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participating interns. Irwin Fritchie Urquhart & Moore, LLC, is the latest law firm to join the
program as a sponsor. One intern is selected from each of Louisiana’s four law schools.
Planning is underway for this year’s program which will begin on Monday, May 16th and end
on Friday, June 24th.

If your firm or organization is interested in becoming a sponsor for the 2023 internship, please
contact Rachael Mills, rachael.mills@lsba.org or 504-619-0104.

LSBA Standing Committees

Criminal Justice Committee
On March 10th and 11th, the Committee hosted a Summit on the intersection of mental illness
and the criminal justice system. The event attracted a diverse group of 100+ attendees including
judges, court staff, lawyers, mental healthcare professionals and advocates. Renowned
psychiatrist Dr. Xavier Amador delivered an impactful keynote address focused on the LEAP
method model approach for effective communication with people experiencing mental illness.
The event included four hours of CLE and interactive working group discussions. The
Committee and planning subcommittee are reviewing the systemic issues identified by
attendees and ways to increase a person’s access to mental health support in place of
incarceration. The recommendations discussed will be reviewed and shared with the full
Committee at their next meeting.

Legal Services for Persons with Disabilities Committee
Elena Perez and Debra Weinberg, Co-Chairs
Last Fall, the Committee reviewed the National Center for Access to Justice’s 2020 Justice
Index results for Disability Access and used the results to identify initiatives for educating
attorneys and law students on the common legal barriers people with disabilities face. As part
of this work, the committee will host a CLE for Judges on April 8th, 2022 at the La. Judicial
College’s Spring Conference with Louisiana Supreme Court Justice Piper Griffin. The
Committee hosted two law skills training sessions for law students focused on interviewing
best practices and the professional responsibilities attorneys have when working with clients
who have a disability. The first one was held in collaboration with LSU’s Apprenticeship Week
on January 6th and the second one was held at Loyola Law School on March 18th.
Additionally, the Committee will be working this summer on updating the LSBA’s Disability
Assistance Network and will be collaborating with the LSBA’s Spring Justice Fridays by
hosting two CLEs.

Children’s Law Committee
Curtis Nelson and Kellie Johnson, Co-Chairs
The committee is currently developing material for the August/September edition of the
Louisiana Bar Journal which will be devoted to Children’s Law issues. Its four work groups
will support the committee’s CLE efforts (for both attorneys and law students) by providing
specialized training in children’s law topics. To that end, the Committee’s Education Law
Workgroup will also coordinate efforts with the LSBA’s Building Bridges Committee and the
Legal Services for Persons with Disabilities Committee to help provide continuing legal
education for new and pro bono attorneys interested in working and addressing the needs of
children seeking education services and accommodations in juvenile facilities.