April 2026 Newsletter
April 1, 2026
No April Fooling…The All Day Family Law CLE at the Greenwood was a GREAT success! Thank you to our speakers: Judge Amacker, Judge Oppenheim, Judge Devereux, Eric Barefield, Professor Sandi Varnado, Andrew Hoffman, Heather Gardner, Bailey Morse and Christina Falco Baldwin. BIG thanks to Section Chair Kathleen Legendre and Co-Chair Theresa Cardenas- it takes a team to host this kind of seminar, and we appreciate you!
SPECIAL EVENT!
Meet The Judges
Join the 22nd Judicial District Court Judges on Thursday, April 23, 2026
St. Tammany Parish Justice Center
701 North Columbia Street
6-8 pm on the 3rd Floor
This event will focus on the “State of the Court” and highlight the exceptional work our judges do in the community.
Hosted by 22nd Judicial District Court
St Tammany Chamber of Commerce
Northshore Court Foundation
22nd JDC Bar Association
No fee to attend, but registration is required through this link (pending approval for 1 hour CLE credit)
CLICK HERE to register.
Get Out Your Spring Calendar!
Please note that while we can usually accept registrations up until the day of the CLE, our headcount is due to the restaurant one week in advance. Registering early is helpful and allows us to accommodate as many attendees as possible.
If you find yourself able to join at the last minute, don’t hesitate to call Reina — we can almost always make it work. And if you need to cancel unexpectedly, please let Reina know as well. Your cancellation may open a spot for someone on the waiting list.
APRIL 17, 2026 — ZEA Lunchtime CLE
Presenter: Alison Bondurant
Program Title: “Operating Agreements, Owner Clashes, and Exit Strategies: The Attorney’s Guide to Smarter Small Business Planning.”
Alison Bondurant, attorney and founder of Bondurant Law, brings extensive experience in Estate Planning, Successions, Business Advice, Related Litigation, and Commercial Real Estate. In this session, she’ll draw from her broad, hands-on experience to unpack the real-world challenges that arise when owners clash, when operating agreements fall short, and when exit strategies are unclear or poorly drafted. Attendees will gain practical insight into how thoughtful planning, clear documentation, and proactive counsel can prevent conflict, preserve value, and position small businesses for long-term stability and success.
Approved for one hour of Law Office Practice
Doors open at noon, lunch service begins at 12:15, CLE from 12:30-1:30.
Remember to make your menu selection at check out: Grilled Chicken or Vegetarian “Zeasar Salad”
MAY 15, 2026 — ZEA Lunchtime CLE
Presenter: Candy Bellau, CFE, PI
Program Title: “When the Numbers Don’t Add Up: What Every Legal Professional Needs to Know About Fraud”. Practical tools every legal professional needs to spot it, stop it, and protect themselves.
Candy Bellau is a Certified Fraud Examiner and licensed Private Investigator who has spent more than 25 years in the trenches of accounting, consulting, and fraud investigation, as well as writing, speaking, and developing educational content designed to change how accounting professionals think about risk. And she’ll be the first to tell you that fraud has a knack for finding her!
In this session, she will talk about what fraud actually looks like inside a law firm. Not the headline-grabbing, Hollywood version — the quiet, everyday version that hides in your trust accounts, your billing processes, and your financial reports. You’ll look at three real stories from legal practice that illustrate just how easily things can go sideways, how long they can go undetected, and what could have stopped them.
Along the way, you’ll be introduced to two frameworks that will change how you look at your firm’s finances: the Fraud Triangle — the three conditions that have to exist for fraud to occur — and the Three C’s: Controls, Culture, and Compensation.
You’ll also spend time on something most fraud presentations skip entirely: the human element. Understanding why good people make bad choices is often the key to making sure it doesn’t happen in your firm.
You’ll leave with practical tools you can actually use, low-cost habits that make a real difference. Think of it as protecting what you’ve built, without turning your firm into a surveillance state.
Pending approval for 1 hour of Ethics
Doors open at noon, lunch service begins at 12:15, CLE from 12:30-1:30.
Menu choices: Rotisserie Beef or Vegetarian Kung Pao Cauliflower
JUNE 19, 2026 — ZEA Lunchtime CLE
Presenter: Honorable Scott Gardner, 22nd Judicial District Court
Program Title: “First Aid For Lawyers: Professionalism in Tough Moments”
Judge Scott Gardner joins us for a Professionalism Hour to discuss the difficulties of our profession:
• What truly matters: relationships and reputation
• Better communication practices for better outcomes
Let him help restore your faith in law and our calling.
Pending approval for 1 hour of Professionalism
Doors open at noon, lunch service begins at 12:15, CLE from 12:30-1:30.
Menu choices: Red Beans and Rice with Grilled Chicken or Vegetarian Hummus Platter
A Final Thank You To Our All Day Family Law CLE Sponsors
Their generosity fuels this event and helps us keep registration costs low for our members.
Our Family Wizard
Hoffman Divorce Strategies
Benedetti Gucer and Associates
SELA Co-Parenting Solutions
The Pro Bono Project
We’re grateful for partners who invest in our legal community with such heart.
OFFICE SPACE & EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES!
Law office space for rent in Arbor Walk Professional Center on Highway 21, just south of I-12 in Madisonville, Louisiana. This established law office location is perfect for a St. Tammany attorney or as a Northshore office for a Metairie/New Orleans attorney or law firm. The office includes a private parking lot. Rent covers one attorney office, a desk, a hutch, matching wooden file cabinets, a good storage area, use of a large conference room, utilities (except telephone), and access to the kitchen. A great location and a beautiful office. Call Kerry at 985-800-0910 to schedule a viewing.
Seale & Ross, PLC seeks litigator in 21st or 22nd JDC for Hammond and Madisonville offices. $100,000 book of business preferred but not required. Ten years civil litigation experience preferred. Contact 985-542-8500, Lesli Bolner at lbolner@sealeross.com or Ken Ross at kenross@sealeross.com. All submissions will be kept confidential.
Amanda Trosclair, President atrosclair@stpgov.org
Luke Lancaster, Vice President lmlancaster@22da.com
Kimberly DeBrock, Treasurer kimberly.debrock.dcfs@la.gov
Reina Gardner, Executive Director reina@22ndjdcbar.org