December 2023
1970s
Patrick S. Ottinger (’73) has been selected as city-parish attorney by newly elected Lafayette Mayor-President Monique Blanco Boulet when she takes office in January. Ottinger’s selection is pending approval by city and parish councils as required by the Home Rule Charter.
Judge Kelly E. Balfour (’74), of the 19th Judicial District Court of Louisiana, was elected by the membership of judicial associations as court secretary of the Louisiana District Judges Association at the 2023 Fall Judges Conference in New Orleans.
Judge Jude G. Gravois (’78), of the Louisiana 5th Circuit Court of Appeal, was elected by the membership of judicial associations as secretary-treasurer of the Conference of Court of Appeal Judges at the 2023 Fall Judges Conference in New Orleans.
1980s
Richard J. Arsenault (’80) spoke as a panelist in numerous seminars in Las Vegas on topics including “View From The Bench,” “Special Masters In Mass Torts,” and “Mass Tort Ethical Conundrums.” Arsenault also sponsored law students from Southern University Law Center to attend the seminar for trial advocacy training.
Chief Justice John Weimer (’80) was named as a Board Member of the Conference of Chief Justices at its Annual Meeting earlier this year. Chief Justice Weimer’s term as a Board Member expires in 2025.
Thomas Lenz (’88), a lecturer at USC Gould School of Law and partner at Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo in Pasadena, CA, was inducted as a Fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers in Seattle, WA on November 14.
1990s
Nancy Landry (’90) was elected as Louisiana’s first female secretary of state on Saturday, Nov. 18, garnering 67% of the vote.
Liz Murrill (’91) will become Louisiana’s first female attorney general when she is sworn into office on Jan. 8, 2024. Murrill was elected to the office with 66% of the vote on Saturday, Nov. 18.
Jerry Glas (’96), a partner at Deutsch Kerrigan in New Orleans, recently authored a book, “The New Science of Trial Advocacy,” that was published by the American Bar Association. In his new book, Glas discusses the "the waiter pivot,” an alternative approach to trial advocacy that embraces a paradigm shift in jury psychology and teaches attorneys how to surprise, disarm, and persuade modern jurors. Click here to learn more about the book.
2000s
Judge Jeff Joyce (’00), of the 4th Judicial District Court of Louisiana, was elected by the membership of judicial associations as the district court trustee of the Louisiana Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges at the 2023 Fall Judges Conference in New Orleans.
Charlton Meginley (’02) has been appointed secretary of the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs by Gov.-elect Jeff Landry.
Judge Erin Wiley Lanoux (’03), of the Ascension Parish Court, was elected by the membership of judicial associations as second vice president of the Louisiana City Judges Association at the 2023 Fall Judges Conference in New Orleans.
Carrie L. Jones (’08) has joined Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson’s Baton Rouge office as Special Counsel in the Healthcare practice group.
Trevor Theunissen (’09) has joined the Molson Coors Beverage Company as their new Vice President of Government Affairs.
2010s
Richard Nelson (’10) has been appointed secretary of the Louisiana Department of Revenue by Gov.-elect Jeff Landry.
Beaux Jones (’11) was appointed president and CEO of the Water Institute. He had served as interim president and CEO since May 2023. Prior to his interim position, Jones was general counsel and chief of staff of the Water Institute.
J. Edward McAuliffe, III (’11), an attorney at Mouledoux, Bland, Legrand & Brackett, LLC, was named a finalist for the 2023 Frank L. Maraist Award.
Joe Cefalu (’12), a partner at Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson in Baton Rouge, has been named an honoree of Baton Rouge Business Report's Forty Under 40 Class of 2023. Cefalu was also named a finalist for the 2023 Frank L. Maraist Award.
Ross Roubion (‘14), an attorney at Kean Miller LLP, received the 2023 Frank L. Maraist Award on Dec. 7.
Ben Aguiñaga (’15) has been selected to serve as Louisiana’s next Solicitor General by Attorney General-elect Liz Murrill (’91).
Kristen Amond (’16), an attorney in New Orleans, was named a finalist for the 2023 Frank L. Maraist Award.
Matthew R. Lee (‘16), an attorney at Bradley, Murchison, Kelly & Shea, LLC, was named a finalist for the 2023 Frank L. Maraist Award.
Quinn Brown (’17), an attorney at LaFleur & Laborde, was named a finalist for the 2023 Frank L. Maraist Award.
Thomas Coulter McMahen (’17) has been selected to serve as president and CEO of the Louisiana Automobile Dealers Association.
Savannah Walker Smith (’18), an attorney at Taylor, Porter, Brooke & Phillips, was named a finalist for the 2023 Frank L. Maraist Award.
Nena Eddy (’19) has joined Phelps Dunbar LLP in Baton Rouge as an associate focusing on commercial litigation and representing clients across several industries as both plaintiff and defense counsel.
2020s
Myles H. Sonnier (’20), an attorney at Galloway Johnson Tompkins Burr & Smith, was named a finalist for the 2023 Frank L. Maraist Award.
Ani Boudreaux (’21), an attorney at NeunerPate, was named a finalist for the 2023 Frank L. Maraist Award.
Zachary Sarver (’22) has joined Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP in Houston in the Litigation practice group.
Madison Gaines (’23) has joined Jones Walker’s New Orleans office as an associate in the Labor & Employment practice group.
Olivia M. Graham (’23) has joined Kean Miller’s Baton Rouge office as an associate with the e-discovery and energy and environmental litigation groups.
Andrew Hughes (’23) has joined Liskow’s Lafayette office as an associate in the Energy Litigation practice group.
Colin North (’23) has joined Liskow’s New Orleans office as an associate in the Environmental Regulatory practice group.
Fallon Voltolina (’23) has joined Phelps Dunbar LLP in Baton Rouge as a labor and employment associate who works with employers to handle employment disputes and design proactive policies to avoid future issues.
In Memory
The LSU Law Center community mourns the passing of the following alumni:
Guy O. "Mitch" Mitchell III (’71), 11/10/2023
George Clauer III (’74), 11/19/2023
Warren LeDoux Montgomery (’79), 11/10/2023
