LSBA Headlines

• House of Delegates to Consider Four Resolutions at Jan. 24 Meeting

  The Louisiana State Bar Association’s (LSBA) House of Delegates will consider four resolutions and other business items at its Midyear Meeting scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 24, at the Renaissance Baton Rouge Hotel.

• Louisiana Act 352 Overhauls Court Filings Starting Jan. 1, 2026

  Act 352 changes how Louisiana lawyers file court papers starting Jan. 1, 2026. After that date, attorney filings must be made either in person using paper or electronically through a clerk-approved e-filing system. For e-filings, a document is considered filed on the date and time shown on the system’s acceptance confirmation.  Approved e-filing systems include the parish courts’ Louisiana Clerks’ Remote Access Authority (LCRAA) portal and the independent filing systems of the five Courts of Appeal and the Louisiana Supreme Court.

• Louisiana Supreme Court Announces Rule Updates and Enhanced Electronic Filing System

  On Dec. 22, 2025, the Louisiana Supreme Court issued an order that repealed and re-enacted Rules I through XII and XLII, repealed Rule XIV, and adopted new Appendices G-1 and G-2, effective Jan. 1, 2026. The changes modernize court procedures and enhance electronic filing for attorneys practicing before the Louisiana Supreme Court.

• U.S. 5th Circuit Adopts Amendments and Local Rule Change

  The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has adopted amendments to its local rules, effective December 1, 2025, to align with recent changes to the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure.
  
  The full text of the amended rules and related guidance is available on the Fifth Circuit’s website at www.ca5.uscourts.gov.  

• LSBA Names Old Republic as New Endorsed Malpractice Insurance Provider

  Enhanced coverage and new benefits for Louisiana lawyers begin January 2026.
  
  After a year-long review process, the LSBA has selected Old Republic Lawyers Specialty Insurance (ORLSI) as the Association’s endorsed provider of lawyer’s malpractice insurance, partnering with Gilsbar to manage and administer the program. The change marks a major enhancement to the LSBA Insurance Program, which now offers more flexible pricing, additional premium credits, and stronger risk management benefits designed to reward careful, claims-free practice.
  

• Online Registration Open for 2026 Midyear Meeting in Baton Rouge

  Online registration is open for the LSBA’s Midyear Meeting, scheduled for Thursday through Saturday, Jan. 22-24, 2026, at the Renaissance Baton Rouge Hotel, 7000 Bluebonnet Blvd. Registration for the Midyear Meeting is free. Pre-registration is required for the free CLEs scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 22. Click here to register online and to review meeting programming.
  

• Interested in an Appointed LSBA HOD Leadership Position?

  Several LSBA House of Delegates seats received no qualifiers by the Oct. 13, 2025, qualifying deadline. These positions will be filled by presidential appointment. 
  

• Judge Darrel Papillion to Present 2026 Rubin Lecture at LSU Law

  U.S. District Judge Darrel Papillion of the Eastern District of Louisiana will deliver the 2026 Rubin Visiting Professor of Law Lecture on Thursday, Feb. 5, at 5:30 p.m. at the Lod Cook Alumni Center in Baton Rouge.

• Louisiana Supreme Court Amends Plan of Legal Specialization

  The Louisiana Supreme Court has issued an order amending Sections 8.4, 9.2, and 10 of the Louisiana State Bar Association Plan of Legal Specialization. 
  
  
  
  The amendments recognize qualifying judicial and academic service as satisfying full-time practice requirements and establish an automatic inactive designation for board-certified specialists who take judicial office and are prohibited from practicing law. Specialists granted inactive status during judicial service are exempt from maintenance and recertification requirements and may apply for reinstatement to active status within one year of leaving office.
  
  
  The rule changes became effective upon signing in December 2025. To read the full order, click here or visit the Louisiana Supreme Court’s website.

• Louisiana Supreme Court Revises MCLE Age-Based Exemption Effective Jan. 1, 2026

  The Louisiana Supreme Court has amended Rule XXX of the Rules for Continuing Legal Education, modifying the long-standing age-based exemption for attorneys. The change, effective January 1, 2026, reflects the reality that many attorneys are practicing well past traditional retirement age, while also acknowledging the corresponding unique challenges faced by those attorneys. 

• LA Board of Legal Specialization Increased its Annual Dues Effective Jan. 1, 2026

  The Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization (“LBLS”) voted to amend Rule 6.5(a) of its Rules and Regulations to increase annual dues for all board certified specialists from $175.00 to $200.00, effective January 1, 2026. This is the first time that LBLS annual dues have been increased since 1993. LBLS also amended Rule 6.6(d) to add a penalty of $50.00 for failure to pay the recertification fee by the due date. For more information or questions about these increases please contact LBLS Specialization Director, Mary Ann Wegmann, at maryann.wegmann@lsba.org.
  

• Deadlines, Requirements & Transcript Reminder: MCLE Compliance Deadline is Dec. 31, 2025

  The deadline for earning mandatory continuing legal education credits is Dec. 31, 2025. The deadline for filing those credits or an exemption is Jan. 31, 2026.

• LA Board of Legal Specialization Will Accept Applications for Board Certification Through Feb. 28, 2026

  The LBLS is accepting applications for board certification in seven (7) areas — appellate practice, employment law, estate planning and administration, family law, health law, labor law, and tax law - from November 1, 2025 through February 28, 2026. The LBLS is accepting applications for business bankruptcy law and consumer bankruptcy law certification from January 1, 2026 through September 30, 2026.
  

• CLE Compliance for Board Certified Specialists Deadline December 31, 2025

  CLE Compliance deadline for Board Certified Specialists is December 31, 2025; CLE must be Reported to MCLE no later than January 31, 2026 to avoid penalties.
  

• Free Trust Accounting & Billing Software by Smokeball

  The Louisiana State Bar Association Partners with Smokeball to Grant All Members Free Access to Trust and Billing Software

• Ongoing News
• • IRS Sets 2026 Mileage Rate for Business Purposes
  • 2026 Judicial Interest Rate is 7.5%
  • New YLD Podcast Debuts
  • Attorneys Apply for Recertification as Legal Specialists
  • Attorneys Apply for Certification as Legal Specialists
  • Louisiana Bar Center to Close for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
  • Nominations Open for Pro Bono Publico and Children's Law Awards
  • Nominations Open Online for Trailblazer Award, Guardian of Diversity Award
  • Online Application Portal Open for 2026 Suit Up Program
  • Job Shadowing Opportunities Available for 2026 Suit Up for the Future Program
  • LBF Seeking Nominations for 2026 Boisfontaine Award
  • ABA TECHSHOW 2026 Returns to Chicago, Showcasing Future of Legal Tech
  • Free Photo Bar IDs Offered at Midyear Meeting
  • Mandatory Bar Challenge