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Valerie T. Schexnayder Seventh District representative on the LSBA’s Board
Secretary of Governors from 2015-18 and on the board of the
Valerie T. Schexnayder is a mediator with Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program from 2018-
Schexnayder Mediation Services, LLC, in Baton 22. He currently serves on the Louisiana Bar Journal
Rouge. She has practiced for more than 35 years with Editorial Board, the LSBA’s Bar Governance Com-
a large firm, a small firm and an international corpora- mittee, the Mandatory CLE Committee and on the
tion in the areas of complex tort litigation and envi- Governing Council of the Insurance, Tort, Workers’
ronmental litigation. She also served as a Louisiana Compensation and Admiralty Law Section (former
State Bar Association (LSBA) Distinguished Access chair). He is a former member of the LSBA’s House
to Justice Pro Bono Fellow, partnering with the Baton Valerie T. of Delegates from the Fourth Judicial District. He is
Rouge Bar Association to expand its pro bono out- Schexnayder a Master Emeritus of the Fred Fudickar American Inn
reach to veterans and their families. of Court.
She received a BBA degree in 1986 from Loyola In his community, he is a lifelong Methodist and
University and her JD degree, cum laude, in 1989 has held numerous leadership positions in his denomi-
from Tulane University Law School. She was admit- nation on the local, district and conference levels. He
ted to practice in Louisiana in 1989. served for many years as legal counsel volunteer with
Schexnayder will serve as secretary and editor- the Louisiana Purchase Council of the Boy Scouts of
in-chief of the Louisiana Bar Journal for one more America (and its predecessor) and has coached teams
year. She served on the LSBA’s Board of Governors in several youth sports organizations.
(Fifth Board District) from 2017-20. She served in Martin and his wife, Diane Caraway Martin, have
the LSBA’s House of Delegates, representing the 19th C.A. (Hap) been married for 47 years and they have two sons and
Judicial District from 2011-17 and the 24th Judicial Martin III four grandchildren.
District from 1999-2005. She is a member of the Bar 1101 Royal Ave., Monroe, LA 71201
Governance Committee and served on the Continu- P.O. Box 14140, Monroe, LA 71207-4140
ing Legal Education Committee from 1999-2002. (318)388-4700 • fax (318)388-4736
She served on the Access to Justice Commission from email: camiii@centurytel.net
2018-20. She served as the Young Lawyers Division’s website: www.shotwell-law.com
Second Board District representative from 1996-98.
She received the 1999 LSBA Young Lawyers Divi- Shayna L. Sonnier
sion’s Michaelle Pitard Wynne Professionalism Award. Immediate Past President
She is a member of the Baton Rouge Bar Association, Shayna L. Sonnier is an attorney in the Lake
currently serving as chair of the Pro Bono Committee. Shayna L. Sonnier Charles firm of Veron Bice, LLC. She received a bach-
In her community, she serves on the board of di- elor’s degree in 2000 from the University of Louisi-
rectors for the Capital Area Finance Authority’s board ana-Lafayette and her law degree in 2003 from Ded-
of trustees and Tiger Athletic Foundation. Addition- man School of Law, Southern Methodist University.
ally, she serves as a sustaining adviser for the Junior She was admitted to practice in Texas in 2003 and in
League of Baton Rouge, where she previously served Louisiana in 2005.
on the board of directors. She previously served as Sonnier served as 2023-24 president, 2022-23 presi-
chair of the Emerge Foundation board of directors and dent-elect and 2018-20 treasurer of the Louisiana State
as a lector for Most Blessed Sacrament Church. Bar Association (LSBA). She also served as the Fourth
Schexnayder and her husband Todd have been mar- District representative on the LSBA’s Board of Gover-
ried for 36 years and are the parents of two adult sons. nors. She served as chair, immediate past chair, chair-
Ste. G, 17732 Highland Road elect, secretary and District 4 representative on the
Baton Rouge, LA 70810 LSBA’s Young Lawyers Division (YLD) Council. She
(504)813-3633 also co-chaired the YLD’s Wills for Heroes Committee.
email: valschex@gmail.com She currently serves on the boards for the Louisi-
ana Bar Foundation and the Louisiana Center for Law
C.A. (Hap) Martin III and Civic Education.
Treasurer Sonnier has served as secretary, treasurer, presi-
C.A. (Hap) Martin III is a member in the Monroe dent-elect, president and past president of the South-
firm of Shotwell, Brown & Sperry, APLC. He received west Louisiana Bar Association (SWLBA) and is a
a BS degree in civil engineering in 1977 from Louisi- past president of the SWLBA’s Young Lawyers Sec-
ana Tech University and his JD degree in 1980 from tion.
Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Cen- In her community, she is a member of St. Luke
ter. He was admitted to practice in Louisiana in 1980. Simpson United Methodist Church, where she serves
He has been AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell for more as secretary on the Church Council.
than 30 years. 721 Kirby St., Lake Charles, LA 70601
Martin served as the Louisiana State Bar Asso- (337)310-1600 • fax (337)310-1601
ciation’s (LSBA) secretary and editor-in-chief of the email: shayna@veronbice.com
Louisiana Bar Journal from 2021-23. He served as the website: www.veronbice.com
