September 2022
Louisiana First Lady Donna Edwards joins legal scholars, trafficking survivors at Pugh Institute for Justice symposium
Louisiana First Lady Donna Edwards opened the “Improving Criminal Justice Responses to Sex Trafficking” symposium at LSU Law on Friday, Oct. 28, with an update on the work Louisiana is doing to fight trafficking through the Human Trafficking Prevention Resource Center and advocacy campaign, which she and Gov. John Bel Edwards—a 1999 graduate of LSU Law—launched in January.

Presented by the George W. and Jean H. Pugh Institute for Justice, the symposium took place from 1 to 5 p.m. in the McKernan Auditorium, and included engaging and impassioned panel discussions with legal scholars, government officials, trafficking survivors, and survivor service providers. 

LSU Law Professors Lisa Avalos and Ray Diamond organized the symposium. Along with First Lady Edwards, the lineup of distinguished panelists included:

  • Gretta Goodwin / Director, Homeland Security and Justice, U.S. Government Accountability Office
  • Professor Blanche Cook / Loyola University School of Law, Chicago
  • Ana I. Vallejo / Co-director of VIDA Legal Assistance, Inc.
  • Beatriz Susana Uitts / Founder and director, Human Trafficking Front
  • Katherine Green / Co-founder and Vice President of Eden House
  • Amber Cheney / Trafficking survivor
  • Christina Young / Trafficking survivor

LSU Law graduates achieve highest pass rate on Louisiana Bar Exam
With 81.6% of our graduates passing the Louisiana Bar Exam, LSU Law had the highest pass rate of all Louisiana law schools on the July 2022 exam. Among first-time takers of the exam, 84.7% of LSU Law graduates passed, which also ranks first among Louisiana law schools.

“Everyone at LSU Law is extremely proud of our graduates who were successful on this sitting of the bar exam, particularly after the unusual circumstances presented by the pandemic to our recent graduates throughout their law school experience,” said LSU Law Interim Dean Lee Ann Wheelis Lockridge. “As always, we will analyze the results to see how we can work even harder going forward to help all our graduates achieve even greater success on the Louisiana and other state bar exams.”
Grieshaber and Adger win 2022 Tullis Moot Court Competition
Second-year LSU Law students Haley Grieshaber and Allison Adger (pictured left to right) were crowned champions of the 2022 Robert Lee Tullis Moot Court Competition after facing off against fellow second-year students Abbie Brashier and Camille Webre in the final round of the internal competition on Monday, Oct. 17.

Judges overseeing the final round of competition included the Hon. John W. deGravelles (’74), U.S. District Judge, U.S. District Court for Middle District of La.; Elizabeth Murrill (’91), Solicitor General, La. Dept. of Justice; Jamie Flowers, Assistant U.S. Attorney and Chief of the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of La.; and Lykisha Vaughan (’12), Managing Attorney, Family Law Unit, Southeast Louisiana Legal Services.
Focused on community service, youth outreach, philanthropy, and pro bono work, the Public Interest Law Society provides LSU Law students and alumni with ample opportunities to give back to the Baton Rouge community through volunteering, fundraising, legal assistance, or all the above.

“I think PILS fosters a relationship with the community early on, especially when you have people that will potentially be future community leaders,” said PILS President and 3L Madeline Meyer.

Each academic year, PILS chooses an organization or cause to fundraise and advocate for, and this year it’s the Big Buddy Program, a nonprofit providing children in the Baton Rouge area with positive role models and a supportive community. PILS recently raised over $820 for Big Buddy at their fundraising kickoff bake sale, which was just one of many events the student organization has on its calendar.
Judge Kurt Engelhardt (’85) named Brother Martin High School Alumnus of the Year
LSU Law alumnus Judge Kurt Engelhardt ('85) of the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals is being honored as the Brother Martin High School 2023 Alumnus of the Year.

“Being named Alumnus of the Year is very humbling, considering those who have been recognized in the past, and the thousands of Brother Martin grads continuously doing wonderful things for their communities and professions,” said Judge Engelhardt, who graduated from the all-male, Catholic, college preparatory high school in New Orleans in 1978.
Five LSU Law alumni make LSU 100 list of fastest growing Tiger-led businesses
The newly released LSU 100 list of the fastest growing Tiger-led businesses includes five LSU Law graduates. Our alumni on the list, the companies they lead, and their LSU 100 rankings are:

  • Stephen Babcock (’00), owner of Babcock Partners, LLC (Baton Rouge) — No. 35
  • Robert Burns (’91), managing partner of Perry Dampf Dispute Solutions (Baton Rouge) — No. 82
  • Steve Hicks (’73), chairman of the board and CEO of Provident Resources Group Inc. (Baton Rouge) — No. 82 overall, and No. 8 on the Roaring 10 list
  • Kyle McDonald (’84), CEO of Argent Financial Group, Inc. (Ruston) — No. 73
  • Chad Reynolds (’98), owner of Legacy Title (Baton Rouge) — No. 32
Alumni can purchase LSU Law merchandise from SBA through Nov. 6
Alumni can now purchase LSU Law merchandise—including T-shits, outerwear, drinkware, and more—through the Student Bar Association's Fall merchandise sale.

Alumni have until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 6, to purchase merchandise. Check out all of the available items.

Questions about the merchandise sale can be sent to 2L Class President Alaysia Johnson at ajoh411@lsu.edu. Any questions regarding an order should be sent directly to B-Unlimited at orders@b-unlimited.com. 
After spending 13 years in Connecticut as a child, France-native Andréa Atlani had always dreamed of one day returning to the United States. After studying law for the past four years at the Université Jean Moulin-Lyon III in Lyon, France, her dream came true this summer when she arrived in Baton Rouge to earn her LLM at LSU Law as part of a new dual degree program.

“I am so grateful to be able to finish my second year of my Master’s here at the LSU Law Center thanks to this new partnership. It’s a wonderful opportunity,” Atlani said.

Launched this year, the new dual degree program with Université Jean Moulin-Lyon III enhances the existing relationship with the host campus of LSU Law’s long-standing summer program in France. Two students from the French university’s Master’s in Comparative Law program will be selected to study at LSU Law each academic year, providing them the opportunity to simultaneously complete their two-year master’s degree and the coursework required for the LSU Law LL.M. in Comparative Law.
Renew your Louisiana Attorney’s Oath during Reunion Weekend
Two hours of free CLE—one of Ethics and one of Professionalism—are available to our reunion class members during Reunion Weekend on Friday, Nov. 4. All Dean’s Council members are welcome to attend as well, regardless of their graduation year.  

The Ethics session will be presented by Allison Jones ('85) and Matt Jones ('89). Their presentation, "Lessons from Our Father: A Sister and Brother Attorney Discuss the Foundations of their Ethical Sense," will take place from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.

The Professionalism session, "A Review of the Louisiana Attorney's Oath," will be presented by David Abboud Thomas ('93) from 2:45 to 3:45 p.m. Immediately following, Louisiana Supreme Court Justice Will Crain (‘86) will administer the oath to those who elect to participate. Both CLE sessions will be held in the Cheney Joseph Classroom, W210, in the old building. To register, click here.
Our Reunion Reception will follow on Friday evening at the Capitol Park Museum from 7 to 10 p.m.

The All-Alumni Tailgate will take place in front of the Law Center on Highland Road on Saturday, beginning at 2 p.m., with the Hats 'n Canes Toast for 3L and LLM students to take place at 3:30 p.m. The tailgate is free and open to all alumni, current students, and families, courtesy of our sponsors, NeunerPate and CSRS. Join us for jambalaya, beverages, and camaraderie!
The Journal for Social Justice and Policy will present its third-annual virtual symposium on Friday, Nov. 11, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

"The Industrial Prison Complex System" symposium will feature an impressive lineup of legal scholars from across the country, including John Dacey, founder and executive director of the Abolish Private Prisons nonprofit organization; Robert Craig of Abolish Private Prisons; Professor Brittany Deitch of Capital University Law School; Professor Paul Finkelman of Gustavus Adolphus College; and Professor Stevie Leahy of Northeastern Law.

The symposium will be held via Zoom and a livestream will be shown in Room W210 of the Law Center. Participants will have the opportunity to earn 2.25 CLE credit hours.
Professor Caprice Roberts presented a work-in-progress, "Algorithmic Disgorgement in the Shadow of Statutes," as part of the faculty colloquia series at the University of Arkansas Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law. She also presented remarks as a commentator on Professor Emily Sherwin’s draft article, "Restitution and Unjust Enrichment in American Law," for an International Conference on Rethinking Unjust Enrichment: History, Sociology, Theory & Doctrine, sponsored by the University of Western Australia and Auckland University.
Professor Keith Hall served as chair of the 39th Annual Oil & Gas Law Short Course, which was held Oct.17-21 in Houston. He also co-presented with Frank Cascio ('72) on “Crude Oil Marketing,” at the International Oil & Gas Law, Contracts, and Negotiations conference on Oct. 10 in Houston, and served on a panel addressing “Hot Topics in Carbon Capture and Storage” at the Energy & Mineral Law Foundation’s Fall Conference in Lexington, Kentucky, on Oct. 12.
Professor Nick Bryner presented on the principles of environmental law and reliance on judicial precedent in environmental cases at the VIII Congreso Internacional de Derecho Constitucional, organized by the Supreme Court of Mexico’s Center for Constitutional Studies, in Mexico City on Oct. 21.
A headshot photo of a man wearing a suit and tie
Professor Ray Diamond gave a lecture on Oct. 21 entitled “Black Conservatism, Black Radicalism, and False Dichotomy: Paths to Black Economic Power” at the 16th Annual Black New England Conference at Southern New Hampshire University.
Find out about the latest news and accomplishments of your classmates.


To submit an item for Class Notes, please contact the Office of Alumni Relations.