Acadiana Profile February-March 2014

TOP LAWYERS

P e e r picks i n 5 1 cat e g o rie s

C it y F

of the year p. 28

Bull Riding

A Native Champ Hangs On p. 24

shrimp & okra gumbo

4 w i t h l o c a l f l av o r

p. 32

In Every Issue 4 Free-lancing

table des matières

by trent angers

6 Nouvelles des Villes

News Briefs From Around Acadiana

by lisa leblanc-berry

10 De la Cuisine

Spring is in the Air

by marcelle bienvenu

14 Les Artistes

A Sense of Time, A Sense of Place

Priding her work as in tune with its setting, Lafayette native Raina Benoit's ACA exhibit speaks to the delicate dance between industry and the environment. by william kalec

18 La Maison

Paradise Found

A majestic tree with an ethereal name gives rise to an eponymous residence in New Iberia. by lisa leblanc-berry

58 Personnes d’Acadiana

Cooking for Celebs

Opelousas Chef Paul T. Payne caters to the

culinary needs of some recognizable clientele,

whether they star on the silver screen or gridiron.

by william kalec

62 A la Mode

Carnival Fashions

What to wear this season by krystral cooper christen

64 Sur le Menu

Reclaiming Red Meat

32

5 great places for steaks by jan risher

70 Visiter

The Best Things to See and Do

in Cajun Country compiled by judi russell

72 En Français, S’il Vous Plaît

Tout quelque chose dans le cochon est bon.

by david cheramie

Features 24 Man Vs. Bull

Johnson Bayou cowboy Josh Barentine

is riding high. by kathy mccraine

28 City of the Year: Lafayette

A sensory and fiscal celebration

by william kalec

32 Cooking Light

Yes, even in Acadiana

by stanley dry

10 2

february/march 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com

18

38 Top Lawyers

404 lawyers in 51 categories,

plus 3 tough cases profiles by haley adams and lauren laborde

February/March 2014 Vol. 33 No. 1 Executive Editor Trent Angers Managing Editor Sarah Ravits Art Director Sarah George Associate Editors Haley Adams, Lauren LaBorde Interns Kristen Himmelberg, Erika Vaughn, Lexi Wangler Executive Vice President/Editor in Chief Errol Laborde Sales Manager Rebecca Taylor (337) 298-4424 • (337) 235-7919 ext. 230 Rebecca@acadianaprofile.com Sales Assistant Erin Maher Azar Distribution/Newsstand Manager Christian Coombs Executive Assistant Kristi Ferrante Subscriptions Erin Duhe Production/Web Manager Staci McCarty Production Designer Antoine Passelac Chief Executive Officer Todd Matherne President Alan Campell Vice President of Sales Coleen Monaghan

Renaissance Publishing LLC 110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005 (504) 828-1380 • (877) 221-3512 315 S. College Road, Suite 160, Lafayette, LA 70503 (337) 235-7919 Acadiana Profile (ISSN 0001-4397) is published bimonthly by Renaissance Publishing LLC, 110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005 (504) 828-1380 and 315 S. College Road, Suite 160, Lafayette, LA 70503 (337) 235-7919. Subscription rate: One year $10; Foreign Subscriptions vary. Periodicals postage paid at Lafayette, LA, and additional mailing entry offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Acadiana Profile, 110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005.

Copyright 2014 Renaissance Publishing LLC. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the consent of the publisher. The trademark Acadiana Profile is registered.

Acadiana Profile is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photos and artwork, even if accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. The opinions expressed in Acadiana Profile are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the magazine or owner. www.acadianaprofile.com | february/march 2014

3

freelancing

by trent angers

General Honoré and the GreenARMY Lt. Gen. Russel Honoré (U.S. Army, Retired) is a leader of armies.

Having served in the military for 37 years, he was a commander of missions on five continents, including being one of the commanding officers in Operation Desert Storm in 1991 and Commanding General of the 2nd Infantry Division in Korea. In 2005, he headed up the army of 20,000 in the search-and-rescue mission in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

Now, he’s leading a new army of civilians who are intent on protecting Louisiana’s environment. It’s called The GreenARMY, and it’s a coalition of numerous groups that are dedicated to assuring the quality of our state’s air, water and earth – now and for future generations.

Among the many groups in this army are Louisiana Environmental Action Network (LEAN), Levees.org, Save Lake Peigneur Inc., and Louisiana Bucket Brigade, to name but a few.

Individually, these groups have had limited voice and political clout. But collectively, as members of The GreenARMY of Louisiana, they are becoming a force with which to be reckoned.

And with a high-profile spokesman like General Honoré, the future of Louisiana’s environmental quality seems brighter than before.

Now, Honoré and his lieutenants are not against the oil and gas and petrochemical industries operating in our state. Far from it. They just want to assure that these enterprises operate responsibly – and with due consideration for the environment.

4

february/march 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com

Some of the issues with which The GreenARMY are concerned include: • The Bayou Corne sinkhole in Assumption Parish • The hundreds upon hundreds of abandoned, uncapped oil wells that contaminate the land and water around them.

• Inadequacy of levees designed to protect our communities and to guard against petrochemical industry disasters.

• Potential contamination of the Chicot Aquifer, which supplies freshwater to a 17-parish area of southwest Louisiana.

One of the proposed projects that may pose a threat to the aquifer is AGL Resources’ plan to build two additional salt dome caverns to store natural gas below Lake Peigneur, at Jefferson Island in Iberia Parish. The caverns would be the size of the Twin Towers of New York, according to Nara Crowley, president of Save Lake Peigneur Inc. Crowley, like others in The GreenARMY, says a big part of the problem is “inadequate chemical storage regulations.”

An AGL Resources spokesman counters by saying the company has a good safety record and that their Jefferson Island plans can be carried out without compromising the safety of the aquifer.

The salt dome expansion project is but one of many fronts on which the Louisiana environmental-protection war is being fought.

But now the various cells of the resistance are coming together as a formidable fighting force – The GreenARMY. And they are being led by a general who has never been on the losing side of a war.

Anyone interested in enlisting, or learning more about The GreenARMY, can contact Nara Crowley at sossullivan2012@gmail.com.

FAR LEFT: Astronaut James Irwin (seated) with Rev. Perry Sanders. TOP LEFT: Lt. General Russel Honoré BOTTOM LEFT: Anthony Coco, the youngest mechanic, as illustrated in “Strange As It Seems,”November 1942

‘The greatness of God, the smallness of man’ I was in college when President Kennedy’s dream of putting a man on the moon became a reality.

Like so many others, I was amazed and awestruck at this feat of American will and ingenuity.

Flash forward 40 years, to October 2013.

So I’m rummaging through some boxes of old newspaper clippings and other memorabilia, and I come across a picture of an astronaut that I took in March of 1973. It’s an image of Col. James Irwin and Rev. Perry Sanders, pastor of First Baptist Church of Lafayette, holding a photo of a man walking on the moon. (Just goes to show: What the mind can conceive, it can achieve.)

The story behind the picture is that Irwin was in town as part of his worldwide crusade to win converts to Christianity.

“The further man gets from Earth, the more profound the effect on his spiritual nature. You come back with an obligation, a duty, to share it,” he said at a news conference.

An Apollo 15 astronaut, Irwin is one of the men who actually walked on the moon. He said his most exciting experience in life was feeling “the overwhelming presence of God” as he traveled in outer space.

“It makes you truly appreciate the greatness of God and the smallness of man,” he said of his space ventures.

Bro. Anthony Coco was the youngest mechanic Remember the intriguing cartoon features that appeared in newspapers a few decades ago?

“Ripley’s Believe It Or Not” was one, and another was called “Strange As It Seems.”

They were little boxed items containing nuggets of interesting information usually illustrated by drawings. Like other readers, I would quickly page to these little gems and would say – as the creators of the features intended – “Wow! I didn’t know that,” or “Isn’t that something!”

I learned recently that an Acadiana resident – Brother Anthony Coco, S.J. – was featured in “Strange As It Seems,” the item appearing in November of 1942. His claim to fame was his extraordinary skills as a mechanic at a very young age.

The feature included the following text: “Anthony Coco, 12, is a full-salaried employee of the Clyde Smith Auto Co., and performs all types of auto repair work. He occasionally uses tools heavier than himself!

“First showing signs of mechanical aptitude at age 9, (he) repaired door latches and locks for his mother. At 10, he began working around Clyde Smith’s garage, doing minor jobs.

“Now, at the ripe old age of 12, his word and advice on auto repairs are heeded. Many customers demand that 75-pound Tony work on their cars, and he has become a tourist attraction!”

Bro. Coco, blood brother of the late jazz clarinetist Fr. Frank Coco, S.J., is now a resident of Grand Coteau and lives at St. Charles College in a community of retiring Jesuits. He and his brother grew up in Helena, Ark. ap www.acadianaprofile.com | february/march 2014

5

ZYDECO FOODS SALSAS

nouvelles des villes

by lisa leblanc-berry

Postulez pour une bourse CODOFIL! For the first time, young professionals in noneducational fields can apply for The Council for the Development of French in Louisiana (CODOFIL) scholarships online, along with students majoring or minoring in French and K-12 teachers. CODOFIL, which is still struggling with budget issues to support immersion programs that serve about 5,000 students at 29 schools in nine parishes, recently announced their new Cajun Pride license plates to help pay for the language program.

The idea came as a fundraiser after Gov. Bobby Jindal vetoed $100,000 from the CODOFIL budget. The new license plate reads “I’m Cajun … and Proud” and features an image of a crawfish crawling over an accordion with a fleur-de-lis in the background. A portion of the fee helps support efforts by CODOFIL to train teachers for French language immersion programs. “It’s a way to fund a beautiful thing,” says state Rep. Mike Huval, R-Breaux Bridge.

He sponsored the legislation to create the new plates, which cost $15 per year in addition to the standard license plate fees that apply depending on vehicle type, with $11.50 of that dedicated to training teachers for French immersion programs, according to CODOFIL’s executive director, Joseph Dunn.

6

Breaux Bridge entrepreneur introduces Cajun salsas and Carnival throws Michelle Vallot, a career lawyer-turned-entrepreneur who resides in Breaux Bridge, has rolled out new salsas representative of southwest Louisiana’s unique culture.

Founder and CEO of Zydeco Foods and creator of the Original Sweet Potato Bar, she recently introduced allnatural, gluten-free Zydeco Sweet Potato Salsa (sweet and fiery), Zydeco Creole Trinity Salsa (a hot and spicy blend) and Zydeco Red Bean Salsa.

“We took what was uniquely Louisiana and great tasting to

chemicals. And no one was

Instead of imported plastic

doing salsa in Louisiana!”

beads, Kern says he plans to

she says. Zydeco Bars and

throw nothing but Louisiana-

Salsas can be found in all

made products each year, such

locations of Rouses and many

as Vallot’s health bars, and

independent retail grocers,

will extend this new tradition

in addition to some locations

to major Carnival krewes in

of Bloomingdale’s stores in

New Orleans. “Our plan is to

Florida and New York. “The

partner with the numerous

plan in 2014 is to expand to all

NOLA Mardi Gras krewes for

their retail locations,” Vallot

the 2014 parades,” Vallot said.

re-create the concept of salsa, but without preservatives or

february/march 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com

notes. “Texas HEB stores are slated for distribution in

Carnival and crawfish time in

early 2014.” The Krewe of Boo

Eunice

purchased 7,000 Zydeco Fruit

Carnival is being celebrated

and Pecan Bars for Halloween

with elaborate balls and

throws in October last year,

festivities from Lake Charles

and Brian Kern (son of Krewe

to Lafayette and Houma. For

of Boo founder Blaine Kern)

a more low-key and utterly

says that he is instituting a

Cajun experience, Eunice’s

revolutionary twist that may,

“Little Mardi Gras” features

in time, change all of Carnival.

an old-fashioned boucherie

www.acadianaprofile.com | february/march 2014

7

nouvelles des villes

(hog butchering) the Sunday before Fat Tuesday (March 2), complete with backbone stew, gratin and boudin tastings. The town’s traditional Courir de Mardi Gras (1,000 riders parading on horseback searching for gumbo fixings from house to house) is held on Tuesday, March 4. Thousands of visitors will visit Eunice from March 30 for the 30th annual World Championship Crawfish Etouffée Cook-off, featuring over 100 teams competing in addition to Cajun and Zydeco music, dancing, crafts, pony rides and a petting zoo.

Confirmed headliners for the festivities include Grammy winner Courtboullion featuring Wayne Toups, Steve Riley and Wilson Savoy.

Les Mains Guidées en Lafayette Vermilionville has a new monthly workshop series that teaches traditional crafts taught by master artisans, with topics ranging from woodworking to textiles and food ways. On March 11, the workshop is on natural dyes.

You can learn how to dye eggs and fabric with red cabbage, beets, spinach and many other natural elements in time for the Easter holidays. Space is limited, so visit Vermilionville. org or call (337) 233-4077.

Hollywood partners with Acadiana education University of LouisianaLafayette will receive abovethe-title credits as “presenting sponsor” for a feature-length documentary film, In the Mind of the Maker, in a partnership with Hollywood. The movie, delivered in English and French, depicts the journey of an 85-year-old master boat 8

COURIR DE MARDI GRAS

builder in the Atchafalaya Basin and will be released in 2014. C.E. Richard, the film’s director, said, “Some viewers only know Cajun country from watching 'Swamp People.’

Our film delves into the cultural studies and Louisiana folklore, but it also concerns how human beings create images and how current technologies can mimic those brain functions.” The film’s computer-generated imagery elements, created in partnership with Pixel Magic (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Secretariat, The Help) is providing learning

february/march 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com

opportunities for some ULL students (with paid internships) who are working under Hollywood filmmaking professionals.

New Iberia developments underway Reservations are now being accepted for land that will be ready for building in May 2014 at the new Teche Ridge, the first master-planned TND (traditional neighborhood development) in New Iberia; contact any realtor at Van Eaton & Romero Realty at (337) 365-9700. In other news, work is now underway for the first

phase of $50 million in school improvement projects in Iberia Parish. The Iberia School Board has approved the sale of $6.3 million in bonds, enabling the district to move forward on three major construction priorities: a new auditorium for Jeanerette High School and new stadiums for Westgate High and New Iberia Senior High. Another $9.8 million in bonds are being sold in March 2014 and will fund the continuation of the projects and more construction work, according to Iberia Parish Schools Superintendent Dale Henderson. ap

photo courtesy of Louisiana Office of Tourism

de la cuisine

10

february/march 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com

SWEET O N I O N TA RT

Spring is in the Air

S W E E T O N I O N TA R T M A K E S 1 P I E T O S E RV E 6

P ie C r u st:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour ¼ teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons cold butter 3 tablespoons cold shortening 3 to 4 tablespoons cold water F i l l in g :

By Marcelle Bienvenu Photographed by eugenia uhl Spring is unequivocally my favorite time of year!

The days are getting longer, the temperatures are mild, and the annoying mosquitoes haven’t appeared yet.

Everyone in the neighborhood is outdoors getting their yards, patios and decks in shape for the coming months.

The oak, pecan and cypress trees are bursting with new foliage, and the azaleas, wisteria, bridal wreath and irises are popping out, creating a lush landscape. It's an ideal time to entertain on my front porch overlooking Bayou Teche.

Lounge chairs are dusted off, and the old cypress table will do quite nicely for dinner al fresco. Wild irises blooming on the banks of the bayou will make a nice centerpiece. Votive candles tucked here and there will set the mood for the early evening repast.

As for the menu, I decided to make it simple. We'll begin with a goat cheese, prosciutto and fig appetizer followed by a sweet onion tart and an avocado salad accompanied by a crusty loaf of olive bread. Dessert?

Something with our Louisiana strawberries!

2 tablespoons butter 2 cups thinly sliced sweet onions 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour ¾ cup half-and-half ¾ cup sour cream 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 1 tablespoon minced fresh herbs, such as basil and oregano ¾ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground black pepper 1 ⁄8 teaspoon hot sauce To make the crust, combine the flour and salt in a medium-size bowl. With a pastry blender, cut in the butter and shortening until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in just enough water to form a ball of dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to form a 10-inch circle. Line a 9-inch pie plate with the pastry and prick the bottom with a fork. Line the pastry with wax paper and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. Remove the beans or pie weights and the wax paper.

To make the filling, melt the butter in a large skillet and cook the onions, stirring, until soft about 5 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the half-and-half, the sour cream, the eggs, herbs, salt, pepper and hot sauce. Pour this mixture into the pie shell and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees until the filling sets and is lightly golden, about 30 minutes.

www.acadianaprofile.com | february/march 2014

11

de la cuisine

G O AT C H E E S E W R A P S MAKES 24 ROLLS

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 6 ounces goat cheese, at room temperature 1 teaspoon minced garlic 12 slices (not paper-thin) prosciutto, halved crosswise ½ cup fig preserves ½ bunch arugula Freshly ground black pepper Whisk the oil, lemon zest and lemon juice together in a small bowl and set aside. Mix the goat cheese and garlic together in another small bowl and set aside.

Spread a thin layer of the goat cheese mixture on each piece of prosciutto, spread a thin layer of the fig preserves over the cheese, and top with 1 to 2 arugula leaves. Drizzle with some of the lemon vinaigrette and season to taste with pepper. Roll the prosciutto up around filling and arrange on serving platter, seam side down.

AV O C A D O & R E D O N I O N S A L A D M A K E S 6 S E RV I N G S

3 medium avocados, peeled and sliced 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 1 cup thinly sliced red onions 2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro or parsley ¼ cup red wine vinegar 2 teaspoons Creole or Dijon-style mustard ¾ cup olive oil 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onions Salt and pepper to taste In a salad bowl, toss the avocados with the lime juice. Add the sliced onions and parsley. In a small jar combine the vinegar, mustard, olive oil, chopped red onions, salt and pepper.

Put the cap on the jar and shake well for about 30 seconds. Add the dressing to the avocado and onion mixture. Toss to mix. Serve immediately or chill for about 30 minutes.

I TA L I A N B R E A D WITH OLIVES AND CHEESE M A K E S A B O U T 8 S E RV I N G S

1 large loaf French bread, cut in half lengthwise 1 stick butter, at room temperature 1 cup mayonnaise 8 ounces freshly grated mozarella cheese ¼ cup chopped green onions (green part only) 12

february/march 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com

AV O C A D O & RED ONION SALAD

½ cup sliced black olives ½ teaspoon garlic salt ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spread the butter evenly on both halves of the bread. Spread the mayonnaise evenly over the butter. Sprinkle with the cheese and the green onions, and arrange the olives evenly. Season with the garlic salt and black pepper.

Place the bread halves on a baking sheet and bake until the cheese melts, about 15 minutes.

Remove and cut the bread crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces to serve.

S T R AW B E R R Y P I E M A K E 1 P I E T O S E RV E 6

1 (9-inch) pie shell, baked and cooled completely 3 ½ cups fresh strawberry halves ½ cup sugar 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1⁄ 8 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons cold water 2 (3-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 2 tablespoons orange juice Sweetened whipped cream Set aside two cups of the strawberries. Crush the remaining strawberries with a fork.

Combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a small saucepan. Gradually add the water and stir until smooth. Add the crushed strawberries and cook, stirring, on medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Cook, stirring, for 1 minutes.

Remove from the heat. Cool by setting the pan in a bowl of ice water.

Beat the cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Gradually add the orange juice and beat until smooth. Spread the mixture into the bottom of the baked pie crust.

Arrange the strawberry halves over the cheese, then pour the cooked strawberry mixture over them. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Serve with the whipped cream. ap

www.acadianaprofile.com | february/march 2014

13

les artistes

A Sense of Time, A Sense of Place

BY WILLIAM KALEC

Priding her work as in tune with its setting, Lafayette native Raina Benoit’s ACA exhibit speaks to the delicate dance between industry and the environment What’s being asked of Raina Benoit – to illustrate her vision without the benefit of sight, to paint a picture while her brushes are stacked bristles down in a tin cup – isn’t easy to do this early on a Saturday morning, or any time of day, really.

“The exhibit is … well, it’s …” says the artist, trying to verbally dissect the elements and essence of her work.

Till the end of February, Benoit’s “A Search For Balance,” will hold visitors’ eyeballs a little longer than the other easily understood and therefore easily-digestible offerings at the Acadiana Center for the Arts in Lafayette.

14

february/march 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com

The brochure they hand you at the door does a decent job boiling everything down to 124 words, but as Benoit reveals, such a concise synopsis can’t capture the totality of the work and its desired meaning. It’s more complex than the tiny space afforded in print, a story better told within 2,000 square feet of gallery. It’s not a dying sun reflecting a spectrum of color off still water. It’s not the beauty of the human form chiseled from rock. It’s not confined by the boundaries of a canvas. It’s ... It’s …

“OK, let’s start with this,” Benoit explains with patience on loan from her parents. “The show is a multi-media installation ... a site-specific installation show.”

By that she means it's not only arranged to fill the confines of space, but it's also a testament to the ethos of the area, whether it is pleasant or unsettling. Considering she was reared in Lafayette and studied art at LSU, Benoit more than fulfills that prerequisite as she speaks to the practical/ ethical struggle in the co-mingling of Louisiana’s natural splendor with the region’s economic dependence on the intrusive energy sector in this thought-provoking exhibit.

“We’re intertwined with our landscape around us,” Benoit says.

“Most people view our own personal narratives as separate from the environment, but I don’t. And I’m really trying to convey that in the work in a non-linear way. Sure, I could paint a beautiful landscape and people could appreciate that. But being a person who likes to take the unbeaten path, I don’t want to paint a beautiful picture. That’s not my role as an artist because that’s not what I see everywhere I go.

“When I go on a walk, it’s really hard not to see man’s thumbprint (on nature) ... this is a beautiful place, but it’s in danger.”

www.acadianaprofile.com | february/march 2014

15

les artistes

The vehicle used to convey that worry is literally a vehicle – a 1970s camper, to be specific. Via video animation, the camper traverses a conjectural path, past various road markers like peace, tranquility and love. Featuring many of the hallmarks of her previous series, “The Zen of Flowers and Refineries,” which explored the complexity of south Louisiana by depicting indigenous flowers alongside the nuts and bolts of the oil industry, Benoit hopes this exhibit creates an inner dialogue, though unpleasant for some, impossible to ignore.

“Art to me, and to many people, is political,” Benoit says. “It’s supposed to go against the grain. It’s supposed to prepare the mind. In order for art to do its job, it needs to be outside looking in. That’s what I try to make my work about – to convey the complexities surrounding us in a simple way.

“As for this [exhibit], Louisiana is a place unlike any other, but I’m fearful of us losing it. I think there needs to be a new wave of environmentalism – one that’s accepted by the mainstream. And I think that movement begins with the artists, to make it ubiquitous.”

Art served as a logical outlet for Benoit’s social conscience because, as she says, “the paper always listened.” After earning a degree in creative writing from LSU in 1999, Benoit moved to New York City because someone told her, “You have to go to New York if you want to be an artist.”

She also studied and worked in France, Arizona and Florida, eager to incorporate the essence of those settings into her previous exhibits that consists of writings, performances, paintings and video presentations.

“It’s been a long ride, and I have to say that ‘place’ has a really important influence in my work,” Benoit says. “Everywhere has a heartbeat. The rhythm of the city, the community – everything has a buzz, a vibration to it. I could never make a brand of my work: This is me, this is what I do.

I’ve always wanted to be a tuning fork for wherever I was, because of how I feel when I’m in an area. It’s not the marker, the spot on the map; it’s the essence of that place. I hope that there’s a specific dialect that comes through in my work.” ap 16

february/march 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com

portrait by Travis gauthier

www.acadianaprofile.com | february/march 2014

17

la maison

Paradise Found A majestic tree with an ethereal name gives rise to an eponymous residence in New Iberia.

By Lisa leblanc–berry | Photographed by chad chenier

18

february/march 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com

LEFT: “The giant tree was so incredible that the house was actually designed to keep it in place,” says architect Allen Bacquet, who installed an eight-foot-tall, three-and-a-half-foot-wide Spanish cedar door with sidelights to grace the front of Brown’s home, situated across the street from the Bayou Teche. “The elliptical head arch transom on top is not a constant radius, but rather, a constantly changing radius that is reminiscent of the late 18th-century, early 19th-century plantation houses.”ABOVE: The roomy entrance foyer features a hand-turned custom mahogany rail. “It’s very thin, and there’s no newel post at the top. This is a classic New Orleans feature,” says Bacquet.

A spectacular live oak, believed to be between 250 and 300 years old, inspired New Iberia resident Martha Brown to build her new five-bedroom, 4,000-square-foot home in a picturesque neighborhood formerly known as Paradis (French for paradise, or the “perfect place”). “This used to be just a wooded area,” she says. “I call my house ‘Paradise,’ after the oak.”

The “Paradise Oak,” named after the neighborhood’s original designation, is the sole tree on the lot, but its magnificence trumps most others along the Bayou Teche. Known locally as the City of Live Oaks, New Iberia is home to dozens of trees that are more than 100 years old and registered with the Live Oak Society.

With a canopy of graceful, low-hanging branches and a double trunk with a circumference of 26 feet, the Paradise Oak is illuminated at night, further enhancing its beauty. “I have lightning protection in this tree, and a big steel pipe to hold those two sections together,” Brown says. “A cable runs around it, and it’s buried in the ground. We did that as soon as I bought the lot.”

Martha and her late husband, Gordon Sandoz Brown, raised their four children in New Iberia while overseeing a rapidly expanding business that became a driving force of the local economy. Martha Brown’s new, “downsized” house on the north side of New Iberia is designed to be more manageable for a single woman who loves to travel and entertain while keeping a second home that serves as a party camp on the bayou in St. Martinville.

Her late husband was the former president and co-founder of Bruce Foods Corporation, one of America’s largest privately owned food manufacturing companies with more than 550 food products under nine labels. Headquartered in New Iberia, the multinational corporation has several plants (including four in the U.S. and one in Holland) and features

www.acadianaprofile.com | february/march 2014

19

la maison

TOP LEFT: The kitchen was designed with a custom island and is flanked by an ample utility area for caterers. BOTTOM LEFT: A diminutive powder room below the stairwell is accented with a black lacquered wood cabinet, a gold-plated bowl and red wallpaper that is Asian-inspired. RIGHT: The dining room was designed around an oil on canvas by Hunt Slonem, who is best known for his neo-expressionist paintings of exotic birds that he creates with thick brushstrokes that are often cut into in a cross-hatched pattern, which ultimately adds texture while emphasizing the paint’s tactile quality.

such local products as Bruce’s Yams, Louisiana’s Original Hot Sauce, Cajun Injector and Louisiana Gold Pepper Sauce, distributed in more than 100 countries. “My husband and his brothers built this company,” Brown says.

Before hiring Lafayette architect Allen Bacquet to design her new house, Brown resided in a sprawling split-level home that typified mid-century modern design, a style that was considered avant garde and futuristic in the 1950s and ’60s. Although mid-century modern design has returned in popularity in recent years, Brown wanted a new house that would be virtually maintenance-free.

Bacquet designed the traditional residence with a screen porch, charming courtyard and exceptional detailing, from the elliptical transoms to the mahogany hand railings, while utilizing materials that would be virtually maintenance free, including copper awnings and concrete for the front porch.

“It’s built to resemble an old-fashioned wooden porch,” Bacquet notes. “She didn’t want an A. Hays Town perfection replica, but rather, something more livable with a lot of nice details. Also of utmost importance was the dining room, which was designed around a painting by Hunt Slonem,” he says.

Slonem, whose works are in the collection of the Modern Museum of Art, owns the Albania plantation house in nearby Jeanerette (it was used as a setting in the 2006 remake of All the King’s Men), among his four other residences. “The painting I have in my dining room was originally at Albania when I went over one evening and visited,” Brown recalls. “I owned it a long time before I built my house. I have acquired four of Hunt’s paintings. He’s a 20

february/march 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com

www.acadianaprofile.com | february/march 2014

21

la maison

good friend. He was here for dinner just the other night,” she says. “Hunt is an incredible collector.

I’ve been with him on weekends, and he’ll get up at 5 in the morning to go antique shopping. He has very unusual dinner parties with people from wherever, and he keeps around 100 birds in his 30,000-square-foot apartment in New York.”

In the kitchen, Bacquet created various conveniences to accommodate Brown’s needs, such as installing one full dishwasher and one half dishwashers in the kitchen. “When she’s alone, she can use the half dishwasher. It slides out just like a drawer,” he points out. Spice cabinets that can easily slide out were placed on either side of the stove.

“I was trying to get the semblance of a hearth in the cooking area,” Bacquet says. We also set up a separate area designed for the caterers, with a second refrigerator and freezer. Martha doesn’t cook a lot. When she entertains, she brings in caterers,” he says.

The master suite is adjoined to a second guest bedroom with its own bath on the first floor, which is used as a study. The other three bedrooms are upstairs, and are used when her children and grandchildren visit. “This is a great location. It’s a safer location for me,” Brown says.

“I have wonderful neighbors, including one who keeps birds and makes goat cheese. I just love being here.” ap TOP LEFT: Martha Brown enjoys her morning coffee in a small den near the master suite. BOTTOM LEFT: A 14-foot-long eating bar in the kitchen offers a view of the enclosed screen porch overlooking a courtyard patio that leads to a rear gated entrance.

RIGHT: The living room, located on the corner axis overlooking the Paradise Oak, features a Rumford-design oversized fireplace to maximize heat.

22

february/march 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com

www.acadianaprofile.com | february/march 2014

23

Josh Barentine, 2012 CBR World Champion Bull Rider, cowboys at the Gray Ranch at Vinton when he’s not riding bulls. All he ever wanted to do was be a cowboy and a bull rider. Photo by Kathy McCraine.

24

february/march 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com

Johnson Bayou cowboy Josh Barentine is riding high after winning the 2012 CBR World Champion Bull Riding title.

W R ITTEN & PHOTO G R A PHE D B Y K ATHY M CC R A INE

B

ull riding has been called “the toughest eight seconds in sports.” When a cowboy settles into the bucking chute, wraps his hand in the bull rope and nods to open the gate, he knows he’s putting his life on the line when that mass of coiled muscle explodes into the arena. We’re talking about a 2,000-pound, raging, twisting, bucking beast whose sole purpose in life is to toss his rider straight over the cowboy moon.

At 5 feet, 5 inches tall and 130 pounds, Josh Barentine hardly looks like a match for this kind of raw power. Nonetheless, the 27-year-old Johnson Bayou native showed he had the right stuff when he captured the 2012 Championship Bull Riding (CBR) World Champion title, despite personal tragedy that sidelined him for several years.

www.acadianaprofile.com | february/march 2014

25

Josh Barentine working a set of ranch bulls at the Gray Ranch headquarters, Vinton. Photo by Kathy McCraine.

Barentine making a winning ride on London Broil at the pre-2012 UBBI Bull Riding Event in Groesbeck, Texas.

26

february/march 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com

Barentine rode his first bull – a little, 120-pound bald-faced calf his uncle goaded him into jumping on – when he was in kindergarten.

From that day on, he knew he wanted to ride bulls and be a cowboy. He grew up wiry and athletic, as lithe as a cat astride horse or bull, and an accomplished bull rider all through high school. But when Hurricane Rita destroyed his family’s marginal ranching operation at Johnson Bayou in 2005, he suddenly found himself destitute and aimless.

“We had 400 crossbred cattle, and Rita wiped out everything – houses, barns and all but 28 head of cows,” Barentine says. His slow drawl and solemn eyes reflect the pain of the memory. “Then three years later, after my dad rebuilt his house, Hurricane Ike came through and wiped it all out again. We never restocked the ranch.”

Johnson Bayou, like other small Gulf Coast towns in the southwestern corner of Louisiana, was devastated, dropping in population from around 2,000 to less than 500 after the storms. Barentine’s father, Ivan, luckily had taken another job offshore, but Josh drifted into depression, taking whatever odd jobs he could to survive.

“I had 56 of my own cows before the hurricanes, and that’s all I ever wanted to do,” he says. “I couldn’t ask my dad for help because he was scrounging just to get by and support my two little sisters.

After the hurricanes I had nowhere to go. I felt like the world was ending and I’d never be a cowboy again.”

Barentine continued to flounder until the birth of his son, Kayson, four years ago. Gradually, he started putting his life back together, determined to follow his dream.

“Kayson and his mom, Jessica, put inspiration back in my life,” he says. “I wanted my son to know that I was a good cowboy and a good bull rider.”

Barentine has had several mentors along the way, including Kent out so hard he jerked Barentine off balance, smashing a horn into LeDoux, manager of the huge Gray Ranch at Vinton, where he his face. Thinking he wasn’t hurt badly enough to go to the hospital, works when he’s not rodeoing. LeDoux had enough faith in him to he continued to compete. put him on part time as a cowboy, allowing him to take time off as “I put some ice on it, ate some Tylenol and went on about my needed to ride bulls. business,” he says. “Then about four weeks before the CBR finals, I “Knowing Josh’s background working cattle in the marshes and kept getting bad headaches. I hadn’t been able to eat a steak since his ability as a cowboy, it was an easy fit for me,” LeDoux says. “I’ve it happened.” always respected him as a quiet, hardworking young man, and I’m Finally he went to a doctor who told him he had a fractured jaw. thrilled he’s available to help us when he can.”

That ended his chances for back-to-back championships, but in Barentine has not let him down. From the start his routine has October he was back on the road with the 2014 season in his sights. been: drive from DeQuincy, where he now lives, to the Gray Ranch “You just have to treat it like a business, take it seriously from the every morning, go home in the evening, eat, work out at the gym ‘git-go’ and win some money, so when you do get hurt, you’ve got until 9 p.m., and still fit in time to spend with his son. money in your pocket to pay your bills.”

“When I got back into bull riding, I had to dedicate my life to it Barentine knows exactly what he wants to do with his winnings.

100 percent,” he says. “It’s all mental. You have to make your mind He’s already used some of it to start restocking the ranch at up. I’m going to do this no matter what it takes.”

Johnson Bayou, build a new fence, buy horses for his ranch work, In just two years it paid off when he won the CBR World and of course, put some of it back into going for a second World Championship and $200,000, more money than he’d ever seen Championship. As for the future, he figures, optimistically, he has in his life. Barentine credits another mentor with helping him another eight good years of bull riding. get there, Don Gay, eight-time World Champion Bull Rider in the “I like to shoot high,” he says, “but when I’m through riding bulls, Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, and manager of the Don I want to end up right here, working for the Gray Ranch and running Gay Professional Bull Riding Tour. Gay took a special interest in the my own cows.” ap young bull rider after seeing him compete.

“I could tell right away he had talent, but talent alone doesn’t assure you of making a living in rodeo,” Gay says. “He had all the tools necessary.

He just needed a little guidance and confidence, and the only way to gain confidence in winning is by doing it. I may have helped some, but I don’t take credit for his success, because in the end he’s the one sticking his hand in the rope. I think he has the ability to be consistently in the top five for the world, and I’m real proud of him.”

When Gay called and asked Barentine to ride in his bull riding tour, it gave him the boost he needed.

“I thought, if he thinks I’m good enough to compete professionally, I can do it,” Barentine says.

There are four main professional bull riding organizations, the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), Professional Bull Riding (PBR), Championship Bull Riding, and the Don Gay Professional Bull Riding. Barentine has ridden in all four but pulled ahead early in the 2012 CBR tour, clinching the World Championship with three 90-plus scoring rides in the finals at Cheyenne, Wyo. Bull riders aren’t known for having long careers, and it hasn’t been an easy road for the young athlete. Barentine started out the 2013 season by tearing an MCL when a bull slung him underneath him and stepped on his knee. It Josh Barentine, 2012 CBR finally healed, and he was back on the road, but World Champion Bull Rider. in June he drew a bull named Tomahawk, a big, rank bull with a fearsome reputation for injuring cowboys. The first jump out of the chute, he rolled www.acadianaprofile.com | february/march 2014

27

city year

Lafayette of the

a s e ns o ry

by William Kalec

28

february/march 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com

an d fiscal c e l e brati o n

While holding onto and sharing its culture and traditions of yesterday, Lafayette’s readiness to serve as Acadiana’s leader in the present and future is easy to spot around town.

Lafayette is different. For starters, it looks different. It rises in the distance, the cultural capital of a borderless state, unassuming in its skyline and completely unseen from three bland exits off Interstate 10. This town doesn’t make you turn your head to check out Tiger Stadium or the Riverboat Casinos like Baton Rouge to the east. Nor does it make your palms sweat like when crossing the Calcasieu River Bridge in Lake Charles to the west. Much like cracking into the spicy innards of a crawfish tail, traveling to the center and finding the soul, it requires a little bit of work. But it’s entirely worth the effort.

p h o t o c o u rt e s y l o u isiana o ffic e o f t o u rism

Lafayette also smells different, too. Indigenous dishes ignite the senses at delicious destinations like Prejean’s, Blue Dog Café, Jolie’s Bistro, Olde Tyme Grocery and Johnson’s Boucaniere, giving Southern Living Magazine more than a mouthful of reasons to dub the Hub City the “South’s Tastiest Town.”

Lafayette works differently. While the energy sector’s influence in the job market is substantial, Lafayette’s medical and financial presence has grown exponentially within the last decade, creating a local economy diversified enough to coast through recent hard times nationally.

And finally, Lafayette sounds different with its own brand of music; it celebrates with festivals for anything and everything; it moves differently; grows differently; teaches differently; creates differently, and inspires differently.

It’s just different. Delightfully different.

“This place is a special place to call home,” says Ben Berthelot, executive director of the Lafayette Convention and Visitors Commission. “What you find here, you can’t find anywhere else. It’s why people come here, and it’s a privilege to share everything Lafayette is with the rest of the world.”

With that so eloquently said, Lafayette was an easy choice to be Acadiana Profile’s 2014 City of The Year, as our publication joins several others in heaping praise upon the community. Since 2011, Lafayette has been named: Best Food City (USA Today/Rand McNally); a Top 20 College Town (Travel + Leisure); a Top 3 Metro Area for Manufacturing Employment (Business Facilities); a Top 10 American City of the Future (Foreign Direct Investment); a Top 10 Oil and Gas Rich Market (Southern Business and Development) ; a Top 25 Area for a Working Retirement (Forbes); a Top 5 Mid-Sized City for Jobs (Forbes); a Top 25 Best Performing City (Milken Institute); and because of all this, it’s not surprising that Lafayette was deemed “The Most Optimistic City” in a March 2012 GALLUP poll.

The list goes on and on. If that’s not enough to convince you, there’s also page after page of impressive statistical research data validating Lafayette’s battledtested economic resolve and a catalog full of after-work and weekend activities (festivals, top-notch dining, museums and nearby wilderness for sportsmen, to name a few) that provide a rich quality of life.

Or, instead of all that, you could just simply look around town.

“

Ambassador Caffrey Parkway, just south of Kaliste Saloom Boulevard, 7:30 a.m.: She’s traveled this route for two years now, walked through these sliding glass doors since the summer of 2011, but even today physical therapist Hannah Miller continues to be amazed at her state-of-the-art place of employment, the new Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center.

“It’s beautiful,” Miller says. “A lot of hospitals have that old hospital feel. This place doesn’t have that feel. It’s beautiful for any building, not just a hospital and it caters to serving the patients’ needs.”

Sitting on 45 acres, the $211-million dollar facility employs 1,200 people, houses the only burn center in Southwest Louisiana, the latest imaging equipment, operating room advancements and patient rooms 30 percent larger than the old building. Facility upgrades at OLOL and the multiple phases of expansion at Lafayette General Medical Center are just a couple examples that reinforce the Hub City’s commitment to this ever-growing sector of the local economy.

Despite its long-established roots in the oil and gas industry with close to 1,000 companies somehow related to the energy sector, the health care field remains Lafayette’s single-largest employer – a sturdy economic safety net considering the volatility of commodity trades. Coupled with the surging growth in the financial industry, Lafayette’s economy flourished through a national economic downturn, several national disasters and the 2010 BP oil spill.

In 2011, Lafayette ranked No. 14 among U.S. cities with its 5.5 percent growth in Real GDP, according to a Bureau of Economic Analysis report. Another report, this one by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, noted that Lafayette had the largest percentage increase in employment (an average of 9 percent per month) in the country during the final quarter of 2012.

What you find here, you can’t find anywhere else.

It’s why people come here and it’s a privilege to share everything Lafayette is with the rest of the world.

www.acadianaprofile.com | february/march 2014

29

LEFT : The downtown Lafayette area is a great place for celebrating, eating and shopping.

RIGHT: Martin Hall is one of the oldest buildings on UL’s campus. It represents the beautiful history of the university. p h o t o s b y N a h o k o M i ya k e

In 2013, the average value of residential construction permits rose for the fifth straight year, topping out at a record-breaking $257,551 per property. The number of commercial building permits (65) last year flirted with levels not seen since the construction boom sparked by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Many of sites where these construction crews swung their hammers were located near the Kaliste Saloom/Ambassador Caffery/Verot School area in the southwest part of town. Once just empty, undeveloped land, this area rivals the hustle and bustle of downtown as it features two high end retail complexes (River Ranch and Parc Lafayette), a variety of wealthy and middle class living options, plenty of nightlife destinations, and state-of-the-art medical facilities like the aforementioned Lourdes center.

“I wouldn’t describe Lafayette as two epicenters.

It’s more of a continuum,” says Gregg Gothreaux, CEO of the Lafayette Economic Development Authority.

“Rather than having two, River Ranch and the residential and commercial growth in south Lafayette is simply a connection to the established areas downtown and on Johnston Street. We’re talking about a lot of business, a lot of traffic and a lot of people-moving going on.”

A somewhat new building boom has blossomed north of Interstate 10 in recent years, a domino effect of sorts after Halliburton and other industrial companies constructed new facilities nearby. Encouraged by the stability of the city and the rapid influx of skilled workers relocating from other parts of Louisiana and the United States, several other companies like Bell Helicopter, Newpark Resources, Franks International and Freeport McMoRan Oil and Gas are expanding, updating or building new facilities in Lafayette this year.

“If history teaches us anything, we just went through a national recession that was second only to The Great Depression. Combine that with a moratorium that suspended oil and gas activity for nearly a year. And that 1-2 punch slowed us down, but it didn’t do significant damage,” Gothreaux says. “Going through that the way we did, you really are going to be one of the more recession-proof communities.

Those occurrences are the marker that shows that our economy is resilient.”

East Convent Street, south of Johnston Street, 10 p.m.: The dance floor is packed, elbow-to-elbow, boot-to-boot. Dancers can reach out and touch the band, groups dedicated to preserving a sound forever attached to this region and this way of life. It’s Saturday night at the Blue Moon Saloon – one of Lafayette’s last true dancehalls – and the tiny house near the corner is rocking.

“One of the main ways, if not the main way, a lot of people hold onto the past and the tradition is through the music,” says Herman Fuselier, music and culture writer

30

february/march 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com

for The Daily Advertiser. “You can’t find it anywhere else in the world, and it’s been altered slightly, but still maintains its core essence. You can’t say that about the language; you can’t say that about other aspects of that culture. It’s not a common thing anymore to go to the post office and see people speaking French. But it is a common thing to turn on the radio, flip through the dial and find that sound.

“It’s multi-generational, something passed down to the next in line, so it’s been our link to the past. Throughout all this change, and Lafayette gradually becoming like the rest of the places, the music belongs to us. It’s ours, ours alone.”

As it has for decades, Lafayette’s cultural trinity of music, food and unrivaled hospitality continues to spark the curiosity of tourists. Festival Acadiens et Creoles – one of the longest-running music events in Louisiana -- celebrates its 40th anniversary with a star-studded Cajun/Zydeco lineup including Geno Delafose, Feufollet, Steve Riley and The Pine Leaf Boys.

Last year, Festival International de Louisiane drew estimated crowds exceeding 400,000 during its five-day span and showcased several dozen world music groups. Beyond generating a $30 million impact in the local economy, About.com readers crowned Festival International the “Best World Music Festival” for the second year in a row.

“Those awards and recognition start to snowball and serve as a vehicle to get our message out to a national audience,” Berthelot says. “You look at things like our festivals, which have always been popular with locals, rapidly catching the attention of out-of-towners and out-of-state tourists. That rise in level has enabled some of our older attractions to keep things fresh and keep things new. So it all feeds off one another in a positive manner.”

Vermilionville, for example, has begun new monthly series that allow visitors to learn craft making from master artisans and explore the alternative, natural healing practices used by Cajun settlers centuries ago. Not to be outdone, Acadian Village recently spruced up its alreadyfascinating group tours by adding Cajun Cooking legend Mama Redell Miller to its fleet of guides. In addition to touring the 19th-century village structures, visitors can now engage in Mama-run workshops on Cajun Mardi Gras, Fais Do Do and Zydeco music.

The LCVC itself has also up its game to quench the needs of today’s tourist. Last April, it launched a tourism mobile app compatible with both Droid and iPhones that provides information – restaurant hours and specials, festival locations and dates, attraction details, shopping areas and more – at the touch of a finger. Then in August, LCVC e-published the first-ever tourism iMagazine, titled Allons. Unlike an online version of a travel brochure, Allons is an interactive medium in which viewers can pull up interviews with local musicians, historians or celebrities. Should, for example, one of those musicians go on a tangent and start talking about their favorite places to eat around town, Allons offers content on those establishments.

“We just experienced a year with the highest hotel/ motel receipts in Lafayette Parish, but also saw the amount of unique visitors to our Tourism Center dip,” Berthelot says. “So what does that tell you? This area is as popular as ever, but the way tourists digest their information has evolved. So we’ve just evolved to that future. It’s all about bringing awareness to everything we have to offer; whether that’s through campaigns or technology. Whatever it takes, we’re going to make sure you have everything you need to visit Lafayette.” ap

Dancers at Festival International de Louisiane. p h o t o b y d avi d sim p s o n

www.acadianaprofile.com | february/march 2014

31

Cooking light yes, even in acadiana

By Stanley Dry | Photographs Eugenia Uhl

32

february/march 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com

“Light” is a word that is much bandied about these days when discussing food. It is almost always used in a positive sense, in a way that suggests the food in question is healthy and nutritious, something any right-thinking person would want to eat. The word has even acquired a voguish patina that adds to its allure. It is a slippery designation – amorphous, not easily defined and subject to calculated misrepresentation. In short, “light” is a term guaranteed to warm a marketer’s cold, cold heart.

When I see the term the first question that pops in my mind is: Light compared to what? The second question is: What do they mean by light? Does it have reduced fat or calories or sugar or carbohydrates?

And the third question is: What have they put in it to replace whatever it is that they’ve taken out? Sometimes the additions are worse than the subtractions.

The only way to get a fairly accurate idea of what’s inside a package is to read labels very carefully. Once you’re in the habit of doing that, you’ll be appalled at what you find. In fact, it can be enough to put you off buying any kind of packaged or processed food. Which, in itself, is not a bad idea. The problem is that it’s very difficult to live like that unless you grow and raise your own food or you have a great deal of free time and an income that allows you the luxury of avoiding the center isles of the supermarket.

Our reasons for changing the way we eat vary from person to person. For many of us, the desire to lose weight tops the list. Then, once the extra pounds have been shed, there’s the eternal vigilance required just to maintain that magic number on the scale. For some, high blood sugar is the problem, for others it’s high cholesterol or high blood pressure, or some combination thereof. In addition, there are a host of other medical conditions that require special diets.

People who are on medically supervised diets know exactly what is permitted and what is verboten, but those of us who just want to lose some weight and eat healthfully without making too many sacrifices are on our own. We know that the key to weight reduction is burning more calories than we take in. But because there’s so much conflicting advice about the best way to do that, it’s easy to throw up your hands in frustration and have another helping of something really delicious.

Actually, I think that most of us know what our weaknesses are, but overcoming them is an entirely different matter. Baked goods, particularly bread, and sweets are my undoing. Recently, I was in Lafayette and stopped by Poupart Bakery Inc. for two loaves of their wonderfully crusty and chewy ciabatta, still warm from the oven. As soon as I was back in the car, I started tearing off pieces of bread. I ran a few errands, and by the time I got back to New Iberia, I had finished off one loaf.

The other loaf didn’t survive the day. Many of us are in the thrall of some foodstuff that triggers uncontrollable cravings. In my case, going cold turkey is the only way to overcome those urges.

Without making any medical claims, there are a number of fairly simple things we can do when we’re cooking that will reduce the amount of fat and calories in our food. The trick is to use techniques and ingredients that will add extra flavor to replace what we take out. For example, if you’re reducing or eliminating fat from a dish, use additional seasonings in the form of herbs and spices or incorporate some flavorful vegetables or a tasty broth.

Browning meats, poultry and vegetables increases their flavor, but it’s not necessary to brown them in oil. If you’re making a one-pot dish, such as a gumbo or stew, brown your ingredients in the oven or under the broiler before adding them to the pot. In place of using flour as a thickener, try boiling down the cooking liquid to thicken and concentrate flavor. That’s what chefs mean when they use the term “reduction.” Adding pureed vegetables is another way both to boost flavor and thicken broths, sauces and gravies without the calories that come with flour.

And then there’s monosodium glutamate (MSG), which has a long history as a flavor enhancer. Many people try to avoid it, but once you get in the habit of reading labels, you’ll likely be surprised how common it is in processed foods and spice blends. Some people actually are allergic to MSG, but that can be said of virtually any foodstuff. However, the belief that it is somehow a dangerous ingredient to be avoided at all costs has not been borne out by any study of which I am aware.

The trick is to use techniques and ingredients that will add extra flavor to replace what we take out.

It has been over a century since a Japanese scientist discovered the naturally occurring presence of glutamates in food and went on to synthesize and patent MSG as an additive that would boost a food’s flavor appeal. More recently, the four basic tastes – sweet, salty, sour, and bitter – have been joined by a fifth taste, called umami, a Japanese word that is variously rendered in English as “deliciousness,” “savory,” “tasty,” or “yummy.” It is this taste (confirmed by the identification of specific umami taste receptors on the human tongue) that glutamates enhance.

MSG intensifies this savory taste, but so do a host of foods that are naturally high in glutamates, such as tomatoes and tomato products, mushrooms (particularly shiitakes), dried seafood (such as shrimp), fermented or cured products (such as cheese), soy sauce, fish sauces, Worcestershire sauce and anchovies, among others. Adding any of those to a dish will help compensate for the loss of flavor caused by omitting other ingredients that are high in fat and calories.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, in addition to reducing fat and calories, we probably need to reduce the amount of food we consume. We live in such an era of excess that many of us eat considerably more (particularly of fattening foods) than we need.

As much as we enjoy a comforting meal that includes bread, rice, gravy, potato salad and beans, with bread pudding for dessert, it might make sense to break with tradition and rethink the menu.

www.acadianaprofile.com | february/march 2014

33

Shrimp & Okra Gumbo

34

february/march 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com

Enhanced Chicken Broth Makes 2 quarts 2 quarts chicken broth ½ cup white vermouth or dry white wine 2 carrots, sliced 2 ribs celery, coarsely chopped 1 onion, sliced 6 or more large sprigs parsley 1 cup sliced, dried shiitake mushrooms, crumbled 1 tablespoon sun-dried tomatoes, chopped 1 piece Parmigiano-Reggiano rind 1 bay leaf 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves 1 teaspoon soy sauce

Cartons of chicken broth available in the supermarket should be a staple in every cook’s pantry. The broth’s flavor can be greatly improved by simmering it with other ingredients for half an hour. It then makes a delicious broth (call it a umami bomb, if you wish) to be consumed on its own or used in other dishes. Parmigiano-Reggiano, the authentic Parmesan cheese from Italy, is extremely high in glutamates. Save rinds from the cheese and add them to broths, soups and stews, but remove them before serving.

Combine all ingredients in a pot, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain.

Shrimp & Okra Gumbo The idea of a gumbo without roux is unthinkable to many, but there are ample precedents in early Louisiana cookbooks. This recipe has no added fat or flour, making it a good choice for dieters. Ground dried shrimp is an excellent flavor-enhancer that can be used in a variety of preparations.

Combine broth, tomatoes, onion, bell pepper and okra in large pot.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until okra is tender, about 60-90 minutes. Add shrimp, season with ground, dried shrimp, hot sauce, salt and pepper and simmer until shrimp turn pink, about 5 minutes. Add green onion tops and parsley.

Makes 4 servings 3 cups enhanced chicken broth (preceding recipe) 1 (14.5 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes 1 large onion, chopped 1 large bell pepper, seeded and chopped 1 pound okra, trimmed and sliced 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined 4 teaspoons ground dried shrimp hot sauce to taste coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste ¼ cup green onion tops, chopped ¼ cup parsley, chopped

www.acadianaprofile.com | february/march 2014

35

broiled chicken breasts with peppers & Onions

36

february/march 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com

Quick-Cooked Mustard Greens Makes about 4 servings 1 bunch mustard greens, trimmed, chopped and washed 1 cup enhanced chicken broth (see p. 35 for recipe) coarse salt

Many of us grew up eating greens that were cooked with some form of fatty pork until they were limp and lifeless or, as someone once said, “until they gave up.” But they are delicious when cooked for a much shorter period of time so they still retain a bit of crunch. The enhanced chicken broth does a pretty good job of compensating for the absence of fat.

Combine mustard greens and broth in a large pot, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Serve with hot pepper vinegar – and don’t omit the pot liquor.

Broiled Chicken Breasts with Peppers & Onions Quick, simple and nutritious. A black iron skillet is the preferred cooking utensil, as the onions will brown under the broiler better than in other types of pans.

Preheat broiler. Remove any visible fat from chicken breasts and season generously with Creole seasoning. Place onions, bell peppers and broth in a large iron skillet and simmer until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Place chicken breasts on top of onions and peppers, and broil until brown and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. Remove chicken breasts to platter or serving plates, top with onions and peppers, and pour over any remaining pan juices. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. ap

Makes 4 servings 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts creole seasoning 1 large onion, halved and sliced 1 large bell pepper (preferably red), seeded and julienned 1 cup enhanced chicken broth (preceding recipe) 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

www.acadianaprofile.com | february/march 2014

37

TOP lawyers 404 lawyers in 51 categories M e th od ol ogy The voting for Professional Research Services survey to determine the top attorneys for Acadiana Profile magazine was open to all licensed attorneys in the Acadiana, Louisiana market area. Each attorney was asked which attorney, other than

administrative/regulatory law

Phill Marie Edwards Acadiana Legal Service Corp.

150 Jennifer St. Eunice 337-457-4499 Estelle E. Mahoney Thez Schwab Law Firm 7847 Main St. Houma 985-868-1342 Jeannie Cheng Prudhomme LA Attorney General’s Office 556 Jefferson St., Fl. 4 Lafayette 337-262-1700 38

himself or herself, he or she would recommend in the Acadiana area. Each attorney was allowed to recommend up to three colleagues in each given legal specialty. Once the online nominations were complete, each nominee was carefully evaluated

Laura Lee Putnam Attorney General 207 N. East St. Abbeville 337-781-5636 Walter M. Sanchez The Sanchez Firm, LLC 901 Lakeshore Drive, Suite 1050 Lake Charles 337-433-4405 Leslie J. Schiff Schiff, Scheckman & White LLP 117 W. Landry St. Opelousas 337-942-9771

february/march 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com

Randall C. Songy Onebane Law Firm 1200 Camellia Blvd., Suite 300 Lafayette 337-237-2660 Chris A. Verret Attorney at Law 325 Audubon Blvd.

Lafayette 337-237-4600 Admiralty & Maritime Law

William M. Bass Voorhies & Labbe 700 St. John St. Lafayette 337-232-9700

on the basis of the survey results, the legitimacy of their license, and their current standing with the State Bar Association of Louisiana. Attorneys who received the highest number of votes in each category are reflected in the list by legal specialty.

Charles C. Bourque St. Martin & Bourque 4084 Louisiana 311 Houma 985-876-3891

Blake R. David Broussard David 600 Jefferson St., Suite 700 Lafayette 337-233-2323

Katharine R. Colletta Chaffe McCall L.L.P. One Lakeshore Drive, Suite 1670A Lake Charles 504-585-7708

W. Gerald Gaudet Voorhies & Labbe 700 St. John St. Lafayette 337-232-9700

Lawrence Curtis Larry Curtis Maritime Attorney 300 Rue Beauregard, Bldg. C Lafayette 337-235-1825

Steven W. Hale Hale Law Firm 1735 Ryan St. Lake Charles 337-426-1071

www.acadianaprofile.com | february/march 2014

39

Stephen Johnson Attorney at Law 1 Church St. Houma 985-868-9600 Cliff A. LaCour Neuner Pate Attorneys at Law 1001 W. Pinhook Rd., Suite 200 Lafayette 337-272-0339 Catherine M. Landry Preis & Roy PLC 102 Versailles Blvd., Suite 400 Lafayette 337-237-6062 Michael G. Lemoine Jones Walker 600 Jefferson St. Lafayette 337-593-7624 Brandon W. Letulier Laborde & Neuner 1001 W. Pinhook Rd., Suite 200 Lafayette 337-272-0355 Kevin P. Merchant Neuner Pate Attorneys at Law 1001 W. Pinhook Rd., Suite 200 Lafayette 337-272-0322 Jerome H. Moroux Broussard David 600 Jefferson St. Suite 700 Lafayette 337-233-2323 P. Craig Morrow Jr. Morrow, Morrow, Ryan & Bassett 324 W. Landry St. Opelousas 337-948-4483 Frank X. Neuner Jr. Neuner Pate Attorneys at Law 1001 W. Pinhook Rd., Suite 200 Lafayette 337-272-0311 Scott E. Oliphant Southland International of LA 3699 W. Park Ave. Gray 985-876-3000 J. Rock Palermo III Veron, Bice, Palermo & Wilson, LLC 721 Kirby St. Lake Charles 337-310-1600 David A. Parsiola Cossich Sumich Parsiola & Taylor, LLC 8397 Hwy. 23 Suite 100 Belle Chasse 504-394-9000 George H. Robinson Jr. Liskow & Lewis 822 Harding St. Lafayette 337-267-2319 James P. Roy Domengeaux Wright Roy & Edwards LLC 556 Jefferson St. Suite 500 Lafayette 337-223-3033 40

James P. Ryan Morrow, Morrow, Ryan & Bassett 324 W. Landry St. Opelousas 337-948-4483

Robert L. Waddell Jones Walker Waechter Poitevent Carrere & Denegre, LLP Lafayette 337-262-9000

Gerald J. Casey Casey Law 613 Alamo St. Lake Charles 337-474-5005

Nadia De la Houssaye Jones Walker 600 Jefferson St. Suite 1600 Lafayette 337-593-7634

Melissa L. Theriot Neuner Pate Attorneys at Law 1001 W. Pinhook Rd., Suite 200 Lafayette 337-237-7000

Appellate Practice

Richard R. Kennedy Richard R. Kennedy APLC 309 Polk St. Lafayette 337-232-1934

Stephen F. Chiccarelli Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC 450 Laurel St. Lafayette 225-381-7044

Michael G. Lemoine Jones Walker 600 Jefferson St. Lafayette 337-593-7624

Kenneth Pitre Pitre Law Office 100 S. Vivian Ave. Eunice 337-457-9048

Paul N. DeBaillon DeBaillon & Miley 201 Travis St. Lafayette 337-237-0598

Michael H. Schwartzberg Vamvoras Schwartzberg & Hinch, LLC 1111 Ryan St. Lake Charles 337-377-0538

Harold L. Domingue Jr. Harold L. Domingue Jr. 711 W. Pinhook Rd. Lafayette 337-234-6003

Joseph B. Treuting Law Offices of Darrel D. Ryland 115 W. Mark St. Marksville 318-253-5961 Douglas W. Truxillo Onebane Law Firm 1200 Camellia Blvd., Suite 300 Lafayette 337-237-2660 Bob F. Wright Domengeaux Wright Roy & Edwards LLC 556 Jefferson St. Suite 500 Lafayette 337-233-3033 Alternate Dispute Resolution Robert S. Dampf Stockwell, Sievert, Viccellio, Clements & Shaddock, L.L.P. 127 West Broad St. Lake Charles 337-436-9491 Theodore G. Edwards IV Davidson, Meaux, Sonnier, McElligott, Fontenot, Gideon & Edwards 810 S. Bunchanan St. Lafayette 337-237-1660 Greg Guidry Onebane Law Firm 1200 Camellia Blvd., Suite 300 Lafayette 337-237-2660 Thomas R. Juneau Sr. Juneau David 1018 Harding St. Suite 202 Lafayette 337-269-0052 Andrew D. McGlathery III Stockwell, Sievert, Viccellio, Clements & Shaddock, L.L.P. 127 West Broad St. Lake Charles 337-436-9491 Antitrust Law Kevin L. Camel Cox, Cox, Filo, Camel & Wilson, LLC 723 Broad St. Lake Charles 337-240-9349 Robert K. Hammack Robert K. Hammack 411 Beverly Drive Lafayette 337-237-7463

february/march 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com

Lawrence P. Simon Jr. Liskow & Lewis 822 Harding St. Lafayette 337-232-7424 Joseph B. Treuting Darrel D. Ryland Law Firm 115 W. Mark St. Marksville 318-253-5961 Stephanie A. Ziegelasch Stephanie Ackal, LLC 1018 Harding St. Suite 102A Lafayette 337-706-7844 Banking and Finance Law

Brandon M. Bourque Brandon M. Bourque, LLC 41016 Black Bayou Rd., Suite 2 Gonzales 225-267-7074 Robert L. Broussard Durio, McGoffin, Stagg & Ackermann 220 Heymann Blvd.

Lafayette 337-233-0300 Stephen F. Chiccarelli Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC 450 Laurel St. Lake Charles 225-381-7044 Steven T. Ramos Onebane Law Firm 1200 Camellia Blvd., Suite 300 Lafayette 337-237-2660 Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law

H. Kent Aguillard H. Kent Aguillard, Attorney at Law 141 S. 6th St. Eunice 337-457-9331

Christopher J. Piasecki Davidson, Meaux, Sonnier, McElligott, Fontenot, Gideon & Edwards 810 S. Bunchanan St. Lafayette 337-237-1660 Stephen C. Polito Stockwell, Sievert, Viccellio, Clements & Shaddock, L.L.P. 127 West Broad St. Lake Charles 337-493-7228 Steven T. Ramos Onebane Law Firm 1200 Camellia Blvd., Suite 300 Lafayette 337-237-2660 Gerald H. Schiff Gordon Arata McCollam Duplantis & Eagan, LLC 400 East Kaliste Saloom Rd., Suite 4200 Lafayette 337-237-0132 Commercial Litigation

H. Kent Aguillard M. Terrance Hoychick, A.P.L.C. & H. Kent Aguillard 141 S. 6th St. Eunice 337-466-4419

Samuel E. Masur Gordon Arata McCollam Duplantis & Eagan LLC 400 E. Kaliste Saloom Rd Suite 4200 Lafayette 337-237-0132 Frank X. Neuner Jr. Neuner Pate Attorneys at Law 1001 W. Pinhook Rd., Suite 200 Lafayette 337-272-0311 Elena Pecoraro Pecoraro Law 600 Jefferson St. Suite 810 Lafayette 337-266-2233 Christopher H. Riviere Christopher H. Riviere 103 W. 3rd St. Thibodaux 985-447-7440 Michael H. Schwartzberg Vamvoras Schwartzberg & Hinch, LLC 1111 Ryan St. Lake Charles 337-377-0538 Paul B. Simon Gordon Arata McCollam Duplantis & Eagan, LLC 400 E. Kaliste Saloom Rd., Suite 4200 Lafayette 337-237-0132 Gina B. Tuttle Guglielmo, Lopez, Tuttle, Hunter & Jarrell, LLP 306 E. North St. Opelousas 337-948-8201 J. Michael Veron Veron, Bice, Palermo & Wilson, LLC 721 Kirby St. Lake Charles 337-310-1600

Ted M. Anthony Babineaux, Poche, Anthony & Slavich 1201 Cameilla Blvd., Suite 300 Lafayette 337-984-2505

Commercial Transactions/LLS Law

George Arceneaux III Liskow & Lewis 822 Harding St. Lafayette 337-232-7424

Richard L. Becker Becker & Hebert, LLC 910 Harding St. Lafayette 337-446-2419

Lawrence S. Corcoran Hunter, Hunter & Sonnier, LLC 1807 Lake St. Lake Charles 337-436-1600

William P. Stubbs Jr. Stubbs Law Firm, LLC 1018 Harding St., Suite 103 Lafayette 337-233-9755

ADVERTISMENT

www.acadianaprofile.com | february/march 2014

41

C

ivil defense attorney Catherine M. Landry’s job entails litigating unpleasant incidents, such as contractual disputes, collisions and sexual harassment.

But most difficult, she says, is navigating an emotionally fraught wrongful death lawsuit.

“They’re not easy, and historically, in my years of practice, I usually handle, unfortunately, about one a year,” she says.

“And every time I have one it’s hard. They don’t get any easier.”

The attorney for Preis & Roy, which has offices in Lafayette, Houston and New Orleans, handles cases that are already in litigation – the lawsuit has been filed and she assesses what happened, advises the client of the probable outcome, and works to get it resolved either through a trial or settlement. In wrongful death cases, Landry says her clients often find themselves in a difficult position.

“The family is grieving. Sometimes they’re angry and recovering from their loss, and being a business involved in that kind of litigation is hard,” she says. “Sometimes there’s a mistaken impression that the company is heartless or callous toward a family’s loss, which is not the case. All of my clients empathize with families who suffer such a loss. I mean, who wouldn’t? But there’s a difference between empathy and being legally responsible to the tune of six or seven figures. I’ve had clients who were at fault … and they accepted that responsibility, and we resolved the case very early in the litigation, allowing them to move forward.”

Landry emphasizes that when accidents or incidents occur, acting early and being prepared for the possibility of litigation is critical. She says companies should document all incidents, no matter how small, and conduct a thorough investigation.

“I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve heard comments from employers, once I began my investigation, like ‘I knew this was going to litigation,’ yet the company has no investigative file to speak of. Memories are fresher immediately after an accident, and that information needs to be captured before it is lost,” she says. “Some clients have learned the hard way and now contact us immediately after significant accidents, so we can conduct the investigation from day one, which helps tremendously in the long run.”

Also, she says, early assessment of the case can help one best determine how to resolve it.

“The client needs that evaluation as soon as possible in order to determine whether to sink money into the litigation or use that money to reach a settlement with the other party or parties involved,” she says.

While in law school at Louisiana State University, Landry says she was not initially even interested in civil law. She originally wanted to be a prosecutor, but after law school and her experience clerking at firms focusing on civil litigation, her interests evolved.

42

february/march 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com

my toughest case

wrongful death lawsuits catherine m. landry

15 years in practice B.A. Tulane University (1995) J.D. Louisiana State University (1998) Native of New Orleans

profile by lauren laborde Photograph by romero & romero photography The work is busy and sometimes emotionally difficult, but Landry says her job is dynamic.

“You also get to learn new topics and skills every day. This is not a ‘I went to law school and I’m done’ kind of profession. If it’s a product’s liability, I may start learning about … for example, a particular piece of tubing. I might have to meet with engineers and find out what’s wrong with it, why didn’t it work the way it was supposed to work. Obviously I didn’t go to school for engineering, so you have to learn that base level of knowledge to be able to have meaningful conversations with these experts,” she says. “So you never stop learning, which is really interesting and makes every day new and different and makes you want to come to work every day.”

Landry grew up in New Orleans and eventually moved to Lafayette after falling in love with the people and culture there, she says. At Preis & Roy, which originally focused on maritime and energy cases but has significantly expanded its services over the years, she handles a wide variety of legal matters in Louisiana and Texas. Outside of work, she spends time with her husband, their twin boys and German Shepherd, and she works off stress at the gym and by playing tennis.

Communications Law William M. Bass Voohries & Labbe 700 Saint John St., Floor 5 Lafayette 337-232-9700 Charles D. Viccellio Stockwell, Sievert, Viccellio, Clements & Shaddock, LLP 127 W. Broad St., Floor 4 Lake Charles 337-493-7216 Construction Law Patrick J. Briney Briney Foret Corry, LLP 413 Travis St. Lafayette 337-237-4070 Shawn A. Carter Randazzo Giglio & Bailey LLC 900 E. St. Mary Blvd., Suite 200 Lafayette 337-291-4900

Michael D. Hebert Becker & Hebert, LLC 910 Harding St. Lafayette 337-233-1987

Michael J. Remondet Jr. Jeansonne & Remondet Attorneys At Law 200 W. Congress St. Lafayette 337-326-4732

Walter K. Jamison III Daigle Rayburn, LLC 303 W. Vermilion Suite 210 Lafayette 337-234-7000

James T. Rivera Scofield & Rivera, LLC 100 E. Vermilion St. Suite 301 Lafayette 337-235-5353

Emile Joseph Jr. Allen & Gooch 2000 Kaliste Saloom Rd. Suite 400 Lafayette 337-291-1000 Matthew D. McConnell McConnell Law Offices 1021 Coolidge St. Lafayette 377-347-6404

Richard D. Chappuis Jr. Voorhies & Labbe 700 St. John St. Lafayette 337-232-9700

William L. Melancon Melancon & Associates, LLC 900 S. College Rd., Suite 300 Lafayette 337-233-8600

Billy J. Domingue Liskow & Lewis 822 Harding St. Lafayette 337-267-2342

Richard J. Petre Jr. Onebane Law Firm 1200 Camellia Blvd., Suite 300 Lafayette 337-237-2660

Thomas A. Thomassie, IV Domengeaux Wright Roy & Edwards 556 Jefferson St. Suite 500 Lafayette 337-233-3033 Douglas W. Truxillo One Bane Law Firm 1200 Camellia Blvd.

Lafayette 337-237-2660 Corporate Governance & Complaints Law

Corporate Law

Michael D. Carleton Woodley Williams Law Firm 1 Lakeshore Drive Suite 1750 Lake Charles 337-433-6328 Ralph B. Chustz Kearney, Smith & Chustz 154 E. Main St. New Roads 225-638-3764 James J. Davidson III Davidson, Meaux, Sonnier, McElligott, Fontenot, Gideon & Edwards 810 S. Bunchanan St. Lafayette 337-237-1660 John P. Everett Jr. Roddy, Watson & Everett 400 East College St. Lake Charles 337-474-4886

Jeffery Ackermann Durio McGoffin Stagg Ackermann 220 Heymann Blvd.

Lafayette 337-233-0300

Joseph C. Giglio Jr. Liskow & Lewis 822 Harding St. Lafayette 337-232-7424

Thad D. Minaldi Thad D. Minaldi, LLC 500 Kirby St. Lake Charles 337-433-1386

Alfred S. Lippman Lippman & Mahfouz, LLC 1025 Victor II Blvd., Suite P Morgan City 985-384-1833

Jared L. Watson Robichaux, Mize, Wadsack & Richardson, LLC 1777 Ryan St. Lake Charles 337-433-0234 Criminal Defense Non White-Collar

Todd S. Clemons Todd Clemons and Associates 1740 Ryan St. Lake Charles 337-477-0000 Pride J. Doran Doran & Cawthorne, PLLC 521 E. Landry St. Opelousas 888-527-4716 Robert P. Fuhrer Robert P. Fuhrer Attorney At Law 504 Roderick St. Morgan City 985-385-1703 Valerie G. Garrett Valerie Gotch Garrett, APLC 100 E. Vermilion St., Suite 212 Lafayette 337-366-0957 Joshua S. Guillory The Law Office of Joshua S. Guillory 317 E. University Ave. Lafayette 337-233-1303

www.acadianaprofile.com | february/march 2014

43

my toughest case

a disease with no cure jeffery t. gaughan

20 years in practice B.A. James Madison University (1989) J.D. Tulane Law School (1993) Native of Maryland

profile by lauren laborde Photograph by romero & romero photography

M

any people associate asbestos and mesothelioma lawsuits with late-night TV commercials and might not take them seriously, but Jeffrey T. Gaughan considers these cases among his most difficult. As an attorney at the Lake Charles-based law firm Baggett-McCall, Gaughan deals with them on a regular basis because of the number of plants and chemical refineries in the area.

“As a general group of cases, regardless of the specific facts, they’re tough,” he says. “The insidious problem with asbestos is that it never seems to go away. You turn on the TV at night and you see it all the time and frankly, it’s been around as a litigated matter for more than 30 years now and it shows no signs of disappearing, unfortunately,” he says. “The workers – the people who were our fathers and grandfathers who worked in the plants and shipyards – a lot of them got sick and a lot of them have passed away, but what we’re seeing now is family members who were exposed through the clothes that their dad or their grandfather wore home are coming down with the same illness. It’s a type of cancer that affects the lungs and absolutely has no cure.”

Dealing with these cases, he says, becomes very emotional.

“Anytime you get that phone call from a client or family member that says ‘my dad, my mom or somebody has been diagnosed [with mesothelioma]’ the problem is – and they know

44

february/march 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com

it by that point – that there’s no cure. There’s absolutely no hope,” he says. “It always becomes very difficult emotionally to try to appease the family, to try to make them understand what the legal process is about, because they know the person they’re concerned about is not going to be here.”

As a lawyer in a civil case, Gaughan says, the only thing he can do for a grieving family is help them win damages – either through trial or a settlement. But that often is not enough for a family dealing with a death.

“In the case we had recently, what the family really wanted was an apology. They did not want some extreme amount of money; it wouldn’t have helped, because what they wanted back was their dad,” he says.

“What they wanted at trial, day after day, they wanted an apology and at some point we went to the defendant and said, ‘Look, you would help a lot if you apologized to them.’ And unfortunately that never happened … You can’t put a monetary value on a parent. It’s difficult.”

In a difficult case like this, as within all relationships, Gaughan says communication between clients and attorneys is key.

“The more you talk, the more you discuss things, the more you find some common ground, the more you find the ability to communicate, you discover who the client is, what’s important to them,” he says. “We might all end up in the courtroom someday and put on a trial, but the relationship you develop with a client takes a lot of time and a lot of effort. “ Besides asbestos-related claims, at Baggett-McCall Gaughan deals with cases involving chemical exposure, car accidents, products liability and recently the firm started handling pharmaceutical cases, both drugs and medical devices. The “designated Yankee” of the firm, Gaughan grew up in Western Maryland and attended James Madison University in Virginia for undergrad and moved to New Orleans to attend Tulane Law School. He seems to prefer living in the South.

“I tell you what, I visited my mom over the Christmas holidays and it was 7 degrees up there,” Gaughan says. “It made me realize why I do not want to go up North.”

After getting married, Gaughan and his wife moved to Savannah, Ga., for a short period, but ultimately settled in Lake Charles.

They have four kids, ranging from a second grader to a senior in high school – all of whom are involved in sports and other activities, keeping Gaughan busy.

“One of these days I’ll have time to develop a hobby, but for the most part it’s chasing everybody around,” he says.

Shane K. Hinch Vamvoras Shwartzberg & Hinch 1111 Ryan St. Lake Charles 337-494-5682

Michael D. Skinner Skinner Law Firm, LLC 600 Jefferson St., Suite 810 Lafayette 337-354-3030

Jason W. Robideaux Attorney at Law 1228 Camellia Blvd., Suite A Lafayette 337-291-9444

J. Kevin Stockstill J. Kevin Stockstill Attorneys at Law LLC 412 W. University St., Suite 205 Lafayette 337-262-0203

Todd S. Clemons Todd Clemons and Associates 1740 Ryan St. Lake Charles 337-477-0000

Elder Law Jasmine B. Bertrand Onebane Law Firm 1200 Camellia Blvd., Suite 300 Lafayette 337-237-2660

Adam P. Johnson Johnson & Vercher LLC 910 Ford St. Lake Charles 337-433-1414 Chaz Hanley Roberts Chaz H. Roberts Law, LLC 112 Oil Center Drive, Suite M Lafayette 337-504-3202 Walter M. Sanchez The Sanchez Law Firm, LLC 901 Lakeshore Drive, Suite 1050 Lake Charles 337-433-4405

Steven M. Jankower Jankower Law Firm, LLC 110 Exchage Place Suite 101 Lafayette 337-289-1746 Lawrence L. Lewis III Onebane Law Firm 1200 Camellia Blvd., Suite 300 Lafayette 337-237-2660 Andrea L. West West Law Firm, LLC 250 West Vine Eunice 337-457-8044

Eminent Domain & Condemnation Law

Lawrence S. Corcoran Hunter, Hunter & Sonnier, LLC 1807 Lake St. Lake Charles 337-436-1600 James J. Davidson III Davidson, Meaux, Sonnier, McElligott, Fontenot, Gideon & Edwards 810 S. Bunchanan St. Lafayette 337-237-1660 Patrick S. Ottinger Ottinger Hebert, LLC 1313 W. Pinhook Rd., Lafayette 337-232-2606 Employee Benefits Law

Joel P. Babineaux Babineaux, Poche, Anthony & Slavich 1201 Camellia Blvd., Third Floor Lafayette 337-984-2505 Jeffrey A. Riggs Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP 100 E. Vermilion Blvd., Suite 300 Lafayette 337-205-4532

Robert E. Rowe Robert E. Rowe Attorney At Law 113 Oil Center Drive Lafayette 337-266-9626

Charles N. Harper Citgo Petroleum Corporation 4401 Highway 108 Westlake 337-708-7422

Energy Law

James N. Mansfield III Liskow & Lewis 822 Harding St. Lafayette 337-232-7424

William F. Bailey Randazzo Giglio & Bailey LLC 900 E. Saint Mary Blvd.

Suite 200 Lafayette 337-291-4900 Susan A. Daigle Daigle Rayburn LLC 303 W. Vermilion Suite 210 Lafayette 337-234-7000 Billy J. Domingue Liskow & Lewis 822 Harding St. Lafayette 337-267-2342 Richard E. Gerard Jr. Scofield Gerard Pohorelsky, Gallaugher & Landry 901 Lakeshore Drive, Suite 900 Lake Charles 337-433-9436 Patrick W. Gray Johnson Gray McNamara, LLC 200 W. Congress St. Suite 900 Lafayette 337-412-6003

Samuel E. Masur Gordon Arata McCollam Duplantis & Eagan, LLC 400 E. Kaliste Saloom Rd. Suite 4200 Lafayette 337-237-0132 Jennifer E. Michel Lewis Brisbois Bisgaar & Smith, LLP 100 E Vermilion St., Suite 300 Lafayette 337-205-4739 Mark R. Pharr III Galloway Johnson Tompkins Burr and Smith 328 Settlers Trace Blvd.

Lafayette 337-735-1760 Matthew J. Randazzo III Randazzo Giglio & Bailey LLC 900 E. Saint Mary Blvd.

Suite 200 Lafayette 337-291-4900

www.acadianaprofile.com | february/march 2014

45

J

my toughest case

Finding Justice for a family jerald block

matthew block

42 years in practice B.A., Tulane University, 1968 J.D., Tulane University Law School, 1971 Native of Thibodaux

15 years in practice B.A., Vanderbilt University, 1995 J.D., Tulane University Law School, 1998 Native of Thibodaux

profile by haley adams Photograph by mary lou uttermohlen

46

february/march 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com

erald Block has always been a family man when it comes to law. After graduating from Tulane University Law School in 1971, he started practicing law with his brother.

He now works with his son, Matthew Block, who joined Block Law Firm in 1998.

The Blocks’ law firm focuses on medical malpractice cases for both plaintiffs and defendants. Family is obviously important to the father-and-son team, so it’s not a surprise that they both consider a case involving a soon-to-be parent as their toughest yet.

The case involved a car accident in St. Charles Parish.

The Blocks’ client, who was pregnant, was brought to the hospital in an ambulance. At the time, the hospital did not have obstetric services in the emergency room; the doctor and the hospital did not transfer the mother and the fetus to another ER facility in a timely manner. The mother was eventually transferred, but in the end, she lost her fetus.

The case resulted in a jury verdict of $614,000 despite the medical malpractice limitation of $500,000. “We will never forget the look on our clients’ faces when the jury returned their verdict,” Jerald says. “The verdict gave them the peace they had been searching for since his death.

They were gratified we had fought for them and had always believed in their case. While they would never have their son back, the jury verdict helped them begin to heal and put their loss behind them.”

While being a spokesperson for the family was difficult because of the tragic circumstances, Jerald says the case taught both he and Matthew the importance of how the law can help people. “The case confirmed that, as lawyers, we can truly make a difference in our clients’ lives, and we have never taken that for granted.”

Jerald and Matthew also try to make a difference outside the courtroom. Both say they live by the motto, “The purpose of life is a life of purpose.” Jerald is especially proud of being the president of the board for St. Joseph Manor, an assisted living facility in Thibodaux. “Many of our residents served in the military or made significant contributions to the war effort during WWII,” Jerald says. “St. Joseph Manor has allowed these seniors to maintain an active lifestyle while respecting their individual dignity.”

While they both have their own individual achievements and interests, Jerald and Matthew love working together as a team when it comes to law. Jerald considers working with his son one of the “joys of his legal career.” “We have always worked well together,” he says. “Due to our age difference, each of us provides a unique perspective on how to present our case to a jury.”

Matthew says he always loved sitting in the courtroom when he was younger, which led to his own career as a lawyer. “From an early age,” Matthew says, “I learned that being a lawyer meant you could positively affect people’s lives and help them overcome tragic experiences.”

Richard W. Revels Jr. Liskow & Lewis 822 Harding St. Lafayette 337-232-7424

Patrick W. Gray Johnson Gray McNamara, LLC 200 W. Congress St., Suite 900 Lafayette 337-412-6003

George H. Robinson Jr. Liskow & Lewis 822 Harding St. Lafayette 337-267-2319

James D. Bayard Onebane Law Firm 1200 Camellia Blvd., Suite 300 Lafayette 337-237-2660

George H. Robinson Jr. Liskow & Lewis 822 Harding St. Lafayette 337-267-2319

Charles N. Harper Citgo Petroleum Corporation 4401 Highway 108 Westlake 337-708-7422

C. Mark Whitehead III The Whitehead Law Firm, LLC 3639 Ambassador Caffery Parkway Lafayette 337-740-6006

Jamie B. Bice Veron, Bice, Palermo & Wilson, LLC 721 Kirby St. Lake Charles 337-310-1600

Bryan D. Scofield Scofield & Rivera, LLC 100 E. Vermilion St., Suite 301 Lafayette 337-326-4729 Randall C. Songy Onebane Law Firm 1200 Camellia Blvd., Suite 300 Lafayette 337-237-2660 Environmental Law

Michael J. Juneau Juneau David 1018 Harding St. Lafayette 337-269-0052

Equipment Finance Law

Gary P. Kraus Onebane Law Firm 1200 Camellia Blvd., Suite 300 Lafayette 337-237-2660

Amy Elizabeth Allums Lee Johnson Gray McNamara, LLC 200 W. Congress St., Suite 900 Lafayette 337-412-6003

Thomas M. McNamara Johnson Gray McNamara, LLC 200 W. Congress St., Suite 900 Lafayette 337-412-6003

Jeffrey T. Gaughan Baggett McCall Burgess Watson & Gaughan, LLC 3006 Country Club Rd. Lake Charles 337-478-8888

Patrick C. Morrow Morrow, Morrow, Ryan & Bassett 324 W. Landry St. Opelousas 337-948-4483

MOTIVATEDby

Richard L. Becker Becker & Hebert, LLC 910 Harding St. Lafayette 337-446-2419 Family Law

Michael L. Barras Michael L. Barras, APLC 120 Lee St. New Iberia 337-369-6400 Michael Laurence Barras Michael L. Barras, APLC 120 Lee St. New Iberia 337-369-6400 Edward K. Bauman Edward K. Bauman 1131 Hodges St. Lake Charles 337-491-0570

David L. Carriere The Law Office of David L. Carriere 322 S Market St Opelousas 337-948-6217

Randy J. Fuerst Fuerst Law Firm 130 W. Kirby St. Lake Charles 337-436-3332 Valerie Gotch Garrett Valerie Gotch Garrett, APLC 100 E. Vermilion St., Suite 212 Lafayette 337-366-0957 William Lloyd Godley Godley Law Firm 616 Kirby St. Lake Charles 337-502-5144

Robert P. Cuccia Robert P. Cuccia Attorney At Law 311 Goode St. Houma 985-873-8595

Lonny E. Guidroz Guidroz Law Firm L.C.C. 217 New Roads St. New Roads 225-638-9986

April P. Defelice The Law Office of April Petry Defelice, LLC 203 W. Main St., Suite 208 New Iberia 337-364-1275

Charlotte Guilbeaux Guilbeaux Law Firm, LLC 1215 Common St. Lake Charles 337-433-7858

Bradford Hyde Felder Huval Veazey Felder & Renegar, LLC 2 Flagg Place Lafayette 337-234-5350

Joshua S. Guillory The Law Office of Joshua S. Guillory 317 E. University Ave. Lafayette 337-233-1303

INSPIREDby

JUSTICE SERVICE For over 40 years the Lafayette Bar Association has been a community leader representing over 925 member attorneys and judges. The Lafayette Bar Association exists to represent the legal profession in Lafayette, serve its members, promote justice and encourage professional excellence.

Motivated by justice and inspired by service, members are committed to assisting families in need of legal services, protecting victims of domestic violence and helping the homeless transition into self sufficiency.

Dedicated to community service, members give back through various service projects such as the Wills for Heroes, legal advice clinics, Holiday Giving Program and through other collaborative partnerships with local non-profits in the Lafayette area.

Current officers: Front row Tricia R. Pierre, President, and Danielle Cromwell, Secretary/ Treasurer Back row Kyle Gideon, President-Elect, Blake David, Immediate Past President Board of Directors Candace Breaux Bianca Chretien Jeffrey K Coreil Jean-Paul Coussan Danielle Cromwell

Blake R. David Paul D. Gibson Kyle L. Gideon Karen J. King Cliff LaCour

Steve C. Lanza John A. Mouton, III Donovan J. O’Pry II Tricia R. Pierre Steven Ramos

Maggie T. Simar Cynthia K. Simon William W. Stagg Melissa L. Theriot

2607 Johnston Street, Lafayette, (337) 237-4700 www.lafayettebar.org www.acadianaprofile.com | february/march 2014

47

Steven W. Hale Hale Law Firm 1735 Ryan St. Lake Charles 337-426-1071 Helen Popich Harris Helen Popich Harris, APLC 321 W Main St., Suite 2D Lafayette 337-291-6092 Charley Hutchens Charley Hutchens, PLC 1704 W. University Ave. Lafayette 337-205-4601 Jonathan L. Johnson Johnson & Vercher LLC 910 Ford St. Lake Charles 337-433-1414 Philip C. Kobetz Philip C. Kobetz Attorney at Law 120 Representative Row Lafayette 337-291-1990 Thomas L. Mahfouz Lippman & Mahfouz, LLC 1025 Victor II Blvd., Suite P Morgan City 985-384-1833

Immigration Law

Samuel B. Gabb Plauche Smith & Nieset, LLC 1123 Pithon St. Lake Charles 337-436-0522

Laura N. Buck The Law Office of Adam G. Young 315. S. College Rd., Suite 163 Lafayette 337-261-8800

Alex A. Lopresto III Jeansonne & Remondet Attorneys At Law 200 West Congress St. Suite 1100 Lafayette 337-237-4370 Health Care Law

John S. Bradford Stockwell, Sievert, Viccellio, Clements & Shaddock, LLP 127 W. Broad St., Floor 4 Lake Charles 337-436-9491 Shawn A. Carter Randazzo Giglio & Bailey LLC 900 E. Saint Mary Blvd.

Suite 200 Lafayette 337-291-4900

Family Law

Nadia De la Houssaye Jones Walker 600 Jefferson St., Suite 1600 Lafayette 337-593-7634

R. Michael McHale McHale Law Firm, APLC 631 Kirby St. Lake Charles 337-377-0632

Nicholas Gachassin III Gachassin Law Firm 200 Corporate Blvd., Suite 103 Lafayette 337-235-4576

Shane M. Mouton Mouton Law Firm 905 The Boulevard Rayne 337-334-8600

Christopher C. Johnston Gachassin Law Firm 200 Corporate Blvd., Suite 103 Lafayette 337-235-4576

Jim Ortego Southwest Louisiana Legal Services Society, Inc. 1011 Lakeshore Drive, Suite 402 Lake Charles 337-436-3308

Marc W. Judice Judice Adley 926 Coolidge Blvd.

Lafayette 337-235-2405

James N. Prather Jr. 15th Judicial District Attorney 800 S. Buchanan St., Floor 6 Lafayette 337-262-8648

48

Government Relations Practice

Daniel Palmintier Judice Adley 926 Coolidge Blvd.

Lafayette 337-235-2405

Chaz Hanley Roberts Chaz H. Roberts Law, LLC 112 Oil Center Drive, Suite M Lafayette 337-504-3202

William W. Stagg Durio, McGoffin, Stagg & Ackermann 220 Heymann Blvd.

Lafayette 337-233-0300

Walter M. Sanchez The Sanchez Law Firm, LLC 901 Lakeshore Drive, Suite 1050 Lake Charles 337-433-4405

Stephen M. Sullivan Sullivan Stolier Knight LLC 1042 Camellia Blvd., Suite 2 Lafayette 337-233-6210

february/march 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com

Ashley Foret Dees Ashley Foret Dees, Immigration Law 313 Broad St. Lake Charles 337-214-0354 Holly J. Lamarche Galloway Efcoat, LLP 1925 Dulles Drive, Lafayette 337-984-8020 Insurance Law

Robert J. David Jr. Juneau David 1018 Harding St., Suite 202 Lafayette 337-269-0052 James M. Dill The Dill Firm 825 Lafayette St. Lafayette 337-261-1408 David R. Frohn Frohn & Thibodeaux L.L.C One Lakeshore Drive Suite 1220 Lake Charles 337-433-5523 W. Gerald Gaudet Voorhies & Labbe 700 St. John St. Lafayette 337-232-9700 Mary McCrory Hamilton Voorhies & Labbe 700 St. John St. Lafayette 337-232-9700 Thomas R. Hightower Jr. Thomas R. Hightower Jr. 1019 Lafayette St. Lafayette 337-233-0555 Walter K. Jamison III Kraft Gatz, LLC 600 Jefferson St. Suite 410 Lafayette 337-706-1818 Catherine M. Landry Preis & Roy, PLC 102 Versailles Blvd., Suite 400 Lafayette 337-237-6062

Jennifer E. Michel Lewis Brisbois Bisgaar & Smith, LLP 100 E Vermilion St., Suite 300 Lafayette 337-205-4739 James L. Pate Neuner Pate Attorneys at Law 1001 W. Pinhook Rd., Suite 200 Lafayette 337-237-7000 Richard J. Petre Jr. Onebane Law Firm 1200 Camellia Blvd., Suite 300 Lafayette 337-237-2660 Jeffrey A. Riggs Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP 100 E. Vermilion Blvd., Suite 300 Lafayette 337-205-4532 Scott J. Scofield Scofield Gerard Pohorelsky, Gallaugher & Landry 901 Lake Shore Drive, Suite 900 Lake Charles 337-433-9436 Douglas W. Truxillo Onebane Law Firm 1200 Camellia Blvd., Suite 300 Lafayette 337-237-2660 Intellectual Property Law Ted M. Anthony Babineaux, Poche, Anthony & Slavich 1201 Cameilla Blvd., Suite 300 Lafayette 337-984-2505 Ryan M. Goudelocke Durio, McGoffin, Stagg & Ackermann 220 Heyman Blvd.

Lafayette 337-233-0300 Amy Allums Lee Johnson Gray McNamara 200 W. Congress St. Suite 900 Lafayette 337-412-6003 Intellectual Property Law

Matthew D. McConnell McConnell Law Offices 1021 Coolidge St. Lafayette 377-347-6404

Timothy J. McNamara Onebane Law Firm 1200 Camellia Blvd., Suite 300 Lafayette 337-237-2660

Timothy J. McNamara Onebane Law Firm 1200 Camellia Blvd., Suite 300 Lafayette 337-237-2660

Gregory R. Mier Onebane Law Firm 1200 Camellia Blvd., Suite 300 Lafayette 337-237-2660

William W. Stagg Durio, McGoffin, Stagg & Ackermann 220 Heymann Blvd.

Lafayette 337-233-0300 International Arbitration

Molly Steele Curry & Friend, PLC 109 Northpark Blvd.

Covington 985-612-1806 Labor and Employment Law

Joel P. Babineaux Babineaux, Poche, Anthony & Slavich 1201 Camellia Blvd., Third Floor Lafayette 337-984-2505 John S. Bradford Stockwell, Sievert, Viccellio, Clements & Shaddock, L.L.P. 127 West Broad St. Lake Charles 337-493-7224 Robert J. David Jr. Juneau David 1018 Harding St. Suite 202 Lafayette 337-269-0052 Gregory Guidry Onebane Law Firm 1200 Camellia Blvd., Suite 300 Lafayette 337-237-2660 Michael D. Hebert Becker & Hebert, LLC 910 Harding St. Lafayette 337-233-1987 Land Use & Zoning Law

Henry R. Liles Henry R. Liles, P.L.C. 940 Ryan St. Lake Charles 337-513-0924 C. Mark Whitehead III The Whitehead Law Firm, LLC 3639 Ambassador Caffery Parkway Suite 303 Lafayette 337-740-6006 Legal Malpractice Law

Blake R. David Broussard David 600 Jefferson St. Suite 700 Lafayette 337-233-2323 Joseph F. Gaar Jr. Gaar Law Firm 617 S. Buchanan St. Lafayette 337-233-3185 Scott Webre Webre & Associates 2901 Johnston St., Suite 307 Lafayette 337-237-5051

Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions

David S. Cook David S. Cook APLC 117 Heymann Blvd., Suite 22 Lafayette 337-234-4155 Chad Dudley Dudley DeBosier 535 East Street Lake Charles 886-897-8495 Derrick G. Earles Caubarreaux & Associates 144 W. Tunica Drive Marksville 318-253-0900 Thomas A. Filo Cox, Cox, Filo, Camel & Wilson, LLC 723 Broad St. Lake Charles 337-436-6611 Katherine M. Loos Katherine M. Loos, LLC 700 St. John St., Suite 401 Lafayette 337-534-4770 Matthew E. Lundy Lundy Lundy Soileau & South, LLP 501 Broad St. Lake Charles 337-439-0707

Ben L. Mayeaux Laborde & Neuner 1001 W. Pinhook Rd., Suite 200 Lafayette 337-272-0346

Jerald P. Block Block Law Firm 422 E. First Street Thibodaux 985-446-0418

William B. Monk Stockwell, Sievert, Viccellio, Clements & Shaddock, L.L.P. 127 West Broad St. Lake Charles 337-493-7232

William E. Bourgeois Bourgeois Thorguson, LLC 1025 Victor II Blvd.

Morgan City 985-384-2055

Patrick C. Morrow Morrow, Morrow, Ryan & Bassett 324 W. Landry St. Opelousas 337-948-4483 James P. Ryan Morrow, Morrow, Ryan & Bassett 324 W. Landry St. Opelousas 337-948-4483 Kenneth R. Spears Spears & Gray 1 Lakeshore Drive Suite 900 Lake Charles 337-513-4333 Medical Malpractice Law

Glenn J. Armentor The Glenn Armentor Law Corporation 300 Stewart St. Lafayette 337-233-1471

John S. Bradford Stockwell, Sievert, Viccellio, Clements & Shaddock, LLP 127 West Broad St. Lake Charles 337-493-7224 Alan K. Breaud Breaud & Meyers, APLC 600 Jefferson St., Suite 1101 Lafayette 337-266-2200 David S. Cook David S. Cook APLC 117 Heymann Blvd., Suite 22 Lafayette 337-234-4155 Marc W. Judice Judice & Adley 926 Coolidge St. Lafayette 337-235-2405

Philip C. Kobetz Philip C. Kobetz Attorney At Law 120 Representative Row Lafayette 337-291-1990

Todd A. Townsley The Townsely Law Firm 3102 Enterprise Blvd.

Lake Charles 337-377-0584

Daniel Palmintier Judice Adley 926 Coolidge Blvd.

Lafayette 337-235-2405

Richard L. Becker Becker & Hebert, LLC 910 Harding St. Lafayette 337-446-2419

Sera H. Russell III Law Office of Sera H. Russell, III 111 Mercury St. Lafayette 337-205-9786

Steven G. Durio Durio, McGoffin, Stagg & Ackermann 220 Heymann Blvd.

Lafayette 337-233-0300

James P. Ryan Morrow, Morrow, Ryan & Bassett 324 W. Landry St. Opelousas 337-948-4483

Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Lawrence L. Lewis III Onebane Law Firm 1200 Camellia Blvd., Suite 300 Lafayette 337-237-2660

Oliver J. Schrumpf Schrumpf & Schrumpf, PLC 3801 Maplewood Drive, Sulphur 337-625-9077

Craig A. Ryan One Bane Law Firm 1200 Camellia Blvd.

Lafayette 337-237-2660

Michael H. Schwartzberg Vamvoras Schwartzberg & Hinch, LLC 1111 Ryan St. Lake Charles 337-377-0538

Frank S. Slavich Babineaux, Poche, Anthony & Slavich 1201 Camellia Blvd., Third Floor Lafayette 337-984-2505

www.acadianaprofile.com | february/march 2014

49

Mining Law

Matthew J. Randazzo, III Randazzo Giglio & Bailey LLC 900 E. Saint Mary Blvd.

Suite 200 Lafayette 337-291-4900

Ryan M. Goudelocke Durio, McGoffin, Stagg & Ackermann 220 Heyman Blvd.

Lafayette 337-233-0300

James N. Mansfield III Liskow & Lewis 822 Harding St. Lafayette 337-232-7424

Richard W. Revels, Jr. Liskow & Lewis 822 Harding St. Lafayette 337-232-7424

Larry C. Hebert Ottinger Hebert, LLC 1313 W. Pinhook Rd. Lafayette 337-232-2606

Mortgage Banking Foreclosure Law

Gary J. Russo Jones Walker 600 Jefferson St., Suite 1600 Lafayette 337-593-7610

Edwin F. Hunter III Hunter, Hunter & Sonnier, LLC 1807 Lake St. Lake Charles 337-513-0893

Lawrence P. Simon Jr. Liskow & Lewis 822 Harding St Lafayette 337-232-7424

Armistead M. Long Gordon Arata McCollam Duplantis & Eagan, LLC 400 East Kaliste Saloom Rd. Suite 4200 Lafayette 337-521-8820

William P. Stubbs Jr. Stubbs Law Firm, LLC 1018 Harding St., Suite 103 Lafayette 337-233-9755

Richard L. Becker Becker & Hebert, LLC 910 Harding St. Lafayette 337-446-2419 Sue Tannehill Mann Onebane Law Firm 1200 Camellia Blvd., Suite 300 Lafayette 337-237-2660 Municipal Law

Richard L. Becker Becker & Hebert, LLC 910 Harding St. Lafayette 337-446-2419 Michael D. Hebert Becker & Hebert, LLC 910 Harding St. Lafayette 337-446-2419 Natural Resources Law

James Bullen Dennis, Bates & Bullen, LLP 130 S. Audubon Blvd.

Lafayette 337-237-5900 Robert L. Cabes Milling Benson Woodward LLP 101 La Rue France Suite 200 Lafayette 337-232-3929

50

Non-Profit/Charities Law

Theresa Ann Barnatt Lorenzi & Barnatt, LLP 518 Pujo St. Lake Charles 337-436-8401 Oil and Gas Law

Edward C. Abell Jr. Onebane Law Firm 1200 Camellia Blvd., Suite 300 Lafayette 337-237-2660 Karen Daniel Ancelet Onebane Law Firm 1200 Camellia Blvd., Suite 300 Lafayette 337-237-2660 Christopher B. Bailey Randazzo Giglio & Bailey LLC 900 E. Saint Mary Blvd.

Suite 200 Lafayette 337-291-4900

Richard E. Gerard, Jr. Scofield Gerard Pohorelsky, Gallaugher & Landry 901 Lakeshore Drive, Suite 900 Lake Charles 337-433-9436

William F. Bailey Randazzo Giglio & Bailey LLC 900 E. Saint Mary Blvd.

Suite 200 Lafayette 337-291-4900

James N. Mansfield III Liskow & Lewis 822 Harding St Lafayette 337-232-7424

Jasmine B. Bertrand Onebane Law Firm 1200 Camellia Blvd., Suite 300 Lafayette 337-237-2660

Samuel E. Masur Gordon Arata McCollam Duplantis & Eagan, LLC 400 E. Kaliste Saloom Rd. Suite 4200 Lafayette 337-237-0132

Bob J. Duplantis Gordon Arata McCollam Duplantis & Eagan, LLC 400 East Kaliste Saloom Rd. Suite 4200 Lafayette 337-237-0132

Thomas M. McNamara Johnson Gray McNamara, LLC 200 W. Congress St. Suite 900 Lafayette 337-412-6003

Donald J. Ethridge Dupuis & Polozola 900 S. College Rd., Suite 302 Lafayette 337-235-2232

february/march 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com

Samuel E. Masur Gordon Arata McCollam Duplantis & Eagan, LLC 400 E. Kaliste Saloom Rd. Suite 4200 Lafayette 337-237-0132 Patrick S. Ottinger Ottinger Hebert, LLC 1313 W. Pinhook Rd. Lafayette 337-232-2606 Matthew J. Randazzo III Randazzo Giglio & Bailey LLC 900 E. Saint Mary Blvd.

Suite 200 Lafayette 337-291-4900 John F. Robichaux Robichaux, Mize, Wadsack & Richardson, LLC 1777 Ryan St. Lake Charles 337-433-0234 Gary J. Russo Jones Walker 600 Jefferson St., Suite 1600 Lafayette 337-593-7610

Shayna L. Sonnier Hunter & Blazier APLC 1807 Lake St. Lake Charles 337-436-1600 Personal Injury Litigation

Richard C. Broussard Broussard David 600 Jefferson St. Suite 700 Lafayette 337-233-2323 Douglas L. Bryan The Bryan Law Firm 419 S. Preston St. Marksville 318-240-8282 Quincy L. Cawthorne Doran & Cawthorne, PLLC 521 E. Landry St. Opelousas 888-527-4716 Lawrence Curtis Larry Curtis Maritime Attorney 300 Rue Beauregard, Bldg. C Lafayette 337-235-1825 Blake R. David Broussard David 600 Jefferson St., Suite 700 Lafayette 337-233-2323 Thomas Edwards Domengeaux Wright Roy & Edwards LLC 556 Jefferson St., Suite 500 Lafayette 337-233-3033 Anthony M. Fazzio Fazio Law Firm 4906 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy, Building J, Suite 1000 Lafayette 337-406-1122 James S. Gates Morrow, Gates & Morrow Attorneys at Law 613 S. Main St. Opelousas 337-942-6529

Jeremy B. Shealy Onebane Law Firm 1200 Camellia Blvd., Suite 300 Lafayette 337-237-2660

Joshua S. Guillory The Law Office of Joshua S. Guillory 317 E. University Ave. Lafayette 337-233-1303

Stuart M. Simoneaud Ottinger Hebert, LLC 1313 W. Pinhook Rd. Lafayette 337-232-2606

David Hanchey Dudley DeBosier 535 East Street Lake Charles 866-897-8495

Randall C. Songy Onebane Law Firm 1200 Camellia Blvd., Suite 300 Lafayette 337-237-2660

Thomas R. Hightower Jr. Thomas R. Hightower Jr. 1019 Lafayette St. Lafayette 337-233-0555

John Lee Hoffoss Jr. Hoffoss Devall, LLP 3205 Ryan St. Lake Charles 337-433-2053 Remy A.M. Jardell The Law Office of Remy A.M. Jardell 625 St. John St. Lafayette 337-267-0985 John M. Jefcoat Galloway Efcoat, LLP 1925 Dulles Drive, Lafayette 337-984-8020 Patrick A. Juneau Juneau David 1018 Harding St. Suite 202 Lafayette 337-269-0052 Richard R. Kennedy The Law Offices of Richard R. Kennedy 309 Polk St. Lafayette 337-446-2370 Jerold E. Knoll Sr. Knoll Law Firm 233 S. Main St. Marksville 318-253-6200 David Charles Laborde The Laborde Law Firm, LLC 203 Energy Pkwy., Building B Lafayette 337-261-2617 Danny J. Lirette Lirette & Gary, LLC 880 School St. Houma 985-876-2997 Jerome H. Moroux Broussard David 600 Jefferson St., Suite 700 Lafayette 337-233-2323 Patrick C. Morrow Morrow, Morrow, Ryan & Bassett 324 W. Landry St. Opelousas 337-948-4483 Shane M. Mouton Mouton Law Firm 905 The Boulevard Rayne 337-334-8600 Richard J. Putnam Jr. Putnam Law Firm 118 S. State St. Abbeville 337-893-0076 Brent J. Rhodes The Law Offices of Brent J. Rhodes LLC 620 School St. Houma 985-262-7799

Chaz Hanley Roberts Chaz H. Roberts Law, LLC 112 Oil Center Drive, Suite M Lafayette 337-504-3202 Kyle Sherman Brandt & Sherman LLP 111 Mercury St. Lafayette 337-326-4315 Todd A. Townsley The Townsely Law Firm 3102 Enterprise Blvd.

Lake Charles 337-377-0584 Gina B. Tuttle Guglielmo, Lopez, Tuttle, Hunter & Jarrell, LLP 306 E. North St. Opelousas 337-948-8201 J. Michael Veron Veron, Bice, Palermo & Wilson, LLC 721 Kirby St. Lake Charles 337-310-1600 Bob F. Wright Domengeaux Wright Roy & Edwards LLC 556 Jefferson St., Suite 500 Lafayette 337-233-3033

Product Liability Litigation

Roger G. Burgess Baggett-McCall Injury Attorneys 3006 Country Club Rd. Lake Charles Blake R. David Broussard David 600 Jefferson St., Suite 700 Lafayette 337-233-2323 Anthony M. Fazzio Fazio Law Firm 4906 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy, Building J, Suite 1000 Lafayette 337-406-1122 David R. Frohn Frohn & Thibodeaux L.L.C One Lakeshore Drive Suite 1220 Lake Charles 337-433-5523 Thomas R. Hightower Jr. Thomas R. Hightower Jr. 1019 Lafayette St. Lafayette 337-233-0555 James R. Nieset Plauche Smith & Nieset, LLC 1123 Pithon St. Lake Charles 337-436-0522

J. Rock Palermo, III Veron, Bice, Palermo & Wilson, LLC 721 Kirby St. Lake Charles 337-310-1600

Thomas Louis Colletta Jr. Attorney at Law 751 Bayou Pines East Drive, Suite P Lake Charles 504-599-8489

Todd A. Townsley The Townsely Law Firm 3102 Enterprise Blvd.

Lake Charles 337-377-0584

Real Estate Law

Jean-Paul P. Coussan Andrus, Boudreaux, Landry & Coussan, APLC 1245 Camellia Blvd., Suite 200 Lafayette 337-984-9488

Christopher B. Bailey Randazzo Giglio & Bailey LLC 900 E. Saint Mary Blvd.

Suite 200 Lafayette 337-291-4900

Robert P. Cuccia Robert P. Cuccia Attorney at Law 311 Goode St. Houma 985-873-8595

Richard L. Becker Becker & Hebert, LLC 910 Harding St. Lafayette 337-446-2419

John P. Everett Jr. Roddy, Watson & Everett 400 East College St. Lake Charles 337-474-4886

Philip H. Boudreaux Andrus, Boudreaux, Landry & Coussan, APLC 1245 Camellia Blvd., Suite 200 Lafayette 337-984-9480

Thomas J. Gayle Gayle Law Firm LLC 713 Kirby St. Lake Charles 337-494-1220

Railroad Law

Gerard J. Bourgeois Bourgeois Thorguson, LLC 1025 N. Victor II Blvd.

Morgan City 985-384-2055

Jeremy A. Hebert Becker & Hebert, LLC 910 Harding St. Lafayette 337-446-2419

Katharine R. Colletta Chaffe McCall L.L.P. One Lakeshore Drive, Suite 1670A Lake Charles 504-585-7708

Michael D. Carleton Woodley Williams Law Firm LLC 1 Lakeshore Drive Lake Charles 337-433-6328

Edwin F. Hunter III Hunter, Hunter & Sonnier, LLC 1807 Lake St. Lake Charles 337-513-0893

Alonzo P. Wilson Veron, Bice, Palermo & Wilson, LLC 721 Kirby St. Lake Charles 337-310-1600 Public Finance Law Richard L. Becker Becker & Hebert, LLC 910 Harding St Lafayette 337-446-2419 Timothy L. Ryan Williams Anderson & Ryan LLP 1200 Camellia Blvd.

Lafayette 337-205-8105

www.acadianaprofile.com | february/march 2014

51

Stephen P. Jewell Jewell & Jewell 143 E. Main St., Suite 3 New Roads 225-638-3311

William P. Stubbs Jr. Stubbs Law Firm, LLC 1018 Harding St., Suite 103 Lafayette 337-233-9755

John F. Robichaux Robichaux, Mize, Wadsack & Richardson, LLC 1777 Ryan St. Lake Charles 337-433-0234

Russell J. Stutes Jr. Stutes & Lavernge, LLC 600 Broad St. Lake Charles 337-377-0629

Charles D. Viccellio Stockwell, Sievert, Viccellio, Clements & Shaddock, L.L.P. 127 West Broad St. Lake Charles 337-493-7216 Securities Regulation

J. Donald Aaron Jr. Attorney at Law 104 Oak Ter Lafayette 337-234-3577 George D. Ernest III Hurlburt, Monrose & Ernest 700 St. John St., Suite 200 Lafayette 337-237-0261 Andrew H. Goodman Kean Miller LLP One Lakeshore Drive Suite 1150 Lake Charles 337-430-0350 Tax Law

Jean C. Breaux Jr. Jean C. Breaux Jr. & Associates, APLC 1018 Harding St., Suite 103 Lafayette 337-233-4447 Angela Smith Bryson Bryson Law Firm, LLC 515 W. Convent St. Lafayette 337-233-4210

52

Bradley J. Trevino Hunter, Hunter & Sonnier, LLC 1807 Lake St. Lake Charles 337-436-1600 Jack G. Wheeler Fraser Wheeler LLP 4350 Nelson Rd. Lake Charles 337-478-8595 H Aubrey White III Stockwell, Sievert, Viccellio, Clements & Shaddock, L.L.P. 127 West Broad St. Lake Charles 337-436-9491

Rebekah R. Huggins The Glenn Armentor Law Corporation 300 Stewart St. Lafayette 337-233-1471

Betty A. Raglin Sigler & Raglin Attorneys at Law, APLLC 630 Kirby St. Lake Charles 337-439-2033

Richard J. Hymel Mahtook & LaFleur 600 Jefferson St., Suite 1000 Lafayette 337-266-2189

David L. Sigler Sigler & Raglin Attorneys at Law, APLLC 630 Kirby St. Lake Charles 337-439-2033

Robert M. Kallam Preis & Roy PLC 102 Versailles Blvd., Suite 400 Lafayette 337-237-6062 John E. McElligott Jr. Davidson, Meaux, Sonnier, McElligott, Fontenot, Gideon & Edwards 810 S. Bunchanan St. Lafayette 337-237-1660

Transportation Law

Elena Pecoraro Pecoraro Law 600 Jefferson St., Suite 810 Lafayette 337-266-2233

Norman E. Anseman III Jones Walker 600 Jefferson St. Suite 1600 Lafayette 337-593-7661

James T. Rivera Scofield & Rivera, LLC 100 E. Vermilion St., Suite 301 Lafayette 337-235-5353

Alan K. Breaud Breaud & Meyers, APLC 600 Jefferson St., Suite 1101 Lafayette 337-266-2200

Bryan D. Scofield Scofield & Rivera, LLC 100 E. Vermilion St., Suite 301 Lafayette 337-326-4729

Richard C. Broussard Broussard David 600 Jefferson St., Suite 700 Lafayette 337-233-2323

Trusts and Estates

Thomas Louis Colletta Jr. Attorney at Law 751 Bayou Pines East Drive Suite P Lake Charles 504-599-8489

Theresa Ann Barnatt Lorenzi & Barnatt, LLP 518 Pujo St. Lake Charles 337-436-8401 Michael D. Carleton Woodley Williams Law Firm LLC 1 Lakeshore Drive Lake Charles 337-433-6328

Cary Brian Bryson Bryson Law Firm, LLC 515 W. Convent St. Lafayette 337-233-4210

James M. Dill The Dill Firm 825 Lafayette St. Lafayette 337-261-1408

Charles T. Hightower Stubbs Law Firm, LLC 1018 Harding St., Suite 103 Lafayette 337-233-9755

Edwin K. Hunter Hunter, Hunter & Sonnier, LLC 1807 Lake St. Lake Charles 337-513-0893

John P. Guillory The Dill Firm 825 Lafayette St. Lafayette 337-261-1408

Stephen P. Jewell Jewell & Jewell 143 E. Main St., Suite 3 New Roads 225-638-3311

Lawrence L. Lewis III Onebane Law Firm 1200 Camellia Blvd., Suite 300 Lafayette 337-237-2660

Mary McCrory Hamilton Voorhies & Labbe 700 St. John St. Lafayette 337-232-9700

J. Todd Kindler Stubbs Law Firm, LLC 1018 Harding St., Suite 103 Lafayette 337-233-9755

february/march 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com

William P. Stubbs Jr. Stubbs Law Firm, LLC 1018 Harding St., Suite 103 Lafayette 337-233-9755 Bradley J. Trevino Hunter, Hunter & Sonnier, LLC 1807 Lake St. Lake Charles 337-436-1600 Charles D. Viccellio Stockwell, Sievert, Viccellio, Clements & Shaddock, L.L.P. 127 West Broad St. Lake Charles 337-493-7216 Venture Capital Law

Scott D. Chenevert Jones Walker 600 Jefferson St. Lafayette 225-248-2116 Workers Compensation Law

Jason R. Bell Cox, Cox, Filo, Camel & Wilson, LLC 723 Broad St. Lake Charles 337-436-6611 Douglas L. Bryan The Bryan Law Firm 419 S. Preston St. Marksville 318-240-8282 Glenn J. Armentor The Glenn Armentor Law Corporation 300 Stewart St. Lafayette 337-233-1471 Michael Laurence Barras Michael L. Barras, APLC 120 Lee St. New Iberia 337-369-6400 Michael D. Bass Guglielmo, Lopez, Tuttle, Hunter & Jarrell, LLP 306 E. North St. Opelousas 337-948-8201

Douglas Lee Bryan The Bryan Law Firm 419 S. Preston St. Marksville 318-240-8282 Harry K. Burdette The Glenn Armentor Law Corporation 300 Stewart St. Lafayette 337-233-1471 Thomas A. Filo Cox Cox Filo Camel & Wilson 723 Broad St. Lake Charles 337-436-6611 Rebekah R. Huggins The Glenn Armentor Law Corporation 300 Stewart St. Lafayette 337-233-1471 Holly J. Lamarche Galloway Efcoat, LLP 1925 Dulles Drive Lafayette 337-984-8020 Gary F. LeGros Jr. Gary F. LeGros Jr. Attorney & Counselor at Law 1217 Main St. Franklin 337-828-2013 Michael J. McNulty III Plauche Smith & Nieset, LLC 1123 Pithon St. Lake Charles 337-436-0522 Stephen M. Morrow Morrow, Gates & Morrow Attorneys at Law 613 S. Main St. Opelousas 337-942-6529 Jennie P. Pellegrin Neuner Pate Attorneys at Law 1001 W. Pinhook Rd., Suite 200 Lafayette 337-272-0389 Mark Riley The Glenn Armentor Law Corporation 300 Stewart St. Lafayette 337-233-1471 Kyle Sherman Brandt & Sherman LLP 111 Mercury St. Lafayette 337-326-4315 Terry Thibodeaux Frohn & Thibodeaux LLC 1 Lakeshore Drive Lake Charles 337-433-5523

ADVERTISMENT

Seated Left to right: James P. Ryan | Patrick C. Morrow

Standing Left to right: Jeffrey M. Bassett | Richard T. Haik, Jr. | Taylor J. Bassett | P. Craig Morrow Jr.

PERSONAL INJURY AND CLASS ACTION LITIGATION LEADER Preparation. Reputation. Perseverance. These are the principles on which Morrow, Morrow, Ryan & Bassett has built its success. For more than 40 years, the Firm’s skilled attorneys have represented clients throughout Louisiana and the United States, obtaining verdicts and settlements totaling hundreds of millions of dollars.

PRACTICE AREAS The firm serves victims of serious personal injuries, including oilfield works, Jones Act Seamen, burn victims, paraplegics, quadriplegics and victims of traumatic brain injuries.

CLASS ACTION REPRESENTATION Morrow, Morrow, Ryan & Bassett is a national class action leader, having taken on cases Regarding medical malpractice, pharmaceutical drugs and toxic tort.

The firm currently represents victims in class action lawsuits or multidistrict litigation involving the BP oil spill, Plavix, Yaz, Actos, Fosamax, Levaquin and Vaginal Mesh. A sign of the firm’s prominence in this area is that senior partner Patrick C. Morrow was appointed liaison counsel in the multidistrict litigation regarding the diabetes drug Actos.

RECOGNITION: This year, Patrick C. Morrow, James P. Ryan, Jeffrey M. Bassett and P. Craig Morrow Jr. were all selected to the Super Lawyers list. Richard T. Haik Jr. was named to the Rising Stars list.

www.acadianaprofile.com | february/march 2014

53

ADVERTISEMENT

STANDING LEFT TO RIGHT: J. Rock Palermo III*, Alonzo P. Wilson,

J. Michael Veron*, Jamie Blair Bice, Michael G. Hodgkins, Jere Jay Bice; SITTING: Turner D. Brumby**, Ashley E. Philen

*Chosen for 2014 Super Lawyers | **Chosen for 2014 Rising Star

VERON, BICE, PALERMO & WILSON, LLC OIL AND GAS EXPLORATION IS NOT LICENSE TO DESTROY PROPERTY.

The mission of Veron, Bice, Palermo & Wilson, LLC is to seek justice, whether in a land contamination or oil and gas matter.

When big oil and gas companies drill, they are supposed to be stewards of the land. Too often, however, companies contaminate the soil and water in the area where they drill, rendering property dangerous or unusable for future operations.

When this happens, the value of the land plummets, and the innocent landowners can be left holding the bag for an expensive clean-up.

Firm partner J. Michael Veron is considered by many to have pioneered Louisiana land contamination litigation. His landmark trial and appellate case against Shell Oil resulted in a $76 million final judgment for his clients. Veron’s critically acclaimed book, Shell Game: One Family’s Long Battle Against Big Oil, detailed the litigation. His recent article updating significant developments in the litigation appeared in the Tulane Environmental Law Journal.

As one of Louisiana’s leading environmental litigation practices, Veron, Bice, Palermo & Wilson has access to knowledgeable, trusted experts

who help the firm’s attorney explain drilling complexities to juries and judges.

Repeatedly recognized as one of the Best Law Firms by The Best Lawyers In America and listed in the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers, the firm works tirelessly to recover compensation for landowners who suffer as a result of oil company carelessness, and to hold polluters responsible.

Veron, Bice, Palermo & Wilson is proud of its success in representing those who seek to restore their property.

VERON, BICE, PALERMO & WILSON, LLC 721 Kirby St. | Lake Charles, LA 70601 | PH: (337) 310-1600 | FX: (337) 310-1601 louisianaoilandgaslaw.com | louisianaenvironmentallaw.com | veronbice.com Results may vary, depending on specific facts and law.

54

february/march 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com

ADVERTISING SECTION

Pa u l ’ s J e w e l r y Infinity Rings 325 Oil Center Drive | 337.233.6975 600 Silverstone Rd. | 337.981.7600

Valentine’s Armentor Jewelers Galatea Jewelry by Artist Parc Lafayette 1921 Kaliste Saloom Rd. | Suite 101 337.534.8529 | armentorjewelers.com

Day i n l a fay e t t e

Pa s c a l e Spa “Sweet, Sweet Serenity” 1118 Coolidge St. 337.232.6449 | pascalespa.com

Induldge Sweet Delights Parc Lafayette 1921 Kaliste Saloom Rd. | Suite 111 337-534-8700 | indulgesweetspot.com

56

february/march 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com

E’s Kitchen 2012 True Myth Chardonnay 91 points Wine Enthusiast Parc Lafayette 1921 Kaliste Saloom Rd. | Suite 121 337.534.8928 | eskitchen.com

www.acadianaprofile.com | february/march 2014

57

C H E F PAY N E & SAINTS LINEBACKER KEVIN REDDICK

personnes d’acadiana

Cooking for Celebs Opelousas chef Paul T. Payne caters to the culinary needs of some very recognizable clientele who star on the football field, basketball court and silver screen. by william kalec

58

february/march 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com

As he goes on and on, talking about the impressive mouths attached to the famous faces he feeds on the regular, personal chef Paul T. Payne cringes because he knows the joke is coming – a way-too-obvious one-liner so succulently corny it’s impossible to not utter.

And yeah, he’s not gonna lie, the first 12,000 times he heard it, he chuckled a bit.

But now, now it’s just played out, colder than leftovers.

“My first client was Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson,” he says. “So can you imagine how many people have asked me, ‘Can you smell what The Rock is cooking?’” he says, referring to the old wrestler-turned-actor’s signature catch phrase. “My lord, practically everybody. Oh man. It’s like my friends can’t help but say it. And then it turned into, ‘Can you smell what Chef Paul is cooking?’

Actually, that was kind of cool: Can you smell what Chef Paul is cooking?”

With Payne, though, the better question to ask is for whom is he cooking.

After establishing himself by preparing meals for the gregarious pro wrestler/ actor during a six-month stint, the Opelousas native now cooks for three New Orleans Saints – rookies Kenny Vaccaro, Kenny Stills and Kevin Reddick – and newly acquired New Orleans Pelicans shooting guard Tyreke Evans.

Waking up at 5 a.m. Monday through Friday to accommodate the eating needs of finely tuned athletes, Payne is inadvertently subjected to the ebbs and flows of their successes and setbacks on game days. When the Saints

photographs by ro m ero & ro m ero photography

www.acadianaprofile.com | february/march 2014

59

personnes d’acadiana

win, his clients are smiling before they shovel in their first forkful. When the Saints stub their toe, Payne knows better than to start small talk. As a former high school football player, he gets it. It’s totally out of his control.

“All I can do is make the food. That’s it,” he says.

“And I guess they like it. I’ve had about 10 Saints players ask me to cook for them, and I just can’t cook for all of them,” he says. “I’ve had a couple of them approach me and just tell me that the practice facility food is not good, and I’m like ‘How can that be?’ This is the NFL. How is y’all’s food not good? That makes no sense. Like Vaccaro, he’ll starve himself all day to wait to eat my food. I told him, I’m flattered but that he probably should eat.”

Payne’s informal culinary education began at an early age. The grandchild of two heavy-handed cafeteria workers, Payne frequently hung around

60

february/march 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com

the stove while the other children ran around the neighborhood. There was just something about it, he recalls. The longer he lingered, the more and more responsibility Maw Maw placed upon her wide-eyed guest. Add some salt. Stir this until it’s brown. Pull that pan from the oven. Payne was hooked.

“All my other guy cousins were outside – and I was into sports, as well – but I was the only one in the kitchen looking to see.

You know, ‘What is she doing?’ ‘How is she doing that?’ And they’d let me watch.

And they were old-school. Not a lot of measuring going on in there. It was all in her head, but it worked. I don’t remember ever tasting anything and saying, ‘Ew, that’s nasty.’ For one, I knew better. But, two, it was always amazing. And that’s what got me: People taking a bite and going, ‘Oooh, your food is amazing.’ It’s crazy how good it feels to hear that.”

Years later, while instructors at Louisiana Culinary Institute were trying to fill Payne in on the cooking gaps Grandma didn’t cover, he began Internet correspondence with Gason Nelson, the personal chef for NFL running back Reggie Bush and NBA All-Star Chris Paul. Soon, that friendship blossomed as Payne took frequent trips into the city to lend Nelson a hand in food preparation.

“I was going to culinary school hoping that one day I could open my own restaurant or work offshore,” he says. “Being a personal chef … I didn’t even know what that was.”

Payne’s apprenticeship was brief. In 2010, Nelson followed Bush when the Saints traded the former first-round pick to the Miami Dolphins, leaving behind The Rock – an A-lister he added to his clientele base when the action hero was filming a movie in New Orleans.

Willing to give Payne his first break, Nelson recommended Payne handle Johnson’s complicated food needs.

“I’m 21 at the time. I’m in culinary school. I’m living in Baton Rouge, and you’re asking if I want to be the chef for Dwayne Johnson?!” he recalls thinking.

“Are you kidding? Oh man, of course! Who would turn that down? And for a first client, you couldn’t have had a better person. But he had a very specific diet, so you were always on-call. It’d be 1 a.m., and I’d get a call, and be like, ‘Damn,’” he says. “But I made a commitment.”

Now that he’s somewhat established, Payne’s new challenge consists of finding unique ways to surprise the palates of his patrons while ensuring the content of his meals provides the mandatory sustenance to perform at an elite level.

“They come to me for that twist,” he says. “I like when a recipe gets twisted.

There are no jalapenos in this recipe? Well, let’s throw some in and see what happens. A recipe isn’t a rulebook; it’s a guide, but you’re allowed to wander off the path – and that’s what I like to call the twist.” ap

www.acadianaprofile.com | february/march 2014

61

À la mode

Carnival Fashions by krystral cooper christen It is the time of year where anything goes, whether you’re wearing a sparkling gown, plastic beads and a costume or blue jeans and a hoodie (or some combination of all of the above).

1

2 3

1. All pieces are handmade by the gemologist at Artisan Jewelers in a variety of styles, whether you’re minimalist or glamorous. You can hit the parade route sporting the sterling hand-cut crown medallion or the sterling and 18K fleur de lis necklace. If you are spending Carnival in a swanky location, add a unique twist to your style by adorning your neck with the 14K Mardi Gras mask pendant. No matter which scenario you choose, these pieces are sure to be noticed. Artisan Jewelers, 2207 Kaliste Saloom Road, Suite C, Lafayette, (337) 988-8380, artisanjewelerslafayette.com 2. Carry your neccessities in Anya Hindmarch’s black, gold and silver glittered clutch, which will dazzle everyone in the room. Kiki, 1910 Kaliste Saloom Road, (337) 406-0904, Lafayette, shopkikionline.com 3. You will be the belle of any Carnival ball in this sparkling royal blue gown in a flattering floor-length halter design. You can dance the night away with a mysterious stranger or your own Mardi Gras king, knowing you look like a queen. 7 Chics Boutique, 201 Settlers Trace Blvd., Suite 3003, Lafayette, (337) 7042632, 7chics.com

4

5

4. Put on a mysterious, alluring mask as you enter the ballroom or parade route to add intrigue to your ensemble. Available in many different colors and styles, these beautifully embellished masks have something to offer everyone and accent every outfit. Crystal Cottage, 4607 Johnston St., Lafayette, (337) 989-4243 5. These radiant gold combat boots by OTBT are perfect for wandering along the parade route in style and comfort. Shoe La La, 201 Settlers Trace Blvd., Suite 3010, Lafayette, (337) 984-8618, shoelala.net ap

62

february/march 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com

photographs by travis ga u thier ; H air and Make u p : H ellianna Maria V errett Model : B rittany Marie T hibodea u x

www.acadianaprofile.com | february/march 2014

63

CHARLEY G’S

sur le menu

Reclaiming Red Meat Red meat has recovered to a certain extent from its image problem. Even so, many still limit consumption of what was likely a staple of their childhood. At any rate, even the strictest of health nuts splurges on a steak every now and then – and when that time comes, who doesn’t want to do it up right? We’ve compiled a list of splurge-worthy spots for steaks.

Take a look at the list below and pick which restaurant suits your fancy for the next time you’ve got a hankering for a steak.

121 artisan bistro 121 Dr. Michael DeBakey Drive, Lake Charles (337) 310-7499 If you’re looking for the place to go in Lake Charles, try 121 Artisan Bistro, especially on Wednesday nights when the restaurant hosts after hours special. That’s where and when you’ll find many of Lake Charles’ movers and shakers.

Patsy Manuel, of Frame House and Gallery, right around the corner from 121 Artisan Bistro, makes a habit of eating there often.

The restaurant is known for its delicious steaks, but Manuel says the wonderful food goes far beyond steaks.

“It’s delicious – just wonderful. I go to a nutritionist, but they have things I can eat. Not only are there healthy options, but more than that, the food is fantastic.

They have delicious steaks and the best 64

february/march 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com

5 great places for steak by jan risher styles including French Country, Creole, Mediterranean and Asian.

The restaurant itself has an enviable location along the banks of Bayou Terrebonne, with tables along the bayou patio, with upscale Louisiana ambience, featuring gas lanterns on brick columns.

salads, the best bisque and tomato basil – and fish taco.”

Manuel prefers the filet.

“That’s probably my favorite,” she says. “The atmosphere is very, very nice.

I really like it.”

With so many people in the restaurant, Manuel says that it’s a little noisy, but that adds to the festive atmosphere.

“It’s my favorite place! Everyone loves it.

It’s packed to the gills.”

The restaurant also houses its own bakery that bakes fresh bread, desserts and pastries daily.

Charley G’s 3809 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy., Lafayette (337) 981-0108 Charley G’s has been an Acadiana favorite for decades. Charley G’s faithful patrons walk through the doors and take a deep breath of the just-right amount of wood-

Café Dominique 8013 Main St., Houma (985) 223-7540 Café Dominique serves a diverse menu and aims to be a cut above from what most people expect in Houma. They serve free-range meats and seafood from local waters. The food is served in a variety of

smoke. The restaurant’s staff provides excellent service and knows the ins and outs of making guests feel comfortable. The menu is varied, but the steaks are some of the best anywhere – especially if you prefer the steak done in the Pittsburgh style, perfectly charred on the outside and red in the middle. No one does that style of steak better than Charley G’s. photo courtesy charley g’s

www.acadianaprofile.com | february/march 2014

65

sur le menu

Another perk is that Charley G’s features a talented live piano player.

Every Thursday night, Grammynominated David Egan plays his heart out. Due to its menu and staff, the restaurant has earned a loyal following.

“Charley G’s is by far the best restaurant in Acadiana,” says Kathy Abshire, a frequent Charley G’s guest.

“It’s perfect for a romantic dinner for two (request a booth), or for a larger group.”

Like other Charley G’s fans, Abshire mentions the lighting, the scent of the hardwood grill, the acoustics and the impeccable service.

When it comes to steaks, Abshire is a fan.

“The filet is seasoned and cooked to order and comes with an extra taste touch from the hardwood grill. The fresh lump crabmeat topping option is always a good choice,” she adds.

66

february/march 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com

Mr. Lester’s Steakhouse

Ruth’s Chris steak house

Cypress Bayou Casino 832 Martin Luther King Road, Charenton (337) 923-7408

620 W. Pinhook Road, Lafayette (337) 237-6123

Making the trip to Mr. Lester’s is an Acadiana tradition for many.

“Lester’s gives you the distinct impression that you’re the most important patron in the place without the pretension of many steak houses,” says Amanda Bedgood, a Broussard resident who enjoys going to Mr. Lester’s to celebrate special occasions with her husband. “You could easily fill up on rich sides and a bread basket with flavored butters that’s a meal in and of itself. I am forever torn between the hearty ribeye or the tender filet and find it impossible to not order a side of béarnaise sauce –the best I’ve had anywhere.”

With entrées that range from $26 to $42 per person, Mr. Lester’s is usually reserved for special occasions, but get your reservations in early, because it fills up fast.

Nearly 50 years ago the Ruth’s Chris Steak House legacy began when Ruth Fertel mortgaged her home and purchased a restaurant called “Chris Steak House” in New Orleans.

In 1976, when the original restaurant experienced a devastating fire, Fertel reopened in a nearby location. This move marked the official name change to Ruth’s Chris Steak House. Now, the company expects more than 140 Ruth’s Chris Steak Houses to be in operation around the world. The Ruth’s Chris Steak House menu features a broad selection of high-quality USDA Prime grade steaks and other premium offerings, served in the Ruth’s Chris Steak House “sizzling” signature fashion, topped with seasoned butter. ap

www.acadianaprofile.com | february/march 2014

67

Around Acadiana:

visiter

Gatherings, carnivals and activities around Acadiana. Compiled by judi russell FEBRUARY

2

Krewe of Chronos Mardi Gras Parade. Thibodaux. (887) 537-5800.

2

Cajun Ground Hog Day. 102 W. Main St., New Iberia. (337) 365-6773.

2

Krewe of Nereids Mardi Gras Parade. Golden Meadow. (985) 537-5800.

10

Herman Hartman Presentation for Black History Month Book Release

2

29th Annual Here’s the Beef Cookoff.

Party for Natalie Basile, author of Queen Sugar. Shadowlawn, 906 Main

1939 W. Landry St., Opelousas. (337) 945-0364.

St., Franklin. (337) 828-4654

Krewe of Galatea Mardi Gras Parade. Morgan City. (985) 395-4905.

1- Mar 2

And the Rain Came to Mayfield. Lake Charles Little Theatre,

2 – 4.

14th Carnival D’Acadie Mardi Gras. Downtown Crowley. (337) 783-0828.

Lake Charles. (337) 433-7988.

Opelousas Lundi Gras Celebration.

Krewe of Ambrosia Mardi Gras Mambo.

828 E. Landry St., Opelousas. (800) 424-5442.

310 N. Canal Blvd., Thibodaux. (985) 447-5911.

15

3

4

Krewe of Amani Mardi Gras Parade. Patterson. (985) 395-4905.

15

Le Krewe Des T-Cajun Mardi Gras Parade. Larose. (985) 537-5800.

4

Franklin Mardi Gras Parade. (985) 395-4905.

16

Krewe of Shaka Mardi Gras Parade. Thibodaux. (877) 537-5800.

4

Krewe of Hephaestus Mardi Gras Parade. Morgan City. (985) 395-4905.

16

Krewe of Des Petite. Golden Meadow. (985) 537-5800.

4

Family Affair Mardi Gras Parade. Main Street, Loreauville. (337) 229-6001.

20

“AudioBody” presented by St. Mary Community Concert Association.

4

Grand Marais Mardi Gras Parade. 7304 E. Hwy. 90, Jeanerette. (337) 365-8185.

4

Krewe of Couteau Mardi Gras Parade.

Schreier Theatre, Municipal Auditorium, Morgan City. (985) 385-2307.

20 – 22

9th Annual Eagle Exposition. Stephensville Boat Tours and various other

venues, Morgan City. (985) 395-4905.

Andalusia Mardi Gras Parade. Main Street, New Iberia. (337) 367-6466.

21

22 – 23

Tabasco Shootout Soccer Tournament.

601 Sucrose Drive, New Iberia. (337) 365-8200.

23

Krewe of Versailles Mardi Gras Parade. Larose. (877) 537-5800.

23

Krewe of Ezana Jeanerette Mardi Gras Parade. Martin Luther King Jr.,

Canal and Main Streets, Jeanerette. (337) 276-4164.

Krewe of Adonis Mardi Gras Parade. Morgan City. (985) 395-4905.

28

28 – Mar 4 Cajun Country Mardi Gras. Downtown Eunice. (337) 457-7389.

MARCH

1

Lake Fausse Pointe Mardi Gras Parade.

5400 Levee Road, St. Martinville. (337) 229-6173.

1

Shadows Arts & Crafts Show. 317 E. Main St., New Iberia. (337) 369-6446.

1

53rd Annual Church Point Courir de Mardi Gras.

7942 Saddle Trump Clubhouse, Church Point. (337) 684-2026.

1

Krewe of Apollo Mardi Gras Parade. Lockport. (877) 537-5800.

1

Krewe of Atlantis Mardi Gras Parade. Golden Meadows. (887) 537-5800.

1

Le Krewe du Bon Temps Mardi Gras Parade.

4484 La. Hwy. 1, Larose. (887) 537-5800.

1

Baldwin Mardi Gras Parade. (985) 395-4905.

1

Cypremort Point Mardi Gras Parade. (985) 395-3905.

2

Krewe of Cleophas Mardi Gras Parade. Thibodaux. (985) 537-5800.

don’t see your event? go to acadianaprofile.com to submit.

68

2

february/march 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com

6310 Coteau Road, New Iberia. (337) 577-2014.

4

Tee Mamou-Iota Mardi Gras Folklife Festival. Downtown Iota. (337) 779-2226.

4

Krewe of Ghana Mardi Gras Parade. Thibodaux. (887) 537-5800.

4

Krewe of Gheens. Gheens. (887) 537-5800.

4

Krewe of Choupic Parade. Choupic/Chackbay. (887) 537-5800.

4

Krewe of Neptune Parade. Galliano/Golden Meadow. (887) 537-5800.

4

15th Annual Half-Fast Krewe of Frank Mardi Gras Parade.

600 block of East Landry St., Opelousas. (337) 351-6942.

Black Heritage Festival of Louisiana.

7-9

Various locations, Lake Charles. (337) 304-0620.

15

Festival of Live Oaks. 300 Park View Drive, New Iberia. (337) 369-2337.

22

3rd Annual Brittany’s Project Car, Truck, Motorcycle, Tractor and Special

Interest Show. Franklin. ssaucier@cheerful.com

“The Diamonds,” presented by St. Mary Community Concert Association.

25

Schreier Theatre, Municipal Auditorium, Morgan City. (985) 385-2307.

30

29th Annual World Championship Crawfish Etouffee Cook-Off. 651 Samuel Drive, Eunice. (337) 457-2565. ap

www.acadianaprofile.com | february/march 2014

69

70

february/march 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com

A gift they won’t forget

No one wants to burden loved ones with funeral expenses. Find out how a Shelter Life policy can make a big difference during a tough time.

A small investment today will give you peace of mind.

Shelter Life Insurance Company Columbia, MO ShelterInsurance.com

Richard Leleux, LUTCF 512 Johnston Street (Near Downtown) Lafayette, LA 337-234-5286

www.acadianaprofile.com | february/march 2014

71

en français, s’il vous plaît

Quand la température commence à baisser, les moustiques se font plus rares et la menace des ouragans diminue jusqu’au mois de juin, l’air sec poussé par le vent du nord remplit nos poumons et s’éclaircit nos esprits pour qu’on puisse se réjouir enfin des activités en plein air : les festivals, le football avec les fêtes autour du stade et la chasse aux canards et aux chevreuils.

Certains appellent cela le temps du gombo, même si je n’avais jamais entendu cette expression avant d’arriver à Lafayette. Dans ma famille sur la Bayou Lafourche, on mangeait du gombo au moins une fois par semaine toute l’année. Néanmoins, chaque saison a ses rites et ses coutumes dictés par ce que la Nature nous offre ou nous permet de faire. Dans le rude climat de la Louisiane avant l’avènement de la climatisation et de la réfrigération, si on voulait survivre, il fallait suivre à la lettre les ordres que le rythme de la vie donnait. Les commodités de la modernité altéraient cette cadence et on mangeait n’importe quoi n’importe quand. De nos jours, avec le mouvement du « manger local », les gens, surtout la jeunesse, cherchent à raccourcir la distance entre la production, la préparation et la consommation de leurs repas et manger au diapason des saisons. Un bon exemple est la résurgence d’une pratique ancestrale.

Pendant ces mois les plus frais, après la récolte et avant la semence, on tue le cochon dans un événement à la fois simple et complexe qu’on appelle la boucherie.

Traditionnellement, une boucherie se fait dans l’esprit du coup de main, cette rencontre communale où les voisins et la famille s’entraidaient pour accomplir diverses tâches qu’on ne pouvait pas faire tout seul comme la construction d’un magasin ou la ramasserie de la récolte.

Autrefois, la viande était partagée entre les familles assurant une réserve suffisante pour passer l’hiver. Tout le monde partage le travail, depuis la sélection du verrat ou de la truie jusqu’au dernier graton. Un tel élève les cochons, un autre amène les couteaux sur-aiguisés et les chaudières noires, une telle cueille 72

february/march 2014 | www.acadianaprofile.com

Tout quelque chose dans le cochon est bon. par david cheramie le sang pour le boudin noir, tandis que quelqu’un d’autre découpe la « sainte trinité » de céleri, de poivron et d’oignon pour mélanger avec le roux de la fricassée de reintier. La confection de la saucisse fumée, le tasso, l’andouille et le fromage de tête est confiée à des spécialistes du genre. Le froid mordant des matins d’hiver glace les os des participants, nécessitant un peu d’antigel sous forme de petits filets de bourbon et de whiskey. Les uns et les autres crient les instructions ou les insultes pour attiner à travers la vapeur émanant de leur bouche. Tout le monde se laisse emporter par la vague de bonheur de se retrouver et d’œuvrer vers un but commun. Malgré l’ambiance festive et bruyante, un voile solennel et silencieux recouvre les opérations au moment de donner le coup de grâce à l’invité d’honneur. Souvent quelqu’un est même désigné à caresser et calmer le porcin pour qu’il soit tranquille jusqu’à la dernière seconde de sa vie. C’est une forme de respect et de remerciement qui donne toute

une dimension spirituelle à un acte qui ne serait autrement qu’un carnage comme son nom l’indique.

Mary Pettibone Poole a écrit, « La culture, c’est ce que le boucher aurait s’il était chirurgien ». De toute évidence, elle n’a jamais vu un grand maître comme Toby Rodriquez opérer le dépeçage d’une carcasse de cochon. Il faut voir avec quelle précaution et quel savoir-faire il cherche l’endroit précis en dessous le sternum pour amorcer la première incision. Il faut apprécier les lignes droites et justes qu’il dessine avec la lame. Au fur et à mesure qu’il enlève les différentes parties, il annonce haut et fort le nom de la coupe et quel plat elle va devenir. Les membres de son équipe disparaissent avec les morceaux vers les tables de préparation selon leur désignation, sans rien gaspiller. Il faut une grande connaissance de l’anatomie et de la cuisine, ainsi que la compassion, la générosité et un sens de communauté, pour mener cette entreprise à bien. On peut appeler cela une grande culture, et c’est la nôtre. ap

for an english translation , visit www . acadianaprofile . com .

illustration by sarah george

ADVERTISEMENT

have always played by the rules, turned upside down, because some oilfield company thinks profits are more important than worker safety, I want to help -- it is part of who I am, the way I was raised.

RECOGNIZED AND HONORED In the Fall of 2013, Curtis was named by the Woodward/ White publication Best Lawyers® as “Lawyer of the Year” in the practice area of Personal Injury Litigation for the metropolitan area of Baton Rouge, which includes the Lafayette area. Curtis has also been named in the publication known as: Louisiana Super Lawyers® since its inaugural issue in 2007. For the past three years, the Louisiana Super Lawyers® publication has recognized Curtis as one of the Top 50 Attorneys in Louisiana. For more than fifteen years, he has been listed, in the MartindaleHubbel Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers® and holds the highest rating given by the Martindale Hubbell Law Directory®. Almost two decades ago, St. John’s University honored Curtis with its Alumni Outstanding Achievement Medal. In the summer of 2005, Curtis was invited to join The Academy of Trial Advocacy, an exclusive group of some of the country’s most accomplished trial lawyers.

He is also a founding member of The Aletheia Institute, a national, by invitation only, organization of lawyers committed to promoting truth in advocacy, full disclosure in discovery and a fair measure of justice to all litigants.

M Y M I S S I O N I S S I M P L E - - T O O B TA I N A N OUTSTANDING RESULT -- WITHOUT EXCEPTION -FOR EVERY CLIENT. Larry Curtis is recognized as one of Louisiana’s pre eminent personal injury lawyers. For over thirty years, Curtis has successfully represented maritime workers of all type - drill rig and platform workers, service hands, and offshore construction workers, as well as commercial divers, dredge crew and fishermen - in cases involving serious injury or death. “My mission is simple - to obtain an outstanding result- - without exception - - for every client.”

EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE With more than 35 years of experience, Curtis is a seasoned lawyer, with a national reputation in maritime personal injury cases. Over and over, Curtis has won multimillion dollar verdicts and settlements for his clients.

Curtis explains, when I see the lives of good people, who

SERVICE TO THE PROFESSION AND COMMUNITY Curtis is a member of the American, Federal, Louisiana, and Lafayette Bar Associations, The Maritime Law Association of the United States, as well as the American and Louisiana Associations for Justice. He has served as a member of the President’s Advisory Council, the Board of Governors, and the Council of Directors of the Louisiana Association for Justice. Curtis is an Emeritus Member of The American Inn of Court of Acadiana. Curtis served on the Board and is a past President of the Lafayette Bar Association. He has been invited to speak at local, state, and national professional meetings about federal trial practice and maritime personal injury litigation.

Community involvement is important to him as well: for five years he served as the host of a monthly TV program about Catholic Social Teaching. He is a member of, and, presently serves as an officer of, the Knights of Columbus, Council 7275.

300 Rue Beauregard, Bldg. “C” Post Office Box 80247, Lafayette, LA 70508 PH: (337) 235-1825 • (800) 528-1825 FX: (337) 237-0241 www.larrycurtis.com