The Louisiana Bar Foundation recognized four LSU Law alumni and one professor as Distinguished Honorees at its 2021 Fellows Gala on April 23 for distinguishing themselves in their profession and bringing credit and honor to the legal profession.
Every spring, lawyers, judges, and professors from across the state attend the LBF’s Annual Fellows Gala to support its mission to preserve, honor, and improve Louisiana’s system of justice. The LBF is active in funding, developing, and promoting efforts that enhance the legal profession, increase public understanding of the legal system and advance the reality of equal justice under the law.
Those recognized as 2020 Distinguished Honorees include:
Distinguished Jurist Guy P. Holdridge (’78)
Judge Guy P. Holdridge graduated from the LSU Law Center in 1978 after earning his B.A. from LSU in 1974. He currently serves on the First Circuit Court of Appeal and previously served as a District Judge of the 23rd Judicial District Court. During his time at the Law Center, he was a member of the Order of the Coif and Louisiana Law Review, which published two articles he wrote as a young law student. Judge Holdridge is a member of the LSU Law Center Hall of Fame and serves on the adjunct faculty of LSU Law Center where he teaches LA Civil Procedure. He is also on the committee for LSU’s Trial Advocacy Program, where he oversees students competing in mock trial, moot court, and dispute resolution competitions. In 2020, Judge Holdridge was named a Distinguished Alumnus of the LSU Law Center.
Distinguished Attorney Linda Law Clark (’93)
Linda Law Clark graduated from the LSU Law Center in 1993, where she served on the LSU Law Review and was a member of the Order the Coif. She is currently a partner in the firm of DeCuir, Clark & Adams, LLP where she has been working since 1995. As an experienced Trial attorney in State and Federal Courts, her principal areas of practice are general civil litigation, administrative hearings for quasi-governmental and governmental bodies, education, employment law, and public finance.
The following alumni and professor were recognized as 2019 Distinguished Honorees:
Distinguished Jurist Robert H. (Bob) Morrison III (’70)
Judge Robert H. Morrison III graduated from the LSU Law Center in 1970. He was first elected to the bench in the 21st Judicial District, and has served 32 years as a district judge, 29 of which as chief judge of the court. Judge Morrison was the recipient of the Louisiana Bar Foundation’s 2013 Calogero Justice Award and is a fellow of the LBF.
Distinguished Attorney Mary Terrell Joseph (’70)
Mary Terrell Joseph graduated from the LSU Law Center in 1970. After nearly 25 years of practicing law in the Baton Rouge area, her firm merged with McGlinchey Stafford where she currently practices in the area of Creditor’s Rights. In January 2005, Mary was appointed Judge, Pro-Tempore for the 19th Judicial District Court.
As a member of a Baton Rouge Junior League study committee, she co-founded the Stop-Rape Crisis Center (now S.T.A.R.) and served on its Board of Directors in the 1970’s. She currently serves on the boards of the Foundation for Excellence in Louisiana Public Broadcasting, the LSU Museum of Art Advisory Board, and the Hollins University Board of Trustees.
Distinguished Professor John M. Church
Professor John M. Church is an associate professor of law here at the LSU Law Center. He currently teaches courses in Torts, Products Liability, Antitrust Law, Wine Law, Toxic Torts, and Advanced Healthcare Law. Since 2014, Professor Church has directed LSU Law Center’s Apprenticeship Week, a unique program designed to expose 2L and 3L law students to specialized areas of practice in a concentrated, one-week course. Professor Church also serves as a mentor for the Legal Methods program that is put together in order to help guide some 1L students. Prior to teaching at Louisiana State University Law Center, Professor Church was an associate at the Denver law firm of Davis, Graham, & Stubbs and also clerked for the Honorable Judge Robert H. McWilliams of the United States Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit Court.
