2005 Sponsored by: 100 Black Men of Metro Baton Rouge, Inc. American Heart Association American Red Cross The Audubon Institute Baton Rouge Area Foundation Boy Scouts of America Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Louisiana, Inc. Boys Hope/Girls Hope Bureau of Governmental Research The Chamber of Greater Baton Rouge Coast Guard Foundation Community Fund for the Arts Campaign Administered by the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge Council for a Better Louisiana Each One Save One Fellowship of Christian Athletes Forum 35 The Friends of the Cabildo General Health System Foundation Greater Houston Partnership Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce The Greater New Orleans Louis A. Martinet Society, Inc. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Jewish Family Service Junior Achievement Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International Louisiana Children’s Museum Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities Louisiana Museum Foundation Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra Louisiana Public Broadcasting Community March of Dimes MetroVision NAACP–Baton Rouge National Conference for is something Community & Justice The New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity The New Orleans Museum of Art we take to heart. New Orleans Pro Bono Project The New Orleans Regional Chamber of Commerce The NOCCA Institute The Ogden Museum of Southern Art/ University of New Orleans Public Affairs Research Council JONES WALKER LAWYERS ACTIVELY PARTNER WITH PROFESSIONAL, CIVIC AND CHARITABLE The South Montgomery County Woodlands Chamber of Commerce ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE—FROM Teach for America BOARD CHAIRMEN TO EDUCATION VOLUNTEERS. JONES WALKER LAWYERS PARTICIPATE IN ALL U.S. Navy League United Way LEVELS OF VOLUNTEERISM. Urban League of Greater New Orleans World Trade Center of New Orleans WYES-TV 12 WE CONGRATULATE OUR PARTNERS ROBERT ACOMB, EDWARD BENJAMIN, KELLY DUNCAN, HARRY HARDIN, BILL HINES, Young Leadership Council AND DIONNE ROUSSEAU FOR BEING RECOGNIZED AS LEADERS IN LAW FOR THEIR EXCEPTIONAL CONTRIBUTION AND ACHIEVEMENT AMONG LOCAL LAWYERS. JONES, WALKER, WAECHTER, POITEVENT, CARRÈRE & DENÈGRE L.L.P. 504.582.8000 www.joneswalker.com email: [email protected] BATON ROUGE I HOUSTON I LAFAYETTE I MIAMI I NEW ORLEANS I WASHINGTON, D.C. CONTENTS Introduction 5 George J. Fowler III 34 Donald Abaunza 7 James Garner 35 Robert Acomb Jr. 8 William Grace Jr. 36 Judy Barrasso 9 Mat Gray III 37 Hilton Bell 10 Harry S. Hardin III 38 Edward B. Benjamin Jr. 11 Russ M. Herman 39 Virginia Boulet 12 Bill Hines 40 Kim Boyle 13 John Houghtaling 41 Alan Brackett 14 Richard Ieyoub 42 2005 C. William Bradley 17 Donna Klein 43 James A. Brown 18 Roselyn Koretzky 44 Photographer: Cheryl Gerber Paula A. Brown 19 Cheryl Kornick 45 Published by the NOPG LLC Joseph Bruno 20 Steven J. Lane 46 111 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Peter J. Butler Sr. 21 Suite 1440, Metairie, La. 70005 J. Dwight LeBlanc Jr. 47 504-834-9292; Fax: 504-837-2258. McChord Carrico 22 Wayne Lee 48 Publisher and president: D. Mark Singletary Roy Cheatwood 23 Associate Publisher: Lisa Blossman Jonathan McCall 49 James Coleman 24 Editor: Terry O’Connor Michael A. McGlone 50 Associate editors: Tommy Santora and Greg LaRose Keith Colvin 25 Director of custom publishing and E. Howell Crosby 26 Robert Mouton 51 industry reports sales: Ann Bower Herren Antonio Rodriguez 52 Art director: Alex Borges Howard Daigle Jr. 27 Production manager: Julie Bernard Christopher Dicharry 28 Dionne Rousseau 53 Advertising coordinator: Heidi Decker Anthony DiLeo 29 Leopold Sher 54 J. Kelly Duncan 30 Mark Surprenant 55 Ernest L. Edwards Jr. 31 Robert Vosbein 56 Michael Ellis 32 David Ware 57 Frank Fontenot 33 Scott Whittaker 58 The Smart Business Decision. Congratulations McGlinchey Stafford Attorneys Donna Guinn Klein & R. Keith Colvin Winners of the 2005 Leadership in Law Award McGlinchey Stafford: Leaders in Law and the New Orleans Community New Orleans 643 Magazine Street | New Orleans, Louisiana 70130 | Phone: (504) 586-1200 | Fax: (504) 596-2800 New Orleans • Jackson • Baton Rouge • Houston • Cleveland • Monroe • Dallas • Albany www.mcglinchey.com NO PG & extend our sincerest congratulations to the 2005LeadersLeaders inin LawLaw CHAFFE Mc C ALL L. L. P. Community Leaders – Exceptional Lawyers Chaffe McCall is proud of its tradition of providing effective client representation and community leaders for over 175 years. We are especially proud of our attorneys who are honored with the Leadership in Law Award E. Howell Crosby William F. Grace, Jr. J. Dwight LeBlanc, Jr. Jonathan C. McCall CHAFFE McCALL L. L. P. Broad knowledge • Deep Understanding Effective Representation www.chaffe.com LEADERSHIP IN LAW 2005 5 LEADERSHIPinLAW The melange of inhabitants that originally In that spirit, CityBusiness has embarked Introducing the top settled New Orleans is often credited with upon its inaugural effort to distinguish the top producing the world-class cuisine that is 50 lawyers in New Orleans in its Leadership today the city’s trademark. in Law issue. New Orleans lawyers A similar blend has taken place in the The number of nominations made it a legal profession,where a variety of specialties particular challenge to settle on the best of has flourished in the local diversity. For the best. Calling upon the resources of our example, the same waterways early settlers Dolan Media Co. family of publications, traversed to reach the city have been involved editors with Lawyers Weekly pored over in precedents within the maritime law field. the finalists to help produce the 2005 New Orleans attorneys are regularly in the Leadership in Law honorees. forefront of hallmark admiralty decisions. Those selected have also demonstrated Louisiana’s system of law, rooted in the leadership in the community. They have Napoleonic Code, distinguishes it — and its offered years of pro bono service and practitioners — from those in the other 49 attached their status to countless philan- states. When established in 1821, it was wide- thropic and charitable endeavors. They are ly considered a forward-thinking doctrine. advocates of the indigent and tireless volun- Although it has been melded into common teers for church and school fund-raisers. law practiced elsewhere, Louisiana’s civil law Please join us in honoring their career roots still distinguish those who practice and achievements and impact on the world. issue judgments based on its statutes. — Greg LaRose, Associate Editor We congratulate and recognize KIM M. BOYLE Canal Place Partner in the New Orleans 365 Canal Street, Suite 2000 Labor and Employment Practice Group New Orleans, LA 70130-6534 504-566-1311 for receiving the 2005 CityBusiness Since 1853 Leadership In Law Award www.phelpsdunbar.com NEW ORLEANS BATON ROUGE JACKSON TUPELO GULFPORT TAMPA HOUSTON LONDON 6 LEADERSHIP IN LAW 2005 Women of the Year Recognizing exceptional achievement among local professional women October 28, 2005 Help us identify the city’s most successful working women In a special supplement coming up in CityBusiness, we’ll name Women of the Year from the local area. We will identify, profile and honor these professional women, whose successes in business and contributions to the community have set the pace for the future of our region. We are looking for innovative leaders who are making waves with their energy, ideas, achievements and commitment to excellence. Nominations are welcomed from all business sectors. Nominee: Title: Company/organization: Business address: City,state, zip: Company phone number: Nominee’s E-mail address: Birthdate: Education (dates/type of diplomas, degrees, technical training): Business accomplishments (job responsibilities, special projects, business-related affiliations): Community involvement (nonprofits, civic, state and national organizations): Achievements and awards: Nominated by: Name/title: Business address: Phone number: Three ways to submit a nomination form: 1) Fax it to Women of the Year at 504-832-3550 2) E-mail it to [email protected] 3) Mail it to Women of the Year, CityBusiness, 111 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Suite 1440, Metairie, LA 70005 Deadline: July 28, 2005 Feel free to attach additional sheets if necessary. A panel of judges will use nomination forms and independent research to make final selections. Self-nominations are accepted. The Women of the Year will be profiled in CityBusiness and honored at a special event. LEADERSHIP IN LAW 2005 7 LEADERSHIPinLAW Donald Abaunza Position: shareholder, Liskow & Lewis Family: wife, Carolyn; son, Richard Education: bachelor’s degree, political science and history, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn.; juris doctorate, Tulane University Law School Now a shareholder for Liskow & Lewis, Donald Abaunza was the firm’s president and man- Abaunza was recently selected to chair the state bar’s Professional Assessment Committee. aging partner for almost nine years. As head of the firm’s admiralty section, he handled a wide “We are to look at the profession and the judiciary and determine what is working and variety of maritime cases involving complex litigation and international disputes. what needs some change. Then we will make recommendations to the bar governance,” For 17 years, Abaunza has been involved in a case involving the 1987 collision between the Abaunza said. passenger ferry Dona Paz and the oil tanker Vector off the coast of the Philippines. Although As chair, Abaunza oversees the 24 federal and state judges, attorneys and law school deans only 275 bodies were recovered, the death toll is believed to top 4,000 because of the undoc- who serve on the committee. umented passengers on the ferry. Abaunza chaired the committee on federal uniform rules and won the Louisiana State Bar “This case has been to the Supreme Court in the Philippines and many courts here,” Association’s President’s Award. He is a member of the Louisiana Bar Foundation Grants Abaunza said. “The main issue is which country (United States or the Philippines) should be Committee, a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and a member of the Legislative handling the case.” Process Review Committee for the state bar.