Page 58 - 2022AprilBOG

Judge William A. Morvant

The Baton Rouge Bar Association is privileged to nominate Judge William “Bill” A. Morvant
for the Louisiana State Bar Association’s 2022 Catherine D. Kimball Award for Advancement of
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the Administration of Justice. Judge Morvant recently retired from the 19 Judicial District
Court where he was a jurist of honorable character and humility with a strong work ethic.

A native of Thibodaux, Louisiana, Judge Bill Morvant graduated from E. D. White Catholic
School in Thibodaux before attending Spring Hill College, graduating in 1979. Following his
undergraduate years, he attended LSU Law School where he graduated in 1985. Judge Morvant
has been married to his wife, Rhonda, for 42 years and together they have three children: Brian,
Emily and Eric. Judge Morvant enjoys traveling and spending time with his family and four
granddaughters in his free time. His son Brian and wife Channing have two daughters, Blake (4)
and Dylan (2); while Emily and husband Brett McMann have two daughters, Camille (7) and
Molly (4). Son, Eric, will marry later this year.

After graduating from LSU Law School, Judge Morvant set off on an exemplary legal career that
included a yearlong clerkship for Judge Felix Savoie on the First Circuit Court of Appeal, private
practice with a mid-sized Baton Rouge law firm and election as a district court judge. Following
his clerkship, Morvant practiced commercial litigation from 1986-1997 with the Baton Rouge
firm of Shows, Cohn, and Cali first as an associate and later as a partner. In 1996, he was elected
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to the bench of the 19 Judicial District Court where he served continuously from his investiture
in 1997 to his retirement December 31, 2021.

Private Practice/Bar Involvement

Morvant was an active member of the BRBA for years prior to his election as a judge. As an
attorney, he accepted pro bono cases, chaired the Baton Rouge Bar Foundation Ball Maul
Committee and served on the Bench Bar Conference Committee. While in private practice, he
donated 103 hours in free legal services to those needing assistance with consumer and family
law issues. As the chair of Ball Maul, an annual fund-raiser for our Foundation, he was
instrumental in raising monies to help fund our pro bono and youth education efforts. Judge
Morvant has served on the Bench Bar Committee for a number of years, including three terms as
conference chair, and assists in the planning of CLE seminars and conference activities.

Over the years since his election to bench, he continued his support of the BRBA by serving on
various committees and encouraging his fellow district court judges to do the same. For a
number of years, not only did he flip burgers for the lawyers playing in our annual softball
tournament, but also he recruited fellow judges to serve as “chefs” along with him. He attends
bar luncheons and other bar events where the bench and the bar mingle.

In the unusual times of COVID-19, Judge Morvant was ever-present to the members of the bar.
From participating in Town Halls for area attorneys to teaching seminars for the Young Lawyers
Section, he was always eager and willing to share his knowledge and wisdom.