The Louisiana State Bar Association (LSBA) held its 39th annual Pro Bono Publico & Children’s Law Awards Ceremony was held on May 21, 2024, 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 Shayna L. Sonnier, Louisiana Bar Foundation President Hon. John C. Davidson (ret.), 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 starts in the galaxy of the legal profession.”

Pro bono service is essential to ensuring that all people can access justice in Louisiana, where the number of people eligible for free legal services outnumbers legal aid attorneys by an enormous 11,250 to one. 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 needed legal services and available legal help through their pro bono service.

The LSBA is pleased to honor the following individuals and organization with the listed awards:

2024 Children’s Law Awards
Josephine Vanderhorst  Gonzales

2024 Law Student Award
Alex Bellow  Loyola University College of Law
Alaysia J. Johnson  LSU Paul M. Hebert law Center
Whitney Peters    Southern University Law Center
Charlotte Phillips  Tulane University Law School

2024 Friend of Pro Bono
Todd Gaudin  Baton Rouge
Angela Hammett  Baton Rouge
Gabriel Liu  New Orleans
Gregory Tonore  Lafayette

2024 Pro Bono Publico
Carlesia Carmena Bibbins  Zachary
Felicia M. Hamilton  Shreveport
Deanna Hamilton-Lamz  Slidell
Melanie Newkome Jones  Baton Rouge
Kathleen Legendre  Covington
Derrick McCorey  Pride
Holland Miciotto  Shreveport
Michael Dennis Smith, Jr.  Metairie
Annie Torrans  New Orleans
Josef P. Ventulan  Baton Rouge
Zara Zeringue  Covington

2024 Century Club Awards
Regina Bartholomew-Woods  New Orleans
Jesmin Basanti Finley  Covington

2024 LA.FreeLegalAnswers Award
Cornelia S. Ullmann  Metairie

2024 Career Public Interest Award
Lewis M. Gladney  Natchitoches

2024 David A. Hamilton Lifetime Achievement Award
Scott Gaspard  Baton Rouge

Photos of the ceremony are available here.

Pro Bono Downloads

• COVID-19 Housing Law Training Manual for Volunteer Attorneys
• Louisiana Pro Bono Toolkit

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I want to help! Where can I find pro bono volunteer opportunities?
Pro Bono volunteers are an essential element to providing the poor with a full range of quality legal services. In the current economic climate, legal aid organizations are facing increasing demands for their services and pro bono attorneys are an important supplement to these efforts. Probono.net/la provides more information about how to get involved and a list of pro bono and legal service organizations searchable by parish. For COVID-19 related volunteer opportunities go here. 

You can also find organizations looking for volunteers at www.probono.net/la. 

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I need help. How do I find Pro Bono Legal Services? 
If you are looking for pro bono legal advice or guidance, you can find information regarding the programs in your parish through the LSBA's Find Legal Help webpage.

You can also find a list of a list of legal services offices in your parish on the Find Legal Help webpage.