Brendan R. Cuti
Hammond, Louisiana
- Juris Doctor, Graduate Diploma in Comparative Law
- Magna Cum Laude graduate
- Paul M. Hebert Scholar
- Dean’s Scholar
- Louisiana Law Review Articles Editor
- Undergraduate: Tulane University, Bachelor of Arts, History; Minor in Political Science
What are your immediate career plans?
I’m taking the Louisiana bar exam in July, and then I’ll clerk in the Eastern District of Texas for a year. After my clerkship, I’ll join Stanley Reuter Thornton Alford LLC in New Orleans.
What are your long-term career aspirations?
My long-term goal is to build a litigation practice focused on complex cases, especially ones with interesting and novel issues. I enjoyed working on those sorts of cases during my externships and summer clerkships, so I’d like to continue doing that kind of work. I’ve also long had an interest in government and politics, so someday I’d like to explore the possibility of entering public service.
Please tell us about the organizations and activities you participated in at LSU Law, including any awards or honors you received.
I was a member of Louisiana Law Review, serving as a Junior Associate for Volume 83 and Articles Editor for Volume 84. I also served as an Academic Tutor for Obligations and Civil Law Property. I graduated magna cum laude and earned Paul M. Hebert Scholar or Dean’s Scholar awards each semester, as well as CALI awards for Obligations, Civil Law Property, and Comparative Pharmaceutical Products Liability. I’m also happy to share that a paper I wrote will be published in the next volume of the Journal of Civil Law Studies.
Please tell us about any LSU Law faculty, classes, or other experiences that were particularly impactful on your legal education.
Professor Alain Levasseur and Professor Randy Trahan’s classes 1L year had a big impact on me because they sparked my passion for the civil law. It was truly a privilege to have the opportunity to tutor for both of them. The classes I took with Professor Maggie Thomas and Professor Missy Lonegrass were also incredibly impactful. I know I’m a deeper thinker and will be a better lawyer because of them. My externships at the Middle District of Louisiana and the Louisiana Department of Justice were also some of my favorite experiences in law school.
What are your fondest memories from your time at LSU Law?
My fondest memory from law school is the sense of accomplishment I felt after closing the 2024 Louisiana Law Review Symposium. My co-Articles Editor (and buddy), Sydney Curtis, and I spent many, many hours planning and putting the symposium together. Watching it go off without a hitch was a great feeling. I’ll also always cherish the memories I made during my summer in Lyon between 1L and 2L years. That was by far the coolest summer of my life. Finally, strange as it may seem, some of my fondest memories also come from the long hours I spent studying with my classmates during my 1L year. Even though study sessions could get a little tense, the classmates I studied with have become my absolute best friends.
What advice would you give to students entering law school who aspire to become Order of the Coif members when they graduate?
Success in law school requires discipline. My advice is to make a study plan early and stick to it, whether that’s the 5-4-3-2-1 method or some other format. That said, you also have to take care of yourself, mentally and physically. My grades were best during the semesters when I made time to work out, go on walks, and spend time with friends. Study hard, but don’t forget to take care of yourself.
