Class Notes - FALL 2013

People News

1940s

	John P. Laborde ('49)-is the recipient of the 2013 Pope John Paul II Award awarded from the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Mr. Laborde will receive the award from Archbishop Gregory Aymond at the Catholic Foundation's Annual Dinner on Tuesday, November 19 at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside. The Pope John Paul II Award is presented annually to a deserving layperson or permanent Deacon who resides in the Archdiocese of New Orleans and who exhibits inspirational examples of Christian stewardship.

John P. Laborde ('49)-is the recipient of the 2013 Pope John Paul II Award awarded from the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Mr. Laborde will receive the award from Archbishop Gregory Aymond at the Catholic Foundation's Annual Dinner on Tuesday, November 19 at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside. The Pope John Paul II Award is presented annually to a deserving layperson or permanent Deacon who resides in the Archdiocese of New Orleans and who exhibits inspirational examples of Christian stewardship.

1960s

Ben R. Miller, Jr. ('61)-of Kean Miller LLP, was reelected to the Board of Directors of the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana.

	Chief Justice Bernette Joshua Johnson ('69)- was awarded the Joan Dempsey Klein Award by the National Association of Women Judges (NAWJ) on October 10, 2013. The Joan Dempsey Klein NAWJ Honoree of the Year Award is presented to a judge who brings distinction to her office and to NAWJ as exemplified by its founding mother, Justice Joan Dempsey Klein of California's Second District Court of Appeal. NAWJ is the nation's leading voice of women jurists dedicated to preserving judicial independence, ensuring equal justice and access to the courts for women and minorities, providing education on cutting-edge issues, and increasing the numbers and advancement of women judges at all levels.

Chief Justice Bernette Joshua Johnson ('69)- was awarded the Joan Dempsey Klein Award by the National Association of Women Judges (NAWJ) on October 10, 2013. The Joan Dempsey Klein NAWJ Honoree of the Year Award is presented to a judge who brings distinction to her office and to NAWJ as exemplified by its founding mother, Justice Joan Dempsey Klein of California's Second District Court of Appeal. NAWJ is the nation's leading voice of women jurists dedicated to preserving judicial independence, ensuring equal justice and access to the courts for women and minorities, providing education on cutting-edge issues, and increasing the numbers and advancement of women judges at all levels.

1970s

Gene Groves ('70)-of Taylor, Porter, Brooks & Phillips LLP, notes that he is still litigating with the firm in Baton Rouge, and has been happily married for 46 years to the same wonderful woman, Jan, who put him through law school.

Clifton O. Bingham, Jr. ('73)-serves as General Counsel for the State of Louisiana-Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority.

	James Russo ('75)-has retired after eight successive, four-year terms as the elected Public Defender for the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit of Florida. Russo was the longest serving Republican in the history of the state of Florida and headed an office of 120 lawyers, investigators, administrators and clerical personnel. Prior to election in 1980, Russo was an Assistant State Attorney and was in private practice.

James Russo ('75)-has retired after eight successive, four-year terms as the elected Public Defender for the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit of Florida. Russo was the longest serving Republican in the history of the state of Florida and headed an office of 120 lawyers, investigators, administrators and clerical personnel. Prior to election in 1980, Russo was an Assistant State Attorney and was in private practice.

1990s

Kitty Cleveland ('92) - is scheduled to release her ninth CD, a collection of jazz standards to benefit Habitat for Humanity, in October 2013. More information can be found at www.kittycleveland.com.

Johnny Sanders ('92) -an Assistant District Attorney in the 4th Judicial District, was recently named a member of the Juvenile Prosecutors Leadership Network, a section of the National Resource Center for Juvenile Prosecutors. The NRCJJP is part of the Georgetown University Public Policy Institute's Center for Juvenile Reform. Members will meet to consider juvenile justice reform programs, determine methods to improve reform efforts in their jurisdictions and generate interest in these reforms across the country.

	Matthew M. Fontane ('97)-has joined Holland & Knight LLP as a partner in the firm's new Dallas, Texas office. He will serve as Chair of the firm's Corporate Finance Practice Group. Fontane was previously a partner with Patton Boggs in Dallas.

	Aimee Williams Hebert ('98)-of Gordon Arata, has been appointed to serve on the Council of the Louisiana Mineral Law Institute.

	Robert Rideout ('98)-is currently serving as the Command Judge Advocate for the U.S. Forces Garrison Command, 4th Infantry Division in Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. This is his second combat deployment. In his civilian capacity, he is a United States Administrative Law Judge in Raleigh, North Carolina.

	Tiffany Peperone Pitre ('99)-was named General Counsel of TMG Consulting in New Orleans. The firm focuses on planning, economics, and engineering. Tiffany is expecting twins in October.

2000s

Drew Spaniol ('04)-is practicing in the Dallas, Texas office of Bryan Cave LLP. Drew's practice focuses on commercial litigation, with a secondary practice in bankruptcy and restructuring.

Matthew A. Treuting ('06)-of Baldwin Haspel Burke & Mayer, LLC of New Orleans, was named “One to Watch” by New Orleans CityBusiness and has been named President-Elect of the Young Leadership Council of New Orleans.

B. Slattery Johnson, Jr. ('07)-of Blanchard, Walker, O'Quinn and Roberts, was recently appointed by Shreveport Mayor Cedric Glover, and confirmed by the Shreveport City Council, to serve as Commissioner and Vice-Chairman of Shreveport's first Historic Preservation Commission.

Jefrrey Coreil ('09)-of NeunerPate, has been named a Crystal Gavel Award winner for 2013 by the Louisiana State Bar Association. Each year this award is given to select attorneys who best exemplify the profession's ideals, including commitment to community service. Coreil was chosen because of his "outstanding work and efforts in providing pro bono legal services," according to Richard K. Leefe, State Bar Association President.

Vincent Scallan ('09)-has been in private practice since 2011. Vincent P. Scallan Law, LLC focuses on personal injury, workers compensation, criminal defense and DWI.

2010s

	Nicholas M. Graphia ('10)-Attorney-at-Law in Baton Rouge, is now Of Counsel to Price Law Group, APC, based in Encino, California. His practice focuses on property insurance claims and insurance bad faith litigation.

	Billy Murray ('10)-of Nelson & Hammons, focuses on representing patients in Medical Malpractice cases.

Scott Sternberg ('10)-of Baldwin Haspel Burke & Mayer, LLC of New Orleans, has been named an adjunct faculty member at Loyola University's School of Mass Communication and recently completed the 2013 Leadership Louisiana State Bar Association Program for young lawyers.

	Joshua P. Clayton ('11)-practices law with the New Orleans law firm of Sher Garner Cahill Richter Klein & Hilbert, L.L.C. His practice focuses on commercial litigation.

Firm News

Laborde & Neuner law firm has officially changed its name to NeunerPate effective July 1, 2013.

The following lawyers from the law firm of Bradley Murchison Kelly & Shea LLC have been selected for inclusion in the 2014 Best Lawyers in America: Malcolm S. Murchison (‘77), Kay C. Medlin ('77), Joseph L. “Larry” Shea, Jr. (‘78), David R. Taggart ('79), F. John Reeks, Jr. ('79)-Shreveport office; David S. Kelly ('76), Dwight C. Paulsen III ('89), David E. Redmann, Jr. ('94)-New Orleans office; and Jerald N. Jones ('83)-Baton Rouge office.

The following lawyers from the law firm of Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, L.L.P have been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2013: Paul M. Hebert, Jr. ('70)-Family Law; Van Mayhall, Jr. ('71)-Corporate Law; David Cassidy ('75)-Litigation & Controversy-Tax; Murphy Foster III ('79)-Construction Law; Gregory D. Frost ('81)-Government Relations Practice; Eve B. Masinter ('82)-Employment Law, Labor & Employment Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation-Defendants and Plaintiffs; Robert Atkinson ('83)-Banking and Finance Law; David Charlton ('83)-Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law; Michael Hubbell (‘87)-Real Estate; B. Troy Villa ('90)-Corporate Law and Mergers & Acquisitions.

Robert Atkinson ('83)

David Cassidy ('75)

David Charlton ('83)

Murphy Foster III ('79)

Gregory Frost ('81)

Paul M. Hebert, Jr. ('70)

Van Mayhall, Jr. ('71)

B. Troy Villa ('90)

Eve Masinter ('82)

The following lawyers from the law firm of Jackson Walker have been selected for inclusion in 2014 Texas Super Lawyers: Susan Halsey ('83), Michael Baldwin ('93) and Scott McLaughlin ('94). Halsey and McLaughlin were also selected for inclusion in the 2014 Best Lawyers in America by Best Lawyers.

The following lawyers from the law firm of Kean Miller LLP have been named by Best Lawyers as the Baton Rouge Lawyers of the Year for 2014 in Mergers & Acquisitions and Mass Tort/Class Actions respectively: G. Blane Clark, Jr. ('84) and Charles S. McCowan, Jr. ('67).

The following lawyers from the law firm of Leake & Andersson, L.L.P. have been named as 2014 Best Lawyers in America by Best Lawyers: George D. Fagan ('84), Stanton E. Shuler, Jr. ('88) and Patrick M. Wartelle ('84).

George D. Fagan ('84)

Stanton E. Shuler, Jr. ('88)

Patrick M. Wartelle ('84)

The law firm of Bullivant Houser Bailey has announced that Tom Hutchinson ('92) has been included for selection in Oregon Super Lawyers.

The law firm of Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP has announced that Robert “Pete” Seale ('67), a partner in the firm's Houston office, has been included on the 2014 Best Lawyers in America list for Tax Law and Trusts and Estates.

The Steeg Law Firm LLC has announced that Randy Opotowsky ('77) has been selected for inclusion in the 2014 Best Lawyers for Litigation-Real Estate “Lawyer of the Year.”