LSBA Disaster Response for Attorney

Dear Members:

I have been in communication with Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice John Weimer about Hurricane Ida’s potential effects on the courts and on Bar members’ ability to practice. We are both fully engaged and monitoring the storm and its aftermath. We intend to address all needs as soon as we are able to assess the storm’s full impact on the profession. In the meantime, there are several resources available immediately to help our members in the aftermath of a natural disaster of this magnitude:

• The SOLACE Program will be accepting assistance requests for non-monetary needs from those affected by Hurricane Ida.
• The LSBA’s Disaster Planning Handbook includes a checklist to help you begin the recovery process.
• The Louisiana Supreme Court website is posting all court closure orders from across the state.

The LSBA is here for you. Please let me know if we can help.  We are keeping you and your families in our thoughts and prayers.  Please be safe.   

Sincerely,
Mr. Stephen I Dwyer
2022-23 LSBA President

Disaster Response Announcements

Legal Symposium Commemorating Hurricane Katrina
On Thursday, August 28, 2025, the Legal Symposium Commemorating Hurricane Katrina was held at Entergy Headquarters to mark the 20th anniversary of the storm’s devastating impact. Hosted by Southeast Louisiana Legal Services, Entergy, The Pro Bono Project, and the Louisiana State Bar Association’s Access to Justice Program, this landmark event convened legal professionals, policymakers, and community leaders to reflect on the storm’s far-reaching legal consequences. The well-attended program featured powerful keynote addresses, dynamic panel discussions, and moving community storytelling, all centered on the legal challenges, policy reforms, and resiliency efforts that have shaped the region in the two decades since Katrina. The symposium served as both a remembrance and a call to action, underscoring the continued importance of equitable legal access in the face of disaster. ?

---