closely with Entergy’s new innovation efforts and serves as the advisor to the company’s leadership regarding political contributions. Delpit earned her Juris Doctor from the Southern University Law Center where she was editor-in- chief of the law review. She earned a bachelor's degree in journalism from Howard University.

Cory Vidal Cory Vidal serves as Vice President and Corporate Counsel for Hancock Whitney Bank. His practice is concentrated primarily in commercial lending, but also includes real estate, general contracts, and regulatory issues. Mr. Vidal served as In-House Counsel and Loan Documentation Manager for Fidelity Bank from March 2014 to September 2017. In this role, Mr. Vidal was responsible for managing all of the organization’s legal affairs and providing counsel to the CEO, executive team and Board of Directors on a broad range of business, strategic and risk management considerations.

View on the Proof

Judge Karen Wells Roby, USDC – EDLA Judge Roby is the Chief United States Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana. She has served on the court for twenty-one (21) years where she serves on the court’s technology committee. She has been active in the American Bar Association during her tenure on the bench and has served in various leadership roles and was responsible for the success of the Diverse Leaders Academy and the Professional Success Summit (PSS). The PSS gathered diverse leaders for three (3) days to train future leaders in the areas of marketing, branding and networking. Additionally, Judge Roby served in 2012 as President of the Federal Magistrate Judges Association (“FMJA”), a national organization of over 600 U.S. Magistrate Judges across the country. As President of the Association she worked to secure pay raises for all active and recently retired federal magistrate judges. She is a graduate of Tulane Law School and Xavier University. Judge Roby serves on the Dean’s Advisory Board of Tulane Law School and an Adjunct Professor. She teaches a course on E-Discovery and Digital Evidence. Judge Roby was the chair of the Tulane Law School’s Black Alumni Reunion held in February 2019. As chair of the reunion committee, Judge Roby also was the visionary for the Tulane’s BLA Newsletter, which was first launched after the reunion and now issues quarterly. Judge Roby recently joined other notables at the Georgetown Advanced E-Discovery Institute where she did an eDTalk on Diversity on the E-Team highlighting the importance of diversity on the E-Discovery. Her commitment to the community is unsurpassed. She was integral in saving her high school, has served as the coordinating judge over a pipeline program in New Orleans for the last nine (9) years, and as a mentor to area young female lawyers where she hosts a quarterly round table to discuss issues of interest and dispenses sage advice on career goals and challenges.

Brittany L. Reed, Assistant US Attorney – EDLA

Judge Carl J. Barbier Carl J. Barbier currently serves as a judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana in New Orleans. Judge Barbier took the oath of office on October 12, 1998. Prior to taking the bench, Judge Barbier was a practicing attorney in New Orleans since 1971, primarily representing plaintiffs, consumers and small businesses in civil litigation. He earned his law degree cum laude in 1970 from Loyola School of Law, where he was associate editor of the Loyola Law Review. He served as law clerk to Judge William Redmann, Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal, and to Judge Fred Cassibry, U. S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana. Judge Barbier is a past president of the New Orleans Bar Association and formerly served as president of the Thomas More Inn of Court. He is currently on the Board of the Federal Bar Association, New Orleans Chapter. Judge Barbier is a past president of Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association, a past member of the House of Delegates of the Louisiana State Bar Association, and a fellow of the Louisiana Bar Foundation. In addition, Judge Barbier is a member of the board of directors of the Loyola Law Alumni Association.

Roy Cheatwood Roy C. Cheatwood is a member of the Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, Strategic Planning Committee and is a former member of the Firm's board of directors. Mr. Cheatwood is also the former managing shareholder of the Firm's New Orleans and Mandeville offices. He concentrates his practice in the areas of commercial litigation, including construction, contract, banking, corporate and securities, anti-trust and unfair trade practices, trade secrets, oil and gas, energy and minerals, and legal malpractice. He has represented high profile individuals on various liability issues. Mr. Cheatwood represents local, national and international concerns in complex commercial matters before trial and appellate courts and regulatory authorities. He also represents clients in various forms of alternative dispute resolution and has been selected to arbitrate disputes for other litigants.

Wanda A. Davis Wanda Anderson Davis was born in Lutcher, Louisiana in 1959. Mrs. Davis received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Broadcast Journalism from Louisiana State University in 1981. Thereafter, she graduated cum laude from Southern University Law School in 1985. She immediately relocated to Washington, D.C., where she was one of twelve lawyers selected from across the United States to represent the United States Department of Labor. A year later, Mrs. Davis moved to New Orleans, Louisiana and represented the Regional Transit Authority in personal injury litigation and corporate law. Mrs. Davis then joined the firm of Berrigan, Danielson, Litchfield, Olsen and Schonekas as a trial attorney. Mrs. Davis was solicited to join the Law Offices of Ronald Ronzello in 1987 where she worked for almost ten years and achieved senior trial attorney status with special emphasis in personal injury litigation, corporate law and commercial litigation. Mrs. Davis joined the firm of Leefe, Gibbs, Sullivan & Dupré as a member in November of 2002, and handles various kinds of cases, but her primary emphasis is in the area of defense litigation, corporate law and commercial litigation. She is licensed to practice law in the State of Louisiana and the Federal Courts of the United States. Mrs. Davis argued cases before all levels of courts in the state of Louisiana, including the Louisiana Supreme Court. Mrs. Davis has attended the Defense Counsel Trial Academy in Boulder, Colorado. Mrs. Davis is a member of many professional organizations. She has been a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association since 1985, where she has served in many capacities and was the Chairperson of the Minority Involvement Section of the Bar from 1995 to 1998. In 1996, Mrs. Davis was appointed by the Louisiana Supreme Court to serve as a Disciplinary Hearing Committee Member to discipline fellow attorneys for ethical violations. From 1992 to 1994, she served as the Chairman of the Board for the Louisiana Center for Legal and Civic Education.

Duane Evans, Assistant US Attorney – EDLA

View From State Court – Hot Button Topics

Rico Alvendia Roderick “Rico” Alvendia is a founding partner of Alvendia, Kelly & Demarest, LLC. Rico was born in 1970 in New Orleans, LA. Although he was born and raised primarily in New Orleans, Rico traveled internationally as he was growing up while his Father, Ernesto M. Alvendia, served as a Diplomat for the Philippines. In fact, he attended Jesuit High School in the Philippines from 1984 to 1987, where he also witnessed firsthand the historic Filipino Peaceful Revolution in 1987. In 1994 Rico graduated with high honors from Loyola University, New Orleans, with a Bachelors Degree in Political Science. At the same time, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the US Army Reserves. In 1994, he was awarded an academic scholarship to Loyola University Law School in New Orleans. As a student at Loyola Law School, he excelled in the Moot Court Program and earned a spot as a member of Loyola’s renowned National Moot Court Team. He earned his law degree from Loyola in 1998 and immediately passed the Louisiana Bar exam. He, with his partners, started the Law Firm of Alvendia, Kelly, and Demarest, LLC in 2003. While he gained valuable experience in trying over 150 civil and criminal trials in both State in Federal Court, Rico was also recruited into the US Army Reserve JAG Corps. In 2004, he was mobilized in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom for 18 months with the Louisiana National Guard’s 256th Infantry Brigade. In Iraq, he was promoted to the rank of Major. While in downtown Baghdad, Rico was part of an international team of lawyers who assisted Iraqi prosecutors in the criminal trials of over 300 insurgents. His efforts resulted in the 1st successful prosecution of an Iraqi for the murder of a U.S. soldier. He was awarded the Bronze Star for his service during combat operations. After returning to the U.S. from Iraq in the Fall of 2005, Rico and his partners were immediately faced with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. After opening its Downtown New Orleans office, Rico, and his firm continued to focus on complex personal injury cases, as well as representing hundreds of homeowners and local business owners in their battles with their insurance companies. His Firm fought to successfully recover millions of dollars for his clients who were in need of money to rebuild their homes and businesses. Since Katrina, he has also been appointed to multiple Plaintiff Steering Committees in class actions related to Katrina, including the Orleans Parish School Board teachers’ class action and several New Orleans hospital class action cases based on the failure to timely evacuate patients, which include the Memorial Hospital class action case.

Judge Rachael D. Johnson, Orleans Parish Civil District Court Rachael D. Johnson was elected in April, 2017 to serve as Judge of Civil District Court, Division B in Orleans Parish, LA. Immediately prior to being elected, she was a Senior Staff Attorney with the Law Offices of Julie E. Vaicius which serves as staff counsel in Louisiana for Hartford Insurance and its subsidiaries. Judge Johnson began her legal career in 2005 as a law clerk for the Honorable Nadine Ramsey at Civil District Court in Orleans Parish. In 2006, she became an associate at the Gary, Williams, Finney law firm in Stuart, Florida representing hundreds of plaintiffs in Vioxx litigation, personal injury and wrongful death cases. She then worked as an assistant City Attorney with the City of Riviera Beach, FL, where she advised the city and its various boards on a variety of matters. She is a 2005 graduate of Tulane Law School where she was a member of the juvenile litigation law clinic and served on the Executive board of the Black Law Students Association. Judge Johnson graduated from Spelman College in Atlanta, GA in 1998. She also has a Masters in Social Work from Smith College. Judge Johnson practiced clinical and adoption social work in Atlanta, GA before returning to New Orleans for law school. Judge Johnson is an active member of the New Orleans community and holds membership in numerous professional and civic organizations.

Judge Paula Brown Judge Paula Brown was elected to the State of Louisiana, Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal on March 25, 2017, and was re-elected without opposition on July 20, 2018. She was formally a judge at Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans, where she served for 7 years. A native of Oceans Springs, Mississippi, Judge Brown attended Tulane University on a basketball scholarship and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Management from the A.B. Freeman School of Business. She received her Juris Doctorate from Southern University Law Center. In 1993, as a young lawyer, Judge Brown began to hone her skills by serving as a judicial law clerk for the current Chief Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court, Bernette J. Johnson, in Civil District Court and again at the Supreme Court. Her vast experience led her to an appointment as Judge Pro Tempore for Orleans Civil District Court in 2004. Judge Brown is active in many state and national legal organizations. She is a Louisiana Bar Foundation Fellow, Class of 2011, where she serves as a member of the Greater New Orleans Community Partnership Panel. She serves as President of the A.P. Tureaud American Inn of Court and has served as an Executive Board Member since 2014. She also serves as a moderator and presenter at continuing legal education programs for both judges and attorneys, and she mentors newly elected judges and newly admitted attorneys. In 2005, she was a recipient of the City Business Leadership in Law Award. Judge Brown is not only active in legal activities, but also in her community. She is a board member of Louisiana Green Corps, Louisiana Appleseed, Louisiana Heat Foundation, and I.N.S.P.I.R.E., RR, Inc. (Increase Student Performance in Reading Excellence, Rewards Recognition) where she serves as Vice President. Judge Brown also serves on the Advisory Board of Armstrong Family Services and is a member of 100 Black Women, New Orleans Chapter. In addition, Judge Brown serves as a mentor in the Tulane University Women’s Basketball Mentorship Program. As a breast cancer survivor, Judge Brown is passionate about promoting breast cancer awareness. She currently serves as a board member of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, New Orleans Affiliate. Judge Brown was awarded the 2015 Susan G. Komen Survivor of the Year. She was also the 2015 recipient of the Forum for Equality Leadership Award. Judge Brown is a former YWCA Role Model and a 2010 recipient of the Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.’s Award for Exemplary Community Service.

Judge Scott U. Schlegel Judge Scott U. Schlegel was elected to the bench of the 24th Judicial District Court for the Parish of Jefferson, Division D, State of Louisiana, in May 2013 and was soon thereafter appointed to the Management Committee. He currently serves as the Chairperson of the Specialty Treatment Court Committee for the 24th JDC. He has also been appointed to serve (1) on the Council of Specialty Court Judges of the Louisiana Supreme Court; (2) on the Executive Board of the Louisiana District Judges Association (LDJA); (3) as Chair of the LDJA/Department of Corrections Liaison Committee; (4) as Chair of the LDJA Technology Committee; and (5) as a member of the Louisiana State Law Institute’s Criminal Code & Code of Criminal Procedure Committee. As a district court judge, Judge Schlegel handles a variety of cases, including criminal, civil and domestic. Judge Schlegel also serves as a volunteer judge for the Swift & Certain Probation Program and Reentry Court. Judge Schlegel works tirelessly to improve the criminal justice system. He has been awarded the Kevin Kane Justice Award from the Louisiana Family Forum, the Louisiana State Bar Association’s Citizen Lawyer Award, the Public Service Award from the Gillis Long Poverty Center, Loyola University College of Law, and the Business Retention & Expansion Award from the Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission (JEDCO). He has also written and spoken about these criminal justice efforts on many occasions. Judge Schlegel is a graduate of the prestigious Presidential Leadership Scholars program where he was afforded the opportunity to learn from national leaders, including President George W. Bush and President . Prior to his election, Judge Schlegel was one of the top felony prosecutors in the Jefferson Parish District Attorney’s Office. He practiced civil law with an emphasis in products liability before becoming a prosecutor. Judge Schlegel graduated with honors from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law, where he served as the President of the Student Bar Association. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Laurie. They have a thirteen-year-old son, Luke.

Sheryl M. Howard Sheryl is a partner at Duplass, Zwain, Bourgeois, Pfister, Weintstock & Bogart APLC. Sheryl is originally from New Orleans, Louisiana, and graduated from Louisiana State University in 1985. She received her Juris Doctorate from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University in 1991. At LSU, Sheryl was a member of the Robert E. Tullis Moot Court board and competed in the Fredrick Douglas Moot Court competition. Sheryl frequently serves as a faculty member for the LSU Trial Advocacy Program and National Institute of Trial Advocacy Deposition Skills Program in New Orleans. Sheryl also serves as a board member of the Neighborhood Development Foundation of New Orleans. Sheryl spent a total of twelve years as an in-house trial attorney for two of the largest insurance companies in the country and spent nine years in private insurance defense practice as a senior trial attorney. In 2003, she was appointed by the Louisiana Supreme Court as Judge Pro Tem for the Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans. During her career, she has handled more than 900 files to conclusion and tried over 100 judge and jury trials in Louisiana state courts including numerous cases involving catastrophic injuries and significant client exposure. Sheryl also loves traveling abroad.

Sunday, March 22, 2020

View on Financing Litigation - Ethics

Eva J. Dossier Eva J. Dossier is a member of Stanley, Reuter, Ross, Thornton & Alford, LLC. She practices primarily in complex litigation and legal ethics. As part of her practice, Ms. Dossier represents lawyers and law firms, including in relation to disciplinary complaints. Ms. Dossier graduated Order of the Coif from Vanderbilt University Law School. She was Editor in Chief of the Vanderbilt Law Review and a John W. Wade Scholar. Ms. Dossier received the Vanderbilt Pro Bono Service Award, as well as Vanderbilt Scholastic Excellence Awards in Constitutional Law, Criminal Procedure, Torts, and Wills and Trusts. Ms. Dossier received a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience from Tulane University, where she was a Deans’ Honor Scholar and graduated cum laude with academic honors. After law school, Ms. Dossier served as a law clerk to the Honorable James B. Loken, of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, and then the Honorable Lance M. Africk, of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.

Judge Dana M. Douglas United States Magistrate Judge Dana Marie Douglas currently serves in the Eastern District of Louisiana. Judge Douglas attended Loyola University College of Law where she received her Juris Doctor in New Orleans in 2000. Upon graduation, she served as a law clerk in the United States District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana to the Honorable Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle. Judge Douglas is also a former shareholder of the law firm of Liskow & Lewis where her practice focused in the areas of energy, products liability, and intellectual property litigation in the state and federal courts of Louisiana and across a wide variety of industry sectors. Judge Douglas has been committed to her community for her entire career. She is the immediate Past President of the New Orleans Bar Association and a Past President of the Greater New Orleans Louis A. Martinet Society. Judge Douglas also served as Chair of the 2017 Annual Justice For All Ball, a fundraiser that benefits The Pro Bono Project which provides pro bono civil legal aid services to the underserved in New Orleans. She also served as a Vice-Chair and Commissioner of the New Orleans Civil Service Commission. The Commission is the quasi-judicial and policy-making body that exercises oversight of activities of the city's Civil Service Department. She is also a Charter and Founding Member of the Louisiana Chapter of the Women’s Energy Network. Judge Douglas’ service to the community has been formally recognized by many. In 2008, she was presented with the prestigious Louisiana State Bar Association (“LSBA”) President’s Award. She was also recently selected as a “Women of the Year” honoree by New Orleans City Business and a recipient of the 2018 National Bar Association Women Lawyers Division Outstanding Minority Partner in Majority Firm Award. Judge Douglas is also a past recipient of the LSBA Crystal Gavel Award, the Federal Bar Association Camille Gavel Award, and the Loyola University School of Law Gillis Long Public Service Award. Judge Dana Marie Douglas assumed her role as a United States Magistrate Judge on January 7, 2019.

Judge Kern Reese, Orleans Civil District Court

Stephen Herman Steve Herman was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he attended Isidore Newman School. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Dartmouth College, where he was awarded Citations of Excellence in the study of Milton and Shakespeare, and won the Eleanor Frost Playwriting Competition with his one-act play, The Phoenix Sleeps Tonight. Herman was then named Order of the Coif at Tulane Law School, where he graduated, Magna Cum Laude, in 1994. After graduating from Tulane, Herman clerked for Justice Harry T. Lemmon of the Louisiana Supreme Court. He now practices law in New Orleans, with the firm of Herman, Herman & Katz, LLC. Developing a broad civil practice, Herman has handled everything from highway defect and products liability cases, to fire and flood loss cases, to attorney fee disputes and employment cases, to special appellate work before the Louisiana Supreme Court and other courts of appeal. In 2010, he was appointed by the Court to serve as one of two Co-Lead/Co-Liaison Counsel for all businesses, individuals and local governments involved in the Deepwater Horizon/BP Oil Spill litigation. His primary focus in recent years has been in commercial, class action, insurance coverage, and professional liability cases, representing both plaintiffs and defendants. An adjunct professor teaching complex litigation at both Tulane Law School and the Loyola University School of Law, Mr. Herman has given numerous speeches on consumer fraud, tobacco, maritime, and managed care litigation; complex discovery, electronic discovery, and spoliation; preemption, privilege, trial preparation, deposition strategy, motion practice, legal ethics and professionalism, class actions, and complex litigation. He is a former Southeast Louisiana Legal Services board member, a current Louisiana Appleseed Board Member, a past president of the Civil Justice Foundation, and spent six years on one of the Hearing Committees appointed by the Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board. He also currently serves on the standing Professional Rules Committee for the Louisiana State Bar Association. A fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and the Litigation Counsel of America, Mr. Herman is a past president of the Louisiana Association for Justice, and sits on the boards of the American Association for Justice, the Roscoe Pound Institute, the National College of Advocacy, the New Orleans Bar Association, the Federal Bar Association’s New Orleans Chapter, and the Public Justice Foundation. He has been named in Best Lawyers, Louisiana Super Lawyers, Lawdragon Top 500, National Law Journal Elite, Chambers USA, Who’s Who, was a N.O. City Business Leadership-in-the-Law Recipient in 2010, 2017 and 2018 (Hall of Fame inductee), and was a Finalist for TLPJ Trial Lawyer of the Year in 2005. In 2017, Herman was presented with the Stalwart Award, LAJ’s highest honor, and in 2018 received the Harry Philo Award from AAJ.

Zia Oatley Zia Oatley works as Investment Counsel at Legalist where she underwrites potential investments. She is a former litigator with over a decade of experience trying cases. With roots in North Carolina, she clerked for the Honorable Gregory W. Carman in the U.S. Court of International Trade. As a litigator, she worked in environmental and commercial litigation at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP in Washington D.C. for 6 years, before joining New Orleans-based Kean Miller LLP until 2019. She received a J.D. and Master’s Degree in Public Policy from Duke University.

Peter E. Sperling Peter E. Sperling is a founding member of Frilot L.L.C. He obtained his undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University and his J.D. from Tulane Law School. His practice is concentrated primarily in the defense of professional liability claims, including physician and hospital malpractice. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. Mr. Sperling has been selected by his peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America and Louisiana Super Lawyers. In 2007, 2013 and 2019 he received the Leadership in Law award which annually recognizes 50 New Orleans legal professionals based on their professional and community involvement and achievements. In 2016 he was selected as the recipient of the Arceneaux Professionalism Award by the New Orleans Bar Association. The award is given annually to the member of the Association who best exemplifies integrity, honesty and civility in the practice of law. Demonstrating his commitment to community service, Mr. Sperling has held leadership positions and serves on the Board of Directors of Isidore Newman School, the Jewish Community Center, the Anti-Defamation League, the Southern Eyebank, Heart Gift and the New Orleans Bar Association. Peter and his wife Vicky are the parents of four children, Andrew (26), Elliot (22), Frances (20) and Olivia (17).

#MeToo View - Professionalism

Michelle D. Craig Michelle D. Craig is Managing Partner of Transcendent Law Group. With over 15 years of Am200 law firm experience, she became the first African-American female Partner in the New Orleans Office of an Am200 regional law firm before starting her own firm. She holds dual degrees, including a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) and a Bachelor of the Civil Law (B.C.L.), from the Louisiana State University (LSU) Law Center. She also studied International and Comparative Law at the Université d'Aix Marseille III in Aix en Provence, France. In her practice, she facilitates effective resolution of legal matters for small to large companies in all practice areas. She regularly provides legal counsel to existing and newly formed charter schools. In that capacity, she assists charter schools with their employment and legal needs from inception through operation, including drafting employment documents, vendor agreements, student handbooks, parent teacher handbooks and authorization documents. She also assists with ongoing personnel matters, board governance and procedures, compliance with the charter application processes, and the selection and training of administrators. In addition, she serves as the outside general counsel for several companies by providing transactional and litigation advice, proactive management and human resources guidance and counseling. To assist small and medium-sized firms in their process improvement, she created Prosquire, a legal project management software. She is very active in the community and very passionate about the economic sustainability and development of the New Orleans area. She currently serves as both the Chairperson of the Orleans Parish Civil Service Commission and the Secretary of the Downtown Development District in New Orleans.

Judge Omar Mason, Orleans Civil District Court

Colleen Jarrott, Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC Colleen Jarrott concentrates her practice in civil litigation and regulatory matters concerning oil and gas law in Louisiana. Ms. Jarrott's practice principally focuses on civil litigation and regulatory matters concerning oil and gas law in Louisiana. She serves as counsel to independent and major oil and gas companies in various types of litigation and transactions, as well as before various regulatory bodies, including the Louisiana State Mineral and Energy Board, the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources (LDNR), the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) and the Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC). Ms. Jarrott also provides counsel to industry trade associations and oil and gas companies concerning environmental and energy law and policy, including participation in the Louisiana Mineral Law Institute's legislative working group to analyze whether alternative dispute resolution is a viable vehicle for resolving legacy lawsuits (Acts 2015, No. 448). Ms. Jarrott served as law clerk to the Honorable Robert H. Hodges, Jr., United States Court of Federal Claims.

Christopher K. Ralston, Phelps Dunbar LLP For nearly 20 years, Chris Ralston has represented clients on a broad range of commercial litigation matters. He focuses his practice in the areas of antitrust law, business torts, trade secret litigation and contract disputes, tax litigation, securities litigation and arbitration, direct selling and intellectual property litigation. Chris regularly advises multinational corporations as well as emerging businesses, serving as the main litigation contact for a number of the firm’s institutional clients. In addition to his commercial litigation practice, Chris is a member of the firm’s appellate practice and has been appointed as a practice coordinator for the firm’s litigation group in New Orleans. Chris regularly litigates breach of contract disputes and enforcement of non-competition, licensing and distributor agreements in both state and federal courts. He has tried antitrust, securities fraud, federal qui tam/False Claims Act cases, large real estate suits and a variety of commercial disputes on behalf of his clients. Through his appellate practice, Chris has successfully handled appeals at each of the five Louisiana Circuit Courts of Appeal, the Supreme Court of Louisiana, the Fifth Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. In addition to his legal practice, Chris frequently serves as a guest lecturer for several bar associations and has presented on topics including E-Discovery, social media issues, cybersecurity, data breaches and trade secret litigation to judicial colleges, in-house counsel and private practitioners. Chris has also contributed to the development of Phelps Dunbar’s eDiscovery Team, which serves to ensure that the firm's lawyers are on the cutting edge of evolving legislative and jurisprudential rules that govern electronic discovery, using the best tools available to efficiently collect, review and produce electronic data for the firm’s clients.

Kathy Rito, Jones Walker LLP Kathy A. Rito is special counsel in the Litigation Practice Group, where she focuses her practice on litigation, risk management, and regulatory matters for healthcare industry clients. Kathy represents healthcare providers, businesses, and public entities in state and federal courts and in alternative dispute resolution. She has significant experience representing healthcare providers in medical malpractice claims, peer review hearings, credentialing, and other administrative proceedings, as well as in contracting matters, including drafting medical staff bylaws and negotiating employment and service contracts. Her litigation practice also includes defense of clients in matters such as personal injury, employment discrimination, corporate fiduciary, and bankruptcy. Kathy regularly provides in- house seminars and advice to clients regarding health law, quality, risk management and bioethical issues, and business formation strategies. She is involved in several professional and nonprofit organizations, including the Louisiana State Bar Association, and serves on the American Diabetes Association Gulf Coast Region Community Leadership Board, as well as the board for Girls on the Run New Orleans. She is an adjunct professor of law at Tulane Law School, where she teaches Bioethics. Prior to joining Jones Walker, Kathy served as statewide litigation counsel for a national LTACH provider, and managed and developed the medical/professional liability practice of a local law firm.