Current Officers

  • Virginia Laughlin Schlueter, President
    Virginia_Schleuter@fd.org
  • James M. Garner, Vice-President
    jgarner@shergarner.com
  • Stevan C. Dittman, Treasurer
    sdittman@gainsben.com
  • Barry W. Ashe, Recording Secretary
    bashe@stonepigman.com
  • Hon. Kurt D. Engelhardt, Membership Chair
    kurt_engelhardt@laed.uscourts.gov
  • Matthew B. Moreland, Immediate Past President
    mmoreland@becnellaw.com

CONTACT INFORMATION

  • FBA New Orleans Chapter
    Attorney Conference Center & Lounge
    500 Poydras Street, Suite B364
    New Orleans, Louisiana 70130
    Telephone: (504) 589-7990
    Facsimile: (504) 589-7995
    E-Mail: fbano@bellsouth.net

16th Annual Rubin Symposium – May 15

The New Orleans Chapter of the FBA will host its 16th Annual Judge Alvin B. Rubin Symposium on Ethics and Professionalism on Thursday, May 15 from 2:00 p.m. through 4:00 p.m. in the Ceremonial Courtroom (5th Floor) at the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, 500 Poydras Street, New Orleans, Louisiana. This symposium is held each year as a living memorial to the late Judge Rubin’s contributions to federal jurisprudence and legal scholarship. The Honorable Lance M. Africk, the Honorable Jim Letten, James Bernazzani, Pauline Hardin, Ralph Capitelli, Donna Phillips Currault, and Andrew R. Lee will participate in a panel discussion on ethics and professionalism issues in criminal inquiries to a corporation and its officers. The discussion will be moderated by Dane S. Ciolino, Alvin R. Christovich Professor of Law, Loyola Law School. Seminar attendees will receive continuing legal education credit in both ethics and professionalism. Registration may be accomplished by completing the attached registration form.

Download RubinRegistration.pdf


Powell v. Alabama Seminar - March 13

The New Orleans Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, in co-sponsorship with the Louis A. Martinet Legal Society of New Orleans and the A.P. Tureau Inns of Court, will present a panel discussion commemorating the 75th anniversary of the seminal United States Supreme Court opinion in Powell v. Alabama in which the High Court outlined the premises of the Right to Counsel in the context of the infamous “Scottsboro Boys Trials.”

The event will be held on Thursday, March 13, 2008, in the courtroom of the Hon. Ivan L.R. Lemelle, Judge, United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.  Registration begins at 3:00 p.m., and the program will begin at 4:00 p.m.  A reception will follow in the chambers/courtroom of Chief Judge Ginger Berrigan from 6:00-7:00 p.m.  The cost to attend the program is $25.00 for members of the sponsoring organizations who register in advance (or $50.00 at the door); $50.00 for non-members (or $75.00 at the door).  Students may attend free of charge with valid I.D.

Prof. Steven Becket of the University of Illinois College of Law will begin the program with an overview of the factual background and history behind the “Scottsboro Boys Trials”; Prof. Steven Higginsen, Associate Professor of Law at Loyola College of Law, New Orleans, will then discuss the Powell v. Alabama decision and Supreme Court advocacy; Prof. Majeeda Snead, Clinical Professor of Law and Criminal Defense Attorney, will address the progeny of Powell v. Alabama, in both state and federal systems; Virginia Schlueter, Director of the Federal Public Defender’s Office and President of the New Orleans Chapter of the FBA, will discuss current issues in indigent defense in the federal system; and Steven Singer, Chief of Trials for the New Orleans Public Defender’s Office and Clinical Professor of Law at Loyola, New Orleans, will address current issues in indigent defense in the State of Louisiana.  An esteemed Panel, including Judge Lemelle, Justice Bernette J. Johnson of the Supreme Court of Louisiana, and Judge Laurie White of the Orleans Parish Criminal District Court will then participate in a question-and-answer session, including questions and comments from the audience.

The event is organized by Chairperson Nannette Jolivette Brown, who oversees the Powell v. Alabama Seminar Committee.  Ms. Brown may be reached for further information at (504) 861-5740.  To register, please contact Ms. Camille Zeller in the Attorney Conference Center of the Hale Boggs Federal Building at (504)589-7990, or by email at fbano@bellsouth.net.

Download registration_form.pdf

Lunch with the Court Program

The Federal Bar Association's Lunch with the Court program continues with the following events:

                       Judge Beer                   February 21, 2008

                        Judge Fallon                March 27, 2008

                        Judge Engelhardt         April 24, 2008

                        Judge Vance                May 21, 2008

All of the events are held in the Judge's courtroom at noon unless otherwise noted.  Please contact Camille at 504-589-7990 if you wish to attend.  Space is limited.

The Lunch with the Court program, which is free for members of the Federal Bar Association, is a project of the Young Lawyers Division.  The program allows our Federal Bar members a unique opportunity to interact with the Federal bench in an informal setting.

Winter Edition of the Advocate Now Available

Click on the first link below for the latest news and information from the FBA’s New Orleans Chapter, including several upcoming events.  And the second link is to the FBA’s position paper entitled A Directional Philosophy for the Future of the FBA, which document is mentioned in President Schlueter’s message to the chapter.

Download advocatewinter_2007.pdf

Download fba_white_paper_on_the_future.pdf

Malcolm Monroe Seminar – November 15

Each year, the Younger Lawyers Division of the Federal Bar Association, New Orleans Chapter, hosts the Malcolm W. Monroe Federal Practice Seminar.  This program is specifically geared toward newly admitted attorneys, and it offers them the opportunity to be admitted to all of the federal courts in Louisiana.  In addition to the joint admission ceremony, this year’s seminar will feature presentations on ethics, professionalism, law office management, and federal practice, for which attendees will receive CLE credit.  The seminar will be held on Thursday, November 15, 2007, in the Pan-American Life Conference Center, 601 Poydras Street, 11th floor.  The registration deadline is November 1, 2007, and the attached packet contains complete registration information and instructions.

Download malcolm_w. Monroe 2007 Registration Packet.pdf

Federal Judges’ Reception Set for November 7

The FBA’s New Orleans Chapter honors the service of our federal judges at its annual Federal Judges’ Reception.  This year’s event will take place on Wednesday, November 7, 2007, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Supreme Court of Louisiana’s building at 400 Royal Street in the French Quarter.  Please call Camille at (504) 589-7990 if you are interested in sponsoring or attending the reception.

Annual Meeting Set for August 10

The New Orleans Chapter of the Federal Bar Association will hold its annual meeting and luncheon on Friday, August 10, 2007, at the Plimsoll Club in downtown New Orleans.  The Chapter is honored to have as its keynote speaker United States Senator Mary Landrieu. The luncheon and meeting will begin at noon and will be preceded by a cocktail hour beginning at 11 a.m.  Please contact Camille Zeller at the Attorney Conference Center (504-589-7990) to make reservations to attend.

Calendar of Events

  • Lunch with the Court—Judge Sarah S. Vance
    May 21, 2008
  • Rubin Symposium
    May 15, 2008
  • Lunch with the Court—Judge Kurt D. Engelhardt
    April 24, 2008
  • Lunch with the Court—Judge Eldon E. Fallon
    March 27, 2008
  • Lunch with the Court—Judge Peter Beer
    February 21, 2008
  • Last Chance CLE
    December 13, 2007
  • YLD Annual Holiday Party
    December 5, 2007
  • Malcolm Monroe Seminar
    November 15, 2007
  • Annual Judges' Reception
    November 7, 2007

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