Bench Bar 2013 Agenda

Do you know what judges expect in their courtrooms?

What won't judges tolerate from lawyers?

Are there special reules that exist particular to each judge's court?

Do you want to know special practice pointers?

Meet the Judges is a rapid-fire round robin session.

Lawyers will be given the opportunity to meet and interact with judges from the following courts:

• US District Court - Eastern District of Louisiana
  • Hon. Lance M. Africk
  • Hon. Carl J. Barbier
  • Hon. Helen "Ginger" Berrigan
  • Hon. Sarah S. Vance
  • Hon. Jay C. Zainey 
• US District Court - Middle District of Louisiana
  • Hon. Brian A. Jackson
• Louisiana Supreme Court
  • Hon. Bernette J. Johnson
• Louisiana Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal
  • Hon. Dennis R. Bagneris, Sr.
  • Hon. James F. McKay, III
  • Hon. Edwin A. Lombard 
• Louisiana Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal
  • Hon. Jude G. Gravois
  • Hon. Hans J. Liljeberg  
  • Hon. Steve Windhorst
• Orleans Parish Civil District Court
  • Hon. Michael G. Bagneris
  • Hon. Regina H. Bartholomew
  • Hon. Paula A. Brown 
  • Hon. Tiffany G. Chase 
  • Hon. Bernadette G. D'Souza
  • Hon. Piper D. Griffin
  • Hon. Paulette R. Irons
  • Hon. Ethel S. Julien
  • Hon. Clare F. Jupiter
• Orleans Parish Criminal District Court
  • Hon. Camille G. Buras
  • Hon. Tracy E. Flemings
  • Hon. Keva Landrum-Johnson
  • Hon. Laurie A. White
• Orleans Parish First and Second City Courts
  • Hon. Ernestine "Teena" Anderson-Trahan
  • Hon. Veronica E. Henry
  • Hon. Monique G. Morial
  • Hon. Angelique A. Reed
• Orleans Parish Municipal Court
  • Hon. Joseph B. Landry 
• Orleans Parish Traffic Court
  • Hon. Herbert A. Cade
• 24th Judicial District Court
  • Hon. June B. Darensburg
  • Hon. Lee V. Faulkner, Jr.
  • Hon. Nancy A. Miller
  • Hon. Raymond S. Steib, Jr.

and more to come...

Join members of the legal community including the judiciary for a night of dinner, music and an award ceremony.

• Remember to purchase your tickets with your CLE registration.
• $110 per person. Reservations required.

For information, contact NOBA at (504) 525-7453.

Recent developments foretell the coming storm of problems arising from blogging and social media posting by lawyers, jurors, and other participants in the judicial process.  

• This panel of distinguished judges and lawyers will address real life scenarios raising the most important legal issues surrounding these activities, and will discuss what the courts can and should be doing to control and limit them in order to avoid prejudice to the judicial process.   
• To what extent may judges restrict blogging, tweets, Facebook posts and other such communications and contacts before, during, and following a trial?  Where should the courts draw the line?     
• What about the First Amendment?  When, if ever, can social media and blogging give rise to a mistrial or a right to new trial in criminal and civil cases?  

Speakers:

• James A. Brown, Liskow & Lewis (Moderator)
• The Hon. James J. Brady, US District Court - Middle District of Louisiana
• The Hon. Michael G. Bagneris, Orleans Civil District Court
• The Hon. Camille G. Buras, Orleans Criminal District Court
• Richard C. Stanley, Stanley, Reuter, Ross, Thorton and Alford, LLC

Judges and lawyers confront the challenges of handling high profile cases such as:

• Media coverge
• Impact on jury venire
• Considering a change of venue
• Settling the case for trial
• Discovery issues, gag order and more

Speakers:

• James M. Williams, Gauthier, Houghtaling & Williams (Moderator)
• The Hon. Lance M. Africk, US District Court - Eastern District of Louisiana
• The Hon. Carl J. Barbier, US District Court - Eastern District of Louisiana
• Patrick J. Fanning
• James M. Garner, Sher Garner
• Wayne J. Lee, Stone Pigman 
• Jason R. Williams, Jason Rogers Williams & Associates

This panel discussion will address the many facets of moral turpitude in the legal profession including the following:

• Ethical considerations prompted by the rules of professional responsibility
• Complex legal implications in both the civil and criminal contexts dealing with moral turpitude among the legal profession
• In addition, the panel will discuss the public relations aspect which is often tantamount to a crisis when moral turpitude is involved
• Finally, the panel will explore the new electronic forensic analysis in so far as it relates to unraveling the electronic sources of moral turpitude

Speakers:

• M. Nan Alessandra, Phelps Dunbar, LLP (Moderator)
• Greg Beuerman, Beuerman Miller Fitzgerald
• Carl A. Butler, LeBlanc & Butler, LLC
• Gavin W. Manes, Avansic
• Charles B. Plattsmier, Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board
• Harry Rosenberg, Phelps Dunbar, LLP

Enjoy a relaxing evening sunset before you head to dinner.

Speakers:

• The Hon. Laurie A. White, Orleans Criminal District Court (Moderator)
• The Hon. Helen G. Berrigan, United States District Court, Eastern District of LA
• Robert J. David, Gainsburgh, Benjamin, David, Meunier & Warshauer, L.L.C.
• R. Patrick Vance, Jones, Walker, Waechter, Poitevent, Carrère & Denègre L.L.P.
• Sharonda R. Williams, City of New Orleans

Increasingly Attorney Disciplinary Opinions, Disciplinary Board Recommendations and Rules, and Hearing Committee Reports note mental health issues as mitigating factors when imposing sanctions. 

• The distinguished panel will discuss mental health issues in the profession, the role mental health issues play in contributing to disciplinary complaints and what resources are available to address mental health issues and hopefully avoid ethical complaints.

Speakers:

• Samantha P. Griffin, Stone Pigman Walther Wittmann, LLC (Moderator)
• The Hon. Clare Jupiter, Orleans Civil District Court
• Dow M. Edwards, Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC
• Marta Ann Schnabel, O’Bryon & Schnabel, APLC
• Susan Tart, Louisiana Court of Appeal - 4th Circuit & LSBA Committee on Alcohol and Drug Abuse