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Spring 2012

1940s

Francis Jean Pharis ('49) - is a practicing attorney in Alexandria; she is recipient of the 2009 Causidicus Award given by the Alexandria Bar Association.

1950s

Judge Billy Robinson ('57) - of Bossier City, LA, has been named to the Louisiana Justice Hall of Fame.  He has been retired for 14 years.

1960s

Bernard E. Boudreaux, Jr. ('61) - of Breazeale, Sasche & Wilson's Baton Rouge office, has been selected for inclusion in the 2012 edition of Louisiana Super Lawyers for Business/Corporate.

W. Shelby McKenzie, 1964W. Shelby McKenzie ('64) - of Taylor Porter, has been named "Lawyer of the Year" by the Louisiana Bar Foundation.  He was recognized at the Foundation's gala in New Orleans on April 20, 2012.  McKenzie chaired the LSU Law Center's Forever LSU Campaign, is a former chair of the LSU Law Alumni Board of Trustees, and received the LSU Law Center Distinguished Alumnus of the Year award in 2005.

James Downs, 1966James C. "Jam" Downs ('66) - is a solo practitioner and serves as the District Attorney of Rapides Parish, where he has been for the past 10 years. Mr. Downs had 10 years prior experience associated with the District Attorney's office, representing the Rapides Parish School Board, and as the first assistant DA.  He had a limited private practice in the areas of real estate litigation, expropriations, personal injury, and municipal and school law.

Paul Due, 1966Paul H. Due' ('66) - of Due', Price, Guidry, Piedrahita & Andrews, was selected for inclusion in the The Best Lawyers in America 2012 in the areas of plaintiff personal injury and products liability.

James E. Toups, Jr. ('66) - of Breazeale, Sasche & Wilson's Baton Rouge office, has been selected for inclusion in the 2012 edition of Louisiana Super Lawyers for Real Estate.

Emile C. Rolfs, III ('67) - of Breazeale, Sasche & Wilson's Baton Rouge office, has been selected for inclusion in the 2012 edition of Louisiana Super Lawyers for Environmental Law.

Clay Johnson ('69) - a partner with the Baton Rouge office of Taylor, Porter, Brooks, & Phillips, has been selected as a 2012 Volunteer Activist by the Baton Rouge Speech and Hearing Foundation.

Harvey P. Perry ('69) - is retired General Counsel of CenturyLink, Inc. Mr. Perry is currently Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors.

1970s

J. William Fleming ('70) - of Cook, Yancey, King & Galloway, was selected Best Lawyer of the Year 2012 in the area of oil & gas law in Shreveport.

Paul M. Hebert, Jr. ('70) - of Breazeale, Sasche & Wilson's Baton Rouge office, has been selected for inclusion in the 2012 edition of Louisiana Super Lawyers for Family Law.

Ringgold "Skipper" Luke ('71) - solo practitioner, has been practicing in Avoyelles Parish since 1971.  Mr. Luke is a member of the Louisiana State and Avoyelles Parish Bar Associations; was admitted to practice before the Federal District Court for Middle and Eastern Judicial Districts of Louisiana 1981; admitted to practice before the U.S. Courts of Appeal for the 5th Circuit in 1981; and, served as Second District Attorney, 12th Judicial Court, Avoyelles Parish from 1973-1976. He was a member of the following:  Indigent Defender Board in Avoyelles Parish, 1979-1983; Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association, 1975-1995, Legislative Committee, 1977-1980; Louisiana Bankers Board, 1975-2006; Bank Counsel for Bunkie Bank & Trust Co., 1986-1988; Bank Board of Directors, 1989-1996; and, Board of Directors of The Cottonport Bank, 1999-2007; Bank Executive & Loan Committee, 2002-2007.

Van R. Mayhall ('71) - of Breazeale, Sasche & Wilson's Baton Rouge office, has been selected for inclusion in the 2012 edition of Louisiana Super Lawyers for Business/Corporate.  He was also named a "Rising Star" for Corporate Governance & Compliance.

Clark Cosee', III ('72) - General Counsel to the Louisiana Hospital Association, was re-elected Chairman of the Board of the Louisiana Patient's Compensation Fund Oversight Board for 2012.

Michael Kirby, 1973Judge Michael Kirby ('73) - Judge Kirby served on the Louisiana Court of Appeal, Fourth Circuit, and retired December 31, 2011 after 26 years of judicial service (12 on the appellate bench) and a total of 36 years of elective public service.

Herschel E. Richard, Jr. ('70) - of Cook, Yancey, King & Galloway, has been named "2012 Shreveport Professional Malpractice Law Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyer.

E. Frederick Preis, 1974E. Frederick Preis, Jr. ('74) - has joined the New Orleans office of Breazeale, Sasche & Wilson as a partner; his primary focus is labor and employment law.

Harold K. "Hal" Watson ('74) - has joined the Houston law firm of Chaffe McCall.  His primary practice areas include maritime and energy.  He representing domestic and foreign interests, with particular emphasis on insurance law.

David R. Cassidy ('75) - of Breazeale, Sasche & Willson's Baton Rouge office, has been selected for inclusion in the 2012 edition of Louisiana Super Lawyers for Tax.

R. Patrick Vance, 1975R. Patrick Vance ('75) - of Jones Walker, was inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers in La Quinta, California in October 2011.  Mr. Vance was also installed as the President of the New Orleans Bar Association in November 2011.

John Lancaster, 1977John M. "Mack" Lancaster ('77) - was elected District Attorney for Richland, West Carroll and Franklin Parishes on October 23, 2011.

Albert Widmer, 1977Albert F. Widmer ('77) - Attorney at Law, has been invited to become a fellow in the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys.  He practices adoption law primarily in the Greater New Orleans area.

W. Ross Foote ('78) - was recently certified for the National Registry of Neutrals by the American Arbitration Association and has relocated his office to Shreveport.

Alex "Sonny" D. Chapman ('79) - currently serves as District Defender, 13th Judicial District Court, Evangeline Parish.

Murphy J. Foster, III ('79) - of Breazeale, Sasche & Wilson's Baton Rouge office, has been selected for inclusion in the 2012 edition of Louisiana Super Lawyers for Employment & Labor.

Jan Hayden, 1979Jan M. Hayden ('79) - a shareholder in the New Orleans office of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, has been named "2011 Woman of the Year in Restructuring" by International Women's Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation.

Gary J. Russo ('79) - of Jones Walker's Lafayette office, has been elected to the firm's Board of Directors for a four year term, commencing January 1, 2012.

1980s

Susie Morgan ('80) - has been confirmed as a U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana. She was unanimously approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee in November 2011.  Since 2005, Morgan had served as a commercial litigation partner at Phelps Dunbar in New Orleans.  She had been a partner since 2009.

Marie Yeates ('80) - a partner in the Houston office of Vinson & Elkins, has reached a career milestone by recenly arguing for the 100th time before an appellate court.  Marie has been lead or co-counsel in nearly 200 other cases pending appeals.  She is widley recognized as a top-tier appellate lawyer, and was named one of the top 20 "Winning Women" litigation and appellate attorneys in Texas by Texas Lawyer in August 2011.  She was selected for the "Appellate Hot List" by the National Law Journal in 2009.

Eve Masinter, 1982Eve B. Masinter ('82) - has joined the New Orleans office of Breazeale, Sasche & Wilson as a partner, and her primary focus is employment, business and healthcare litigation in both state and federal courts.

Susan Halsey ('83) - of the firm Jackson Walker, has been selected as a 2011 Fort Worth "Top Attorney" by Fort Worth, Texas magazine.

Harry Philips, 1983Harry J. "Skip" Philips, Jr. ('83) - of the Baton Rouge office of Taylor, Porter, Brooks & Phillips, has been invited to join the prestigous Claims and Litigation Management Alliance. The CLM is a nonpartisan alliance comprised of thousands of insurance companies, corporations, Corporate Counsel, Litigation and Risk Managers, claims professionals and attorneys.

Michael S. Walsh ('83) - has been elected president-elect of the Baton Rouge Bar Association's Board of Directors.

Douglas K. Williams ('83) - of Breazeale, Sasche & Wilson's Baton Rouge office, has been selected for inclusion in the 2012 edition of Louisiana Super Lawyers for Personal Injury Defense: Medical Malpractice.

Cynithia Childress Bohrer ('84) - has been elected as the 2012 local government representative for the Public Law Practice Section of the Baton Rouge Bar Association.

George Fagan ('84) - of Leake & Andersson, LLP in New Orleans, received the "2011 Nathan Fishbach Service Award" in recognition of his outstanding individual contributions to and leadership of ALFA International, a legal network consisting of 145 law firms and over 100,000 attorneys located in over 60 countries worldwide.  Mr. Fagan also plays guitar and sings for The Levee Dawgs, a New Orleans based band.

Gail S. Stephenson ('84) - has been elected president of the Baton Rouge Bar Association's Board of Directors.

Quentin Urquhart, 1984Quentin F. Urquhart ('84) - of Irwin, Fritchie, Urquhart & Moore LLC, was recognized in 2011 by Louisiana Super Lawyers, Super Lawyers: Business Edition in the area of personal injury defense/products litigation; The Best Lawyers in America for his work in the fields of insurance law, litigation-environmental, mass tort litigation/class action-defendants, and product liability litigation-defendants.  He was also recognized in the International Who's Who of Life Science Lawyers.  Mr. Urquhart was invited to join the prestigious Council on Litigation Management and was elected 2011 President-Elect of the International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC).

Stephen Williams, 1984Stephen D. Williams ('84) - of The Law Office of Stephen D. Williams, was elected Chair of the Municipal Court Practice Section of the New Jersey State Bar Association.

Timothy F. Daniels ('85) - of Irwin, Fritchie, Urquhart & Moore LLC, was recognized in 2011 by The Best Lawyers in America for his work in the fields of: mass tort litigation; personal injury litigation-defendants; and product liability litigation-defendants.

George D. Ernest, III ('85) - of Hurlburt, Monrose & Ernest, announces the firm name has changed from Hurlburt, Monrose, Dartez & Ernest to Hurlburt, Monrose & Ernest.

Ian A. MacDonald ('86) - of Jones Walker's Lafayette office, has been designated head of office, as of January 2012.

M. M. Leblanc ('88) - has released a book called "Evangeline: Paradise Stolen," published by Caeruleum Publishing.

Stanton E. Shuler ('88) - of Leake & Andersson LLP in New Orleans, specializes in litigation in the areas of product liablity, drug and medical device product liability and transportation liability.

Vinson Knight, 1989Vinson J. Knight ('89) - of Sullivan, Stolier, Kovata & Knight LC, was recently made a named member of the firm. Mr. Knight primarily practices regulatory and transactional law relating in the healthcare industry.

Donald Price, 1989Donald W. Price ('89) -  of Due', Price, Guidry, Piedrahita & Andrews, was recognized in The Best Lawyers in America 2012 in the areas of planitiff personal injury and medical malpractice, and was selected as the 2012 Baton Rouge Medical Malpractice Lawyer of the Year.

Dawn Watson ('98) - was elected 2012 legislative branch representative for the Public Law Practice Section of the Baton Rouge Bar Association.

Joe Wiley ('89) - Executive Vice President and General Counsel for EXCEL Group, will serve as Secretary of the Louisiana Board of Regents in 2012.  Governor Jindal appointed him to serve on the state-wide, coordinating board for higher education in 2008.  Regent Wiley was re-appointed in 2011 for a six year term.

1990s

Michael Gee, 1990Michael G. Gee ('90) - of Porteous, Hainkel & Johnson, has been asked to author a chapter in Inside the Minds: Defending Against Insurance Fraud Claims.  It is an Aspatore Book published by Thomas Reuters and is scheduled for release in mid-December 2011.

Robert "Bubby" Burns, Jr. ('91) - has been elected secretary of the Baton Rouge Bar Association's Board of Directors.

Russell Stutes, Jr., 1991Russell "Rusty" J. Stutes, Jr. ('91) - of Stutes & Lavergne, was selected for inclustion in the Best Lawyers in America 2011 in the areas of tax law and tax litigation.

Ashley Benedik, 1992Ashley Stone Benedik ('92) - Solo Practioner, Criminal Trial Law in  Panama City, Florida, was featured on Court TV in October 2007 "Bay County Boot Camp Trial/Death of Martin Lee Anderson."  Currently she is reactivating Louisiana bar licensure and moving to the New Orleans area in 2012.

Kitty Rogers, 1992Kitty Cleveland Rogers ('92) - is a professional singer/songwriter and public speaker with several award-winning inspirational CDs to her credit.  Her next release will be a collection of jazz standards with an all-star jazz quartet.

Linda Law Clark ('93) - has been elected 2012 Director at Large of the Baton Rouge Bar Association.

Raymond "Robbie" Egan, III ('93) - partner at Leake & Andersson LLP; licensed in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, has been recognized as one of New Orleans "Top Lawyers" in 2009 by New Orleans Magazine.

Jeanne Comeaux ('94) - has been elected 2012 Director at Large for the Baton Rouge Bar Association.

David Kerth ('94) - of Jones, Walker, Waechter, Poitevent, Carrere & Denegre LLP, was selected for inclusion in the Baton Rouge Business Report's 2011 Forty Under 40 Award.

Darrel Papillion ('94) - has been elected treasurer of the Baton Rouge Bar Association's Board of Directors.

Ana Luisa Martinez-Mont de Gordillo ('95) - is an associate with the Consortium Central America Law Firm.

B. Scott Andrews, 1996B. Scott Andrews ('96) - of Due', Price, Guidry, Piedrahita & Andrews, was selected for Baton Rouge Business Report's 2011 "Forty Under 40 Award".

Johnny Domiano, 1996Johnny Domiano ('96) - a partner in Adams & Reese's New Orleans office, has been named Board Vice President of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southeast Louisiana and named Chair-Elect of the Jefferson Chamber.

Amy Lambert ('96) - has been elected 2012 Director at Large for the Baton Rouge Bar Association.

Tara Mason, 1996Tara Mason ('96) - of Mason Law LLC, was appointed to the Louisiana Attorney Disciplanary Board for a term commencing on January 1, 2012 and ending December 31, 2014.

Wiley Richmond Beevers ('98) -  has been elected a Proctor in Admiralty by Maritime Law Association of the United States.  Proctor in Admiralty represents the hightest membership category for practicing lawyers in the society.  Mr. Beevers practices with Cargo Security, Carriers & Immigration Brach, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, In Washington, D.C.

Kimberly Robinson ('98) - was elected as the 2012 private attorney representative for the Public Law Practice Section of the Baton Rouge Bar Association.

Thomas R. Temple, Jr. ('98) - of Breazeale, Sasche & Wilson's Baton Rouge office, has been selected for inclusion in the 2012 edition of Louisiana Super Lawyers as a "Rising Star" in Personal Injury Defense: Medical Malpractice.  Mr. Temple was also recognized with the Baton Rouge Business Report's 2011 "Forty Under 40 Award".

Mark Vilar, 1998Mark Vilar ('98) - a partner with Vilar & Elliot LLC, has been elected to serve on the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee on the Louisiana City Attorney's Association.  The LCAA is comprised of City Attorneys representing Louisiana's 300+ towns and cities.  Mr. Vilar serves as City Attorney for Pineville and has represented multiple state and local governmental agencies and employees in various aspects of governmental law, from providing general advice to serving as lead attorney in litigation matters.

Cristy Corbino Edwards ('99) - has joined the firm Bracewell & Giuliani LLP as a partner in the firm's Houston office.  Cristy practices in the area of public finance/tax-exempt bonds.

Karli Glascock Johnson ('99) - has been elected 2012 Director at Large for the Baton Rouge Bar Association.

Ryan E. Johnson ('99) - of Jones Walker's Baton Rouge office, has been designated as head of office as of January 2012.

Samira Salman, 1999Samira A. Salman ('99) - after excelling at Shell Oil Company as Tax Counsel for Downstream Businesses and Corporate Structure, in 2008 Salman founded her own business advisory firm, Salman Solutions.  Salman has recently expanded her business to include the Luxury Industry.

2000s

Emily B. Grey ('00) - of Breazeale, Sasche & Wilson's Baton Rouge office, has been selected for inclusion in the 2012 edition of Louisiana Super Lawyers as a "Rising Star" in Health Care.

Kyle Ferachi (01) - has been elected 2012 Director at Large for the Baton Rouge Bar Association.

Lee White ('01) - of the firm Jackson Walker, has been selected for inclusion as a 2012 "Rising Star" by Thomson Reuters.

Sara Blackwell ('02) - of Cole, Scott & Kissane, PA practices in the areas of civil and employment defense in the state of Florida.

Jamie Hurst Watts ('02) - has been elected chair of the Young Lawyers Section of the Baton Rouge Bar Association.

Christopher Jones ('02) - of Jones, Walker, Waechter, Poitevent, Carrere & Denegre, LLP, was selected for Baton Rouge Business Report's 2011 "Forty Under 40 Award."

Parker Layrrison, 2002Parker Layrisson (’02) - of Parker Layrisson Law Firm, has co-authored a legal book entitled Negotiating a Plea Deal in DUI Cases, published by Thomson Reuters and featuring leading lawyers from across the country.

Wendy Edwards ('03) - has been elected 2012 chair of the Family Law Section of the Baton Rouge Bar.

Heather Forrest ('03) - of the firm Jackson Walker, has been selected for inclusion as a 2012 "Rising Star" by Thomson Reuters.

Jessica Hammons, 2003Jessica Hammons ('03) - of the Dallas firm Thompson & Knight, was recently elected Partner in the firm.

Jason B. Nichols ('03) - of Cook, Yancey, King & Galloway, was recently promoted to Shareholder.

Brennan C. Ardoin ('04) - was recently made partner in the firm Carmouche, Carmouche & Ardoin, LLC.

Lyla DeBlieux ('04) - has been elected 2012 judicial branch representative for the Public Law Practice Section of the Baton Rouge Bar Association.

Jean-Paul Escudier ('04) - of Jones Walker's New Orleans office, has been elected to partnership, effective January 2012.

Jason A. Green ('04) - of Cook, Yancey, King & Galloway, was recently promoted to Shareholder.

Michael D. Lowe ('04) - of Cook, Yancey, King & Galloway, was recently promoted to Shareholder.

Matt R. May ('04) - of Cook, Yancey, King & Galloway, was recently promoted to Shareholder.

Melanie Walters Chatagnier ('04) - has been elected 2012 secretary of the Family Law Section of the Baton Rouge Bar Association.

David Burns ('05) - was selected to serve as a U.S. Department of State English Language Fellow in Tirana, Albania.  Mr Burns is currently teaching Legal English, Legal Writing and Reasoning, and Trial Advocacy skills to future judges and prosecutors at the post-graduate School of Magistrates at the University of Tirana Law School.

Scott Cheatham, 2005Scott Cheatham ('05) - of Adams & Reese's Houston office, has been named partner.  His primary focus is in the areas of bankruptcy law, including automatic stay disputes, lease and executory contract issues, oil and gas liens, asset sales, voidable preference and fraudulent conveyance litigation and advisary proceedings.

Brad E. Wilkerson ('05) - of the Shreveport firm Bradley, Murchison, Kelly & Shea, has been recently named a partner in the firm.

Carroll Devillier ('06) - of Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, was named partner effective January 1, 2012.  He joined the firm in 2007, and his practices primarily in Business and Commerical Litigation.

Tom Easterly, 2006Tom S. Easterly ('06) - of Taylor Porter, has been named partner, effective January 2012.

Robin Toups, 2006Robin P. Toups ('06) - of Taylor Porter, has been named partner, effective January 2012.

B. Slattery Johnson ('07) - of the Shreveport firm of Blanchard, Walker, O'Quin & Roberts, announced the birth of Olivia Grace, born on January 30, 2012.

Stephanie LaGrange ('07) - has been elected 2012 at large representative for the Public Law Practice Section of the Baton Rouge Bar Association.

Laranda Moffett Walker ('07) - has been elected secretary of the Young Lawyers Section of the Baton Rouge Bar Association.

Erik S. Vigen ('08) - has recently joined the firm of Cook, Yancey, King & Galloway as an associate.

Courtney Bryan, 2009Courtney Bryan ('09) - has joined the Spring, Texas firm of Stibbs & Co. as an associate attorney.

Allison M. Colomb ('09) - of Galloway, Johnson, Tompkins, Burr & Smith, recently joined Galloway after serving as an Assistant District Attorney in Orleans Parish, where she tried over 20 jury trials.

Ryan Moon, 2009Ryan Q. Moon ('09) - has joined the Baton Rouge office of Phelps Dunbar as an associate attorney.

2010s

Christopher K. Odinet ('10) - has been elected 2012 secretary of the Public Law Practice Section of the Baton Rouge Bar Association.

Hunter Chauvin, 2011Hunter A. Chauvin ('11) - of Liskow & Lewis, is an associate in the firm's aviation, toxic tort and enviromental litigation and maritime, oilfield, and insurance sections, and now practices from the firm's New Orleans office.

Michael Fagan, 2011Michael J. Fagan, Jr. ('11) - has joined Stanley, Reuter, Ross Thornton & Alford, LLC as an associate.  Mr. Fagan practices in the areas of commercial litigation, tort litigation and legal ethics.

Micah Fincher ('11) - has joined the firm of Jones Walker as an associate in the firm's business & commercial litigation practice group, intellectual property.  He practices in the firm's Baton Rouge office.

Kevin Gieseke, 2011Kevin Gieseke ('11) - has joined the Houston office of Adams and Reese as a litigation associate.

Druit Gremillion ('11) - has joined the firm of Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson as an associate in their casualty litigation section.

C. Austin Holliday ('11) - has joined the firm of Cook, Yancey, King & Galloway as an associate.

Thomas R. Hooks ('11) - has joined the Jones Walker New Orleans office as an associate with the business & commercial transactions practice group.

Jonathan E. Love ('11) - has joined Jones Walker's Baton Rouge office as an associate in the firm's real estate practice group.

Michael Mims ('11) - has joined the firm of Bradley, Murchison, Kelly & Shea's New Orleans office as an associate in the areas of healthcare liability law, casualty litigation, transportation law (railroad), and products liability law.

Graham H. Ryan ('11) - has joined the Jones Walker office in New Orleans as an associate in the firm's business & commercial litigation group.

Erin Sayes, 2011Erin B. Sayes ('11) - has joined the firm of Taylor Porter as an associate.

The LSU Law Center community mourns the passing of the following alumni whose deaths were reported since the date of our last newsletter publication.

William Henning, Sr. ('49)

Fred G. Benton, Jr. ('50)

Professor Warren Mengis ('50)

Tom F. Philips ('52)

Charles B. W. Palmer ('54)

William D. Brown, III ('55)

Victor A. Sachse, III ('55)

Karl E. Lewis, Jr. ('59)

Richard W. Langford ('63)

James E. Lewis ('63)

Charley J. Schrader, Jr. ('63)

Charles R. Whitehead, Jr. ('66)

Rodney C Cashe' ('72)

Benjamin W. Mount ('74)

Charles F. Nunnally, III ('75)

Keith M. Borne ('76)

Michael P. Regan ('79)

Kerry J. Triche ('80)

Dr. Jack E. Chappius ('83)

Jean M. Murnane ('97)

Jason N. Treigle ('00)