2025 Disability Law Training SeriesThe 2025 Disability Law Training Series, hosted by the LSBA’s Legal Servies for Persons with Disabilities (LSPD) and Accessibility Committees, was held on December 5, 2025, in New Orleans. The event brought together judges and practitioners in the field of disability law and those who want to learn more about disability law. Session topics included the intersection of the judicial system and mental health, pooled special trusts, and an attorney’s responsibility to obtain a court interpreter. Christopher Edmunds, co-chair of the LSPD Committee, delivered the welcome remarks and Judge John A. Keller of the 22
nd Judicial District Court presented on specialty courts.
2025 Criminal Justice Summit The 2025 Criminal Justice Summit was held on December 2, 2025, in Natchitoches, underscoring our commitment to statewide engagement, accessibility, and inclusive dialogue. This year’s theme—
“Justice in Motion: Understanding New Laws and Complex Cases”—proved especially timely as Louisiana continues to experience significant statutory and procedural changes affecting every stage of the criminal justice system.
The Summit provided a dedicated space for practitioners to examine these developments, explore their practical implications, and discuss their real-world impact on clients, courts, and communities. The goal was to equip attendees with the tools, context, and clarity needed to navigate a rapidly evolving legal landscape and to ensure that criminal justice professionals across the state remain informed and prepared.
(Picture of
· NSU President, James T. Genovese, former LA Supreme Court Justice, delivering welcome remarks.)
22nd Annual Louisiana Justice Community Conference Highlights Tools for Effective AdvocacyThe 22nd Annual Louisiana Justice Community Conference (LJCC), hosted by the Louisiana State Bar Association in November 2025, brought together civil legal aid attorneys and advocates from across the state to strengthen access to justice for underserved communities. Offered at no cost to providers, this year’s theme—“Tools for Effective Advocacy in a Changing Legal Landscape”—reflected the evolving challenges facing public-interest practitioners.
The conference opened with remarks from LSBA and Louisiana Bar Foundation leadership and a keynote address from Hon. Dana M. Douglas of the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, who underscored the vital work of civil legal aid in serving Louisiana’s most vulnerable residents. Programming began with the Child in Need of Care (CINC) Pre-Conference, which offered targeted training on appellate-focused case preparation, education advocacy, representation of undocumented children, issues affecting crossover youth, and ethical considerations in sibling representation.
During the two-day main conference, attendees engaged in sessions addressing organizational change strategies, emerging federal student loan rules, and the growing impact of artificial intelligence on low-income communities. Additional sessions provided practical updates on in forma pauperis (IFP) matters, effective approaches to opposing self-represented litigants, and best practices for ensuring language and disability access.
The annual Civil Legal Aid Awards Ceremony honored outstanding contributions to public-interest law. Allyson D. Tuttle received the Legal Service Excellence in Advocacy Award for 25 years of service to domestic violence survivors. The Legal Service Innovation Award went to Lagniappe Law Lab and Louisiana Appleseed for the Louisiana Legacy Application, a new will-generation tool already used in clinics across 34 parishes. Ashley Johnson-Alford was also recognized for completing the LIFT Domestic Violence Program and her commitment to expanding affordable legal services. The 22nd Annual LJCC reaffirmed the dedication of Louisiana’s legal aid community and the LSBA’s commitment to supporting effective, equitable advocacy statewide. (Picture of Edward J. Walters, Jr.,
Louisiana State Bar Association President, Deidre D. Robert,
Louisiana Bar Foundation Past President, and Hon. Dana M. Douglas,
U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.)
Welcome to Newly Admitted Attorneys!Welcome to the Louisiana legal community—and congratulations to all newly admitted attorneys! We invite you to explore meaningful ways to serve clients and communities across the state. Learn how Louisiana’s civil legal aid network, pro bono programs, and the Access to Justice Commission work together to expand access to justice for all. Discover valuable resources such as the
Find Legal Help page,
LA.FreeLegalAnswers.org, the
Online Modest Means Directory, and the
Disabilities Assistance Network (DAN), and see how the
Access to Justice Commission strengthens collaboration and promotes equal access to justice.
More...
2025 Lawyers in Libraries October 20–25, 2025, the Lawyers in Libraries program combined traditional Ask-a-Lawyer sessions with new, innovative initiatives to expand access to justice across Louisiana. Volunteer attorneys provided free legal information on topics including family law, housing, successions, and consumer rights through in-person, phone, and online consultations. This year introduced two major enhancements: the Legal Help Access Point in Beauregard Parish, offering virtual consultations for remote residents, and a partnership with Louisiana Appleseed for estate planning presentations and the first joint Legacy and Estate Planning Clinic in St. Tammany Parish. Complemented by statewide Law Talks webinars on key legal topics, these efforts advanced the LSBA’s mission to meet Louisianans where they are—whether in libraries, online, or beyond. Edward J. Walters, Jr. holding the Governor Jeff Landry's Proclamation of
October 20–25, 2025, as
PRO BONO WEEK in the State of Louisiana.
Free Legal Answers Clinic held Tuesday, October 21, 2025 was a successAs a part of National Celebrate Pro Bono week, Entergy hosted a simultaneous multi-state Free Legal Answers clinic on Tuesday, October 21st. Entergy hosted events in their offices located in Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Washington D.C. and Mississippi. National Celebrate Pro Bono Week is an ABA initiative to encourage attorneys to provide pro bono to those in need across the nation. Marcus Brown, Entergy, Executive Vice President and General Counsel, kicked off the events by welcoming those in person in New Orleans and those attending virtually from Entergy’s additional offices. In New Orleans, attorneys, paralegals, and students from Entergy, Baker Donelson, and Loyola University College of Law came together over lunch to answer civil legal questions posed to LA.FreeLegalAnswers.org. For the
LA.FreeLegalAnswers.org site volunteers answered 30 questions in the small-time frame over their lunch. This is the sixth time that Entergy has hosted a Free Legal Answers clinic during National Celebrate Pro Bono Week. At the end of the clinic attorneys, paralegals, and students in New Orleans with Entergy, Baker Donelson, and Loyola University College of Law, posed for a group photo.
Disaster Law Collaboration Summit The 2025 Disaster Law Collaboration Summit, hosted by the LSBA, Acadiana Legal Services Corporation, Southeast Louisiana Legal Services, and GOHSEP, was held on Oct. 10 in Baton Rouge. The summit brought together attorneys, leaders in disaster preparedness, and community response organizations from across Louisiana to strengthen our state’s disaster response network and focus on how to better support communities before and after disasters. Panels covered disaster legal services, title clearing, estate planning, and strategies to address both short- and long-term recovery needs. Mark Ward, Assitant Director of Emergency Management, delivered the Keynote Address.
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.
ATJ Commission Launches Additional Legal Help Access Points in LouisianaThe Louisiana Access to Justice Commission recently launched two additional Legal Help Access Point locations, with one in Chalmette and another in DeRidder.
The Access Points are physical computers or booths that allow users to access a spectrum of services and information to get assistance with their civil legal issues. At the Access Points, users can: get access to Self-Help resources and automated court forms; find out if you qualify for free legal aid; get customized legal help and referrals through the Civil Legal Navigator; meet virtually with an attorney in a confidential enclosed space; attend a virtual hearing with participating courts via an online court program.
More...