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.
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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.
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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.
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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. 
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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. 

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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.

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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. 

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LSBA to Hold Special Election to Consider Reduction in Size of House of Delegates
The LSBA will hold a special election beginning July 13 to consider a proposal to amend Article VIII, Section 2 of the Articles of Incorporation to reduce the size of the House of Delegates by roughly one half. The House of Delegates Task Force made the recommendation after more than a year of study, which included a survey and outreach to LSBA leaders. The House of Delegates approved the proposal at its January 24, 2026 meeting. Balloting will be conducted electronically only, as approved by the LSBA Board of Governors and provided for in the Association’s Articles of Incorporation. No paper ballots will be provided. Ballots will be available to members from July 13 through July 27. For more information, click here. 

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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.

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LSBA Names Old Republic as New Endorsed Malpractice Insurance Provider

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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. 

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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.
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Louisiana Bar Center to Close June 19 and July 3
The Louisiana Bar Center will be closed June 19, 2026 and will reopen at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, June 22, 2026.  The Bar Center will also be closed July 3, 2026 and will reopen at 8:30 a.m. on July 6, 2026.

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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.
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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.

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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
The Louisiana Supreme Court amended Rule XXX of the Rules for Continuing Legal Education, modifying the long-standing age-based exemption for attorneys, by Order dated Nov. 10, 2025. 
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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. 


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LBLS Accepting Applications for Business Bankruptcy Law and Consumer Bankruptcy Law Certification through Sept. 30
The Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization (LBLS) is accepting applications for board certification in business bankruptcy law and consumer bankruptcy law through Sept. 30, 2026. 
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Attorneys Apply for Recertification as Legal Specialists

Pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization, notice is hereby given that the following attorneys have applied for recertification as legal specialists for the period January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2030. Any person wishing to comment upon the qualifications of any applicant should submit his or her comments to the Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization, 601 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans, LA 70130 or maryann.wegmann@lsba.org, no later than Friday, December 19, 2025.

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Attorneys Apply for Certification as Legal Specialists

Pursuant to the Rules and Regulations of the Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization, notice is hereby given that the following attorneys have applied for certification as a legal specialist. Any person wishing to comment upon the qualifications of any applicant should submit his/her comments to the Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization, 601 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans, LA 70130, c/o Mary Ann Wegmann, Specialization Director, no later than December 19, 2025.

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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

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Registration Open for the 2026 Conclave on Diversity in the Legal Profession
The 18th Annual Conclave on Diversity in the Legal Profession, with the theme “Our Diversity, Our Strength,” is scheduled for August 7, 2026, at the Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans, 2 Canal Street. Learn more about the event, register, or access information at www.lsba.org/goto/conclave.

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Save the Date: 2027 LSBA Midyear Meeting
The Louisiana State Bar Association’s 2027 Midyear Meeting has been rescheduled and will be held Wednesday, Jan. 27, through Friday, Jan. 29, 2027. The House of Delegates meeting will take place at 9 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 29, and is expected to conclude by approximately 10 a.m. Additional details about the 2027 Midyear Meeting will be announced as they become available.

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Mandatory Bar Challenge
A member of the Louisiana State Bar Association filed suit against the LSBA, the Louisiana Supreme Court and the Justices of the Court on August 1, 2019, challenging mandatory bar membership on First and Fourteenth amendment grounds.

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