LSBA Headlines

• Curtis R. Joseph, Jr. Installed as 86th President of the Louisiana State Bar Association

  Curtis R. Joseph, Jr., a partner in the Shreveport law firm of Blanchard, Walker, O’Quin & Roberts, APLC, was installed June 4 as the 86th president of the Louisiana State Bar Association (LSBA) during a ceremony at the LSBA’s Annual Meeting in Sandestin, Fla. Administering his oath of office was Hon. Carl E. Stewart of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

• LSBA Installs 2026-27 Officers and Board of Governors

  The Louisiana State Bar Association’s (LSBA) 2026-27 officers and members of the Board of Governors were installed June 4 at a ceremony at the LSBA’s Annual Meeting in Destin, Fla. Hon. Carl E. Stewart, judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, administered the oath of office to the president, and Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice John L. Weimer administered the oaths of office to the Board of Governors and Young Lawyers Division leadership.

• LSBA Young Lawyers Division’s 2026-27 Officers, Council Installed

  NEW ORLEANS— The Louisiana State Bar Association Young Lawyers Division’s (LSBA YLD) 2026-27 officers and Council were installed June 4 at the LSBA Annual Meeting in Destin, Fla. Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice John L. Weimer administered the oath of office.

• Awards Presented to Members at LSBA Annual Meeting

  Several Louisiana State Bar Association (LSBA) members received awards June 4 during the association’s 2026 Annual Meeting in Destin, Fla. All award recipients are listed below. Photos of award recipients are available online. 

• House of Delegates June 4 Recap

  At its June 4 meeting, the House of Delegates approved two resolutions and elected a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association House of Delegates to serve as a member of the Budget Committee for a term beginning July 1, 2026 and ending June 30, 2028. The resolutions came from the Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization and the Mineral Law Section. Read more about the House of Delegates. 

• Board of Governors Approves FY 2026-2027 Budget

  The FY 2026-2027 budget was approved by the 2026-2027 Board of Governors at its meeting on June 5. Review the Budget Expenditure Update online here.

• 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. 
  

• A Message on the LSBA-Endorsed Lawyers Professional Liability Program from the LSBA President

  LSBA President Curtis R. Joseph, Jr. has shared a message regarding the LSBA-endorsed Lawyers Professional Liability Program and the ongoing transition to Old Republic Lawyers Specialty Insurance (ORLSI). This message outlines important information regarding the program transition and member benefits.

• LSBA Names Old Republic as New Endorsed Malpractice Insurance Provider

  Enhanced coverage and new benefits available with 2026 policy renewals. 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.

• Mediators/Arbitrators: Book a Listing in LSBA ADR Directory 2026

  Listings and photos from arbitrators and mediators are now being accepted for the LSBA ADR Directory for 2026. The directory will be printed and mailed with the October/November 2026 issue of the Louisiana Bar Journal and also posted online for one year of access. The cost is $125 per listing through the July 10 deadline, and $150 per listing through the final deadline of Aug. 3. Learn more by clicking here. 

• Louisiana Supreme Court Warns of Text Message Scam Targeting Residents

  The Louisiana State Bar Association is alerting its members to a scam identified by the Louisiana Supreme Court in which individuals receive fraudulent text messages from a nonexistent “Louisiana Superior Court.” The Louisiana Supreme Court emphasized that no court by that name exists.

• NOTICE: Attorney Fee Review Board Sets Hourly Rates Through 2027

  The Attorney Fee Review Board (AFRB) is charged with establishing hourly rates for legal fees for which the State may be liable pursuant to La. R.S. 13:5108.3. The AFRB met for its 2025 fall meeting on October 6, 2025.  Click here to read the AFRB Notice of rates.

• 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.
• Ongoing News
• • Louisiana Bar Center to Close June 19 and July 3
  • Board Certified Specialists and 2026 Applicants Under the Age of 65 in 2026 May Earn up to Four (4) Hours of Approved Specialization “Computer-Based CLE” Credits in 2026
  • Louisiana Supreme Court Amends Plan of Legal Specialization
  • LBLS Accepting Applications for Business Bankruptcy Law and Consumer Bankruptcy Law Certification through Sept. 30
  • Attorneys Apply for Recertification as Legal Specialists
  • Attorneys Apply for Certification as Legal Specialists
  • Free Trust Accounting & Billing Software by Smokeball
  • Registration Open for the 2026 Conclave on Diversity in the Legal Profession
  • Mandatory Bar Challenge