2023-2024 Class Project: Demystifying the Legal Profession
The 2023-24 Leadership LSBA Class created a PowerPoint presentation that incorporated an activity titled No Vehicles in the Park. The outreach presentation is titled Demystifying the Legal Profession and focuses on providing students with a clear and engaging introduction to the legal profession regarding what attorneys do, the path to becoming a lawyer, and the requirements for entering the field. The goal of the presentation is to aid high school students to make informed decisions about their future career paths. The incorporated activity No Vehicles in the Park is meant to encourage students to “think like a lawyer” and think about how laws and made, enforced, defended, and sometimes changed.
Materials:
DLP Powerpoint
2022-2023 Class Project: The Basics of Practicing Law – Personal Injury
The 2022 - 2023 Leadership LSBA class presented a mock Motion for Summary Judgment (MSJ) hearing. The MSJ mock hearing provides law students with a realistic, but abbreviated demonstration of motion practice. The mock hearing focused on guiding law students through the stages of litigation and discovery. Law students were provided with an opportunity to ask questions. Class members provided practical advice to law students, and perspective on navigating the practice of law as a young lawyer. A mock fact pattern, a visual aide, and supporting case materials were prepared by the class.
Motion for Summary Judgment Mock Hearing
Presentation 1, LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center, and Southern University Law Center
Plaintiff Team: Robert Clayton Christian, Daniel M. Olivier
Defense Team: Ashley M. Caruso, Candace B. Ford, Ashley U. Johnson
Technology Team: Carlesia C. Bibbins
Video of Mock MSJ Hearing
Materials:
MSJ PowerPoint
MSJ Petition and Answer
MSJ Plaintiff’s Support for MSJ
MSJ Defendant’s Opposition to MSJ
MSJ Judgment
2021-2022 Class Project: Military Legal Help Videos
The Class consulted with local JAG offices and created informative videos on five civil legal topics popular with military service members: accessing VA benefits; landlord/tenant issues; divorce; estate planning; and setting up a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business. In these videos, legal professionals answer common questions that may provide valuable information to service members and their families. The videos are featured on a dedicated webpage, www.lsba.org/goto/militaryhelp, along with a list of additional online resources for each topic. Click here for a printable flyer with a QR code that directs you to the webpage.
2020-2021 Class Project: “Pandemic Pro Bono” CLE Webinar and Pro Bono Guides
The Class hosted a free CLE Webinar covering legal issues that the public encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic. The seminar aimed to inspire more attorneys to take on pro bono work for COVID-19 relief in these areas greatest need. CLE participants left with step-by-step pro bono guides on evictions and small successions (created by Class members), plus action steps on how to get involved immediately with local pro bono organizations. The seminar reached 252 participants.
2019-2020 Class Project: Care Packages for Healthcare Professionals
The Class distributed care packages to healthcare professionals across the state in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The care packages included an assortment of snacks to provide health care professionals with healthier options during their long shifts. Packages were delivered to medical staff working in Baton Rouge, Bossier City, Lake Charles and Lafayette. In addition, meals were provided to medical staff in New Orleans and Bossier City. Photos of the deliveries are available online here.
2018-2019 Class Project: Financial Literacy Initiative
The Class created an educational pamphlet titled, "Personal Financial Savvy for Lawyers" with the input of several financial advisors. The pamphlet provided useful information and resources on law school debt, smart investing and retirement. The Class also hosted a CLE session during the 2019 LSBA Summer School with financial experts from Louisiana discussing these same topics. A copy of the pamphlet is available here.
2017-2018 Class Project: "Bar Relief" Fairs
The Class is hosted “Bar Relief: When Disaster Strikes, the Bar is Here,” a series of organization fairs that raised awareness for disaster relief volunteer opportunities. The devastation brought on by the Great Flood of 2016 and Hurricane Harvey spurred a need in local organizations for volunteers willing to get involved when disasters strike. Attorneys were invited to attend “Bar Relief” events in New Orleans and Lafayette to learn more about various disaster relief organizations and to sign up to volunteer.
2016-2017 Class Project: Resources for Persons with Disabilities
The Class elected to focus on developmental disabilities and the legal challenges faced by impacted families. Class members created a pamphlet detailing resources available for individuals with developmental disabilities and lawyers who may represent them. The Class also raised $3,486 for the Emerge Center of Baton Rouge, a community resource organization that works directly with children and adults suffering from communicative, behavioral, and developmental disabilities. A copy of the pamphlet is available here.
2015-2016 Class Project: Louisiana Bar Journal Commemorative Edition
The Class created a special edition of the Louisiana Bar Journal to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Louisiana State Bar Association (June/July 2016, Vol. 64 No. 1). The Class wrote nine articles, compiled historic information and photographs from around the state, and conducted interviews with prominent Bar members on both the past and the future of the profession. The Bar Journal is archived online here.
2014-2015 Class Project: Hackcess to Justice Louisiana
“Hackcess to Justice Louisiana” brought together legal aid providers and the tech community to create and showcase technological solutions to increase and streamline access to justice for underrepresented persons and communities in Louisiana. Partners included the ABA Journal, New Orleans Entrepreneur Week, legal aid providers, and the tech community. The program consisted of a presentation by legal aid providers highlighting the existing forms of legal aid services and discussing tech-oriented solutions and how they might translate to access to justice. After the presentations, programmers and developers collaborated for more than 24 hours to develop these technology-enabled solutions. Prize money was awarded to the winning app, "Legal Proof," which provides a simple way to create court-admissible evidence in numerous civil categories (divorce, custody, wills, landlord, workplace issues, etc.).
2013-2014 Class Project: “Alternative Careers in Law” Video
The Class produced an informational video for students discussing various job opportunities in the legal field. The video highlights careers that range from paralegal to politics to judge, and provides the viewer with a unique look at career paths that utilize a variety of skill sets. The video provides background information about various jobs outside of “lawyer,” and the steps that lead to fulfilling careers in the legal industry.
2012-2013 Class Project: College PowerPoint Presentations
The Class produced a presentation for college students on common laws that they should know (Statutory Criminal, Privacy and Tech, Contracts, and Constitutional Criminal). Class member Ashley Smith created a PowerPoint incorporating clips, music, and other media. Class members gave group presentations at local colleges in four major metropolitan areas in Louisiana: Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Lafayette/Lake Charles, and Shreveport/Monroe. They also provided written materials to students.
2011-2012 Class Project: “Laps for LAP” 5K and Fun Run
The Class hosted the “Laps for LAP” 5K and Fun Run in Lake Charles. The goal of the event was to raise both money and awareness of the services that the Louisiana Lawyers Assistance Program (now referred to as JLAP) provides in assisting attorneys and judges with substance abuse and mental health issues. Forty-nine adults and children registered for the event at Sam Houston Jones State Park. A free catered picnic followed the 5K event. “Laps for LAP” was dedicated to 2011-12 Leadership LSBA Class member Spencer Trahan, who passed away at the beginning of the Class term. All proceeds from the event were donated in his name to JLAP, with a check presentation to the executive director of JLAP at the 2012 Annual Meeting. “Laps for LAP” was able to raise a total of $2,235. Photos of the event are available online here.
2010-2011 Class Project: “The Pro Bono Academy” CLE series
“The LSBA Pro Bono Academy” consisted of a series of free, 2-hour CLE programs conducted around the state, with the purpose of encouraging attorneys to volunteer to provide pro bono legal services through existing pro bono legal services programs. CLEs were presented in Lake Charles, Alexandria and New Orleans. At each CLE, representatives and volunteers of pro bono legal service programs provided information about the types of cases handled by each program, and attorneys were encouraged to volunteer. The CLE programs led to a number of attorneys registering to volunteer in programs such as HELP, SOLACE, the Pro Bono Project, and Appleseed.
2009-2010 Class Project: “Coming of Age in Louisiana” Brochure
“Coming of Age in Louisiana: Road Map to Adulthood” introduced teenagers to the changes in legal rights and responsibilities that occur once they reach the age of 18 and are legally considered adults. The brochure provided a broad overview of many topics, including: voting, contracts, property leases, consumer credit, sex crimes, driving, and employment. The Class made short presentations and handed out brochures to high school students at Law Day programs in Baton Rouge, Shreveport and Lake Charles. The Class also created a poster with a web address where students could view the brochure on the LSBA website. The poster was distributed through the Louisiana Center for Legal and Civic Education (LCLCE) listserv. The brochure is available online here.
2008-2009 Class Project: Law Day High School Art Contest
Participants in the high school art contest were asked to submit art in any medium inspired by the theme: “The American Legal Legacy: Freedom, Justice, Liberty, Equality.” The competition drew more than 70 entries from high schools around the state. Entries were evaluated by a panel of judges including: Scott Durbin of the Imagination Movers; Richard K. Leefe of the LSBA Board of Governors; Louisiana artists Irvin Mayfield and James Michalopoulos; and Hon. Patricia Murray of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal. U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia presented awards to the three contest winners at the LSBA Rule of Law Conference. Additionally, the top 15 submissions were placed on display at the Library of the Louisiana Supreme Court in New Orleans.