October 2020 Newsletter

DEAR MEMBERS:

Thank you to Judge Dawn Amacker and Ernie Anderson for presenting our September CLE.

Our next CLE will be sponsored by our Women in Law section, but will be open to all Bar Association members. This will be an in-person CLE on November 13th and the speaker will be Judge-Elect Patti Oppenheim. This will be a professionalism CLE, more information will follow.

Rachael Catalanotto
President

SOLACE Follow-up:

Please see the following message from Greg Landry, executive director of Acadiana Legal Service Corporation :

We have been overwhelmed by the generosity of the legal community in coming to the assistance of our staff members. With more coming in each day, we have already received over $1,100 in gift cards and $2,600 in monetary donations. These have been distributed to our staff who experienced losses during Hurricane Laura. Many are still unable to return to live in their homes. These donations are enabling them to buy food, cleaning supplies, clothes for their children, etc.

A sampling of their comments speak eloquently to the support they’ve received through the SOLACE network:
“Your concern for our families, homes, and circumstances has been so encouraging.”
“As an experienced attorney who has worked with a number of other law firms, the offers of assistance and backing in the wake of this crisis have been unprecedented.”
“This blessing is greatly appreciated and came at the right time.”

Gregory L. Landry
Executive Director
Acadiana Legal Service Corporation

KIDS CHANCE PROGRAM

I am on the Louisiana Bar Foundation Board of Directors and I serve as the liason for the Board on the Northshore Community Partnership Panel. Judge Page McClendon is the chairperson for the Northshore Community Partnership Panel.

This year I have been appointed as the liason to the Louisiana Bar Foundation’s program called “Kid’s Chance.” Although I have served on the La. Bar Foundation for many years, I was not fully aware of this program. I am sure that many attorneys do not know about this program and they may have clients that have children that would meet the requirements for these scholarships. The application process will begin December 1, 2020-February 26, 2021. For more information, you can visit the La. Bar Foundation website.

Below is an excerpt from the La. Bar Foundation website describing “Kid’s Chance:”

The Louisiana Bar Foundation Kids’ Chance Scholarship Program is the state chapter of a national organization that awards scholarships to the children of Louisiana workers who have been killed or permanently and totally disabled in an accident compensable under a state or federal Workers’ Compensation Act or law.
This year it is estimated that more than 100 Louisiana workers will die on the job. More than 45,000 will be injured, leaving half of those injured disabled. Families of these individuals will face difficult challenges as they struggle to overcome the financial burden of these losses. Often a child’s dream of going to college is crushed because of unexpected income loss and/or the necessity to forfeit an education for work to financially support other family members. To these children, the future can appear frightening. Already confronting difficult emotions, they often have to confront the hurdle of funding their education beyond high school.
Basic Eligibility Requirements:

• Must be a dependent of a worker killed or permanently and totally disabled in an accident compensable under a state or federal Worker’s Compensation Act or law.
• Must be a Louisiana resident between the ages of 16 and 25.
• Must maintain a “C” average or higher.
• Must demonstrate substantial financial need.
• Must be pursuing a primary college or university degree (bachelor’s or associate’s) or vocational education and training (certificate or license) from an accredited Louisiana (*) university, community, technical or vocational college and/or state approved proprietary school. *An exception may be made for attendance at an accredited out of state institution for extraordinary reasons.

Patricia Bonneau
Bonneau Law Group, L.L.C.
1011 N. Causeway Boulevard
Suite 34
Mandeville, Louisiana 70471
T: 985.845.1012
F: 985.845.1778
C: 985.966.9000
bonneaulawgroup@gmail.com

Judy Walz
Executive Director
985-867-4833