Page 22 - BOGmanual_2023August

August 26, 2023

Ms. Shayna L. Sonnier, President
Louisiana State Bar Association
601 St. Charles Avenue
New Orleans, Louisiana 70130-3404

RE: Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization Annual Report

Dear President Sonnier:

In accordance with Section 3.1(I) of the LSBA Plan of Legal Specialization and on behalf of the
Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization (“LBLS”), I am providing the following Annual Report for
the year ending on June 30, 2023.

LBLS Accepted Applicants in Nine (9) Specializations

Applications for certification in Appellate Practice, Employment Law, Estate Planning and
Administration, Family Law, Health Law, Labor Law and Tax Law were accepted beginning on
November 1, 2022. Applications for certification in Business Bankruptcy Law and Consumer
Bankruptcy Law were accepted from January 1, 2022 through September 30, 2022, and then again
beginning on January 1, 2023.

Application Process for New Specialists Was Extended to March 17, 2023

The application period for new specialists was scheduled to run from November 1, 2022 through
February 28, 2023. LBLS Chair Richard K. Leefe and the LBLS Board voted to extend the deadline
to apply for specialization from February 28 to March 17, 2023. The LBLS Board extended the
deadline to accept applications for certification in seven (7) specializations — appellate practice,
employment law, estate planning and administration, family law, health law, labor law and tax law –
to March 17, 2023. The application period for certification in business bankruptcy law and consumer
bankruptcy law remains open until September 30, 2023.

LSBA HOD and BOG Approved Revised Standards for Appellate Practice

LBLS Chair Richard K. Leefe represented the LBLS at the LSBA House of Delegates Annual
Meeting on June 8, 2023. LBLS asked the LSBA House of Delegates (“HOD”) to revise existing
Appellate Practice Standards to reduce the number of appellate matters in which applicants are required
to serve as lead counsel from 25 to 20. The HOD had no opposition to the LBLS Resolution and
approved it by overwhelming vote. The Board of Governors ratified the Resolution unanimously on
June 9, 2023. Thank you to the HOD and BOG for approving the revised Appellate Practice