Homecoming Court 1962 & 63: Lawyers honored for work with needy

Jeff Moore • jeffmoore@theadvertiser.com • January 29, 2009  

Attorney Marianna Broussard, left, receives the Top LVL Attorney Award from Judge David Blanchet, right, during the Lafayette Bar Association annual Champions of Justice Breakfast Wednesday at a la carte Restaurant in Lafayette. (Brad Kemp/bkemp@theadvertiser.com)

Lafayette attorneys assisted more than 600 clients at no charge in 2008, and those who handled the most cases were commended for their efforts Wednesday.

The Lafayette Bar Foundation honored 15 attorneys and two firms at the group’s annual Champions of Justice Breakfast at A La Carte.

The event recognizes lawyers who donate their time to provide free legal services to needy clients.

"When you look at this caseload… this is not a small undertaking," said Richard Becker, chairman of the Lafayette Bar Foundation.

"The folks who get these awards today have gone beyond what the rest of us do, and I include myself in that."

Marianna Broussard was honored with the Top Lafayette Volunteer Lawyer Award.

Broussard, who also serves as chairwoman of the LVL program, accepted 11 family law cases free of charge in the last year, donating an average of 10 hours to each case.

Broussard was overcome with emotion upon receiving the award. She thanked her law firm, Hill & Beyer, for providing her time to do the work.

Bridget Broussard was honored for her participation in the HELP program, in which attorneys offer notary services and free legal advice to the homeless.

A volunteer for a dozen HELP sessions, Bridget Broussard urged other attorneys to get involved with the program as well.

"The satisfaction that you get from helping these people is way more than any award that you could get for it," she said.

Olita Magee Domingue won the Protective Order Panel Award. Domingue helped 27 clients obtain protective orders, in addition to working with family law and homeless clients.

Two firms were honored for their participation in LVL programs, but both attributed their group honors to the efforts of individual attorneys.

The firm of Hill & Beyer received the Small Firm Award for the work of Marianna Broussard, while Large Firm honoree Laborde & Neuner credited attorney Greg Koury.

"If not for Greg’s efforts, Laborde & Neuner wouldn’t be honored here today," said managing partner Frank Neuner.

"I challenge the other members of Laborde & Neuner, including myself, and the other people here to follow Greg’s example and handle more cases this year."

The LVL program partners with Acadiana Legal Services to refer needy clients to attorney volunteers. The program is funded by a grant from Acadiana Legal Services and the Louisiana Bar Foundation.

Athletic Network Footnote: Marianna Broussard was a maid on the 1962 Homecoming Court and Queen in 1963.

Click here for photos of the 1963 Homecoming Queen: http://athleticnetwork.net/picpopup.php?piclibID=7236