The Louisiana State Bar Association (LSBA) held its 40
th annual Pro Bono Publico & Children’s Law Awards Ceremony was held on May 19, 2026, at the Louisiana Supreme Court in New Orleans. Louisiana’s seven Supreme Court Justices presided over the ceremony in an official court session to demonstrate their fervent support for pro bono and the efforts of the volunteers being honored.
Welcoming remarks were offered by LSBA President Edward J. Walters, Jr., Louisiana Bar Foundation President Edmund J. Giering IV, and Chief Justice John L. Weimer, who commended the award recipients for going above and beyond their professional duties to ensure access to legal services for low-income Louisianans, calling them “shining stars in the galaxy of the legal profession.”
Pro bono service is crucial in ensuring that all individuals can access justice in Louisiana. The challenge runs deep. The Legal Services Corporation's Justice Gap Report found that 74% of people living in poverty face at least one civil legal problem each year. That figure doesn't account for the compounding effects of natural disasters, which drive demand for legal assistance even higher in Louisiana. This means that while legal aid providers serve thousands of people each year, they cannot serve everyone who cannot afford an attorney. These awards recognize members of the legal profession who are leading the charge in closing the gap between the need for legal services and the availability of legal help through their pro bono service.
The LSBA is pleased to honor the following individuals and organization with the listed awards:
Law Student Pro Bono Award
Kaylee Raquel Odom - Louisiana State University
Andrew D. Jones II - Loyola University
Gabrielle Stewart - Southern University Law Center
Jaxon R. H. Cummings - Tulane Law
Friend of Pro Bono Award
Diane Bourgeois - Baton Rouge
Dean A. Cole - Lafayette
East Baton Rouge Parish Public Library - Baton Rouge
Liskow & Lewis - New Orleans
Ernest Senzer - Covington
Pro Bono Publico Award
Mary L. DeVun - Franklinton
Devin T. Jones - Monroe
Mouledoux, Bland, Legrand & Brackett, LLC - New Orleans
Pamela King Newlen - Shreveport
David J. Rozas - Baton Rouge
Tessa L. Seitzinger - Morgan City
Sharita L. Spears - Lafayette
Career Public Interest Award
Gwendolyn Scovell - New Orleans
Veronica Williams-London - St. Francisville
Children’s Law Award
Natalie L. Paul - Destrehan
Children's Advocacy Center-Hope House - Covington
LA.FreeLegalAnswers.org Award
Earlnisha D. Williams - Shreveport
Lawyers in Libraries Award
Adolph B. Curet III - Franklin
David A. Hamilton Lifetime Achievement Award
Ramona G. Fernandez - New Orleans
Century Club Award
Rusty John Savoie - Covington
James Alex Watkins - New Orleans
Photos of the ceremony are available
here.