September 2019
DEAN’S CONFERENCE CALL
MARK YOUR CALENDARS for a conference call with Dean Tom Galligan on Monday, Oct. 29, at 11 a.m. Active members of the Dean’s Council will receive dialing instructions via Outlook scheduler in the next few weeks. The dean will talk about the credentials of 1L class, and additions to the faculty and staff as well as answer questions you may have about LSU Law Center programs, personnel, student body or facilities. We hope you will join us for this first-of-its-kind update!
DEAN’S COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP REPORT
In the past month, these members have renewed their memberships in the Dean’s Council: Walter Hryszko (’81); J. Hugh Martin (’57); David B. Means (’74); Marcus Zimmerman (’83); Charles Abbott (’02); A. Shelby Easterly (’75); and Troy Keller (’92).
Our thanks to these champions and to every member of the Dean’s Council, whose unrestricted gifts underwrite partial tuition waivers for more than 500 students!
See the full list of Dean’s Council members, become a member or renew your membership.
FREE CLE ON OCT. 25 AS PART OF REUNION WEEKEND
Reunion weekend brings an opportunity for two hours of free CLE to members of returning classes and all active members of the Dean’s Council, regardless of graduation year. Council members Skip Philips (’83) and James A. Brown (’84) will be the instructors. Philips will teach professionalism and Brown will teach ethics in Room 106 of the Law Center beginning at 1 p.m. and ending at 3:30 p.m.
Register for the free CLE credits, and also be sure to register for the ALL ALUMNI TAILGATE on Saturday before the game vs. Auburn—food and beverage compliments of NeunerPate and CSRS.
AND THE TICKETS WENT TO…
From time to time, LSU football and baseball tickets are made available to us and we distribute them by drawing names of interested Dean’s Council members out of a hat. So far this fall, Winn Little (’74) of Lake Charles, Grace Barry (’89) of Baton Rouge and Jane Brandt (’86) of Dallas have received stadium tickets for LSU Tigers football games.
DEAN’S COUNCIL SPOTLIGHT Q&A
Mark J. Neal | Class of 1996 | NEAL LAW (Monroe, Louisiana)
AFTER MORE THAN 14 YEARS PRACTICING WITH ONE OF THE LARGER FIRMS IN MONROE, YOU OPENED YOUR OWN FIRM. WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT BEING ON YOUR OWN, AND WHAT DO YOU MISS ABOUT WORKING IN A LARGER FIRM?
I really enjoy being my own boss. I don’t miss those old partnership meetings. If I want to do something, buy something, hire somebody or take a case, I don’t have to first consult with ten other people around a conference room table. On the other hand, larger firms provide more flexibility in terms of scheduling and multitasking. I miss being able to walk down the hall to bounce a case or idea off someone.
YOU HAD TOM GALLIGAN FOR TORTS I & II AND ADMIRALTY WHEN YOU WERE A STUDENT. WHAT WAS YOUR BEST TAKEAWAY?
Aside from being a wonderful human being and friend to his students, Tom Galligan taught us the practice of law could be fun. And sometimes he’s right.
WHEN YOU WERE AT HUDSON POTTS & BERNSTEIN, YOU OFTEN CAME TO LSU LAW TO RECRUIT. WHAT IS IT ABOUT LSU LAW GRADS THAT IS ATTRACTIVE TO LOUISIANA LAW FIRMS?
The LSU Law students I interviewed for employment were invariably more grounded and invested in Louisiana than the students from other law schools. By and large, LSU Law students appeared more eager to return to their communities and practice in Louisiana. What’s more, when you hire a law student, you want to know that he or she will pass the bar and be able to work. LSU Law students were always a better bet than the rest.
THE MID-90’S WERE PARTICULARLY INTERESTING TIMES AT LSU LAW. WHAT WAS THE GREATEST CHALLENGE YOU ENCOUNTERED? WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY IF YOU KNEW THEN WHAT YOU KNOW NOW?
The job market for new attorneys was bleak. The school would enroll 300 or more students in year one with room for only 200 students in year two. There was a lot of attrition and competition was high. We were all overly anxious. Now, 23 years later and with the benefit of hindsight, if I had it to do all over again, I would have enjoyed myself more. I would have not missed a single baseball game. Heck, the Tiger’s baseball team was on top of the world in the ‘90s and I skipped almost every game studying for finals.
YOU HAVE TWO BOYS, ONE OF WHOM IS STARTING TO THINK ABOUT COLLEGE. WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE HIM TO CONSIDER LAW? WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR TODAY’S LAW STUDENTS?
There’s always room for more great lawyers and I have actually encouraged my 16 year old to consider a career in law—but he has to get past the ACT first. Law students should read books outside of school, both fiction and non-fiction. Much of what we do revolves around the written word and if you want to learn to write, reading is a good way to get there. Also, take as many trial advocacy courses as you can. Oh, learn to type!
YOU’VE BEEN A VOLUNTEER FUNDRAISER FOR ULM, SO YOU PROBABLY KNOW MORE ABOUT THE NEED FOR PRIVATE SUPPORT OF PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES THAN MOST PEOPLE DO. WHY DO YOU SUPPORT LSU LAW WITH YOUR DEAN’S COUNCIL CONTRIBUTION?
Anyone who follows higher education in the public sector should know that the money just isn’t there anymore. Private development is a must to keep the doors open. A great man—George Luffey—taught me to give back to those who helped me along the way. I have always financially supported the institutions that helped shape my life, especially my undergraduate university, my college fraternity and LSU Law Center. The law school and many of the people there did great things for me and opened many doors for me. Making an annual financial contribution to the law school is the least I can do.
