Malcolm W. Monroe Federal Practice Seminar & Swearing In Ceremony

This is the perfect program for any new admittee to the practice of law or any attorney who wants to be admitted to practice in the federal court system in Louisiana.

Attorneys are also welcome to attend just for the CLE hours.

For attendees wishing to be sworn in to one or all of the federal courts in Louisiana:

• Registration Packet

  • There is a registration packet that must be completed. 

• Additional Forms

  • There is also a download for additional forms that those applying will need to complete. 

• Registration

  • Registration is required for this program, and all paperwork to be sworn in is due to the FBA office no later than Wednesday, November 18, 2026.

To Attend: 

• Attorneys attending the Swearing In Ceremony and attorneys only attending for CLE credit must register through the Eventbrite link below.  The agenda for the day can be found below or on our registration link.

• This CLE has been approved for 4 hours of CLE credit, including:

  • 1 hour of Ethics

  • 1 hour of Professionalism

  • 1 hour of Law Office Management

  • 1 General Hour

To Participate in the Swearing In:

• Registration Packet and Additional Forms

  • In order to be admitted to the different Louisiana federal courts, attendees must complete a registration packet.  The deadline to submit your packet to the FBA office is no later than Wednesday, November 18, 2026, at 3:00 pm.  The registration packet and additional forms needed can be downloaded below.

The Agenda

This CLE has been approved for 4 hours of CLE credit, including:

• 1 hour of Ethics

• 1 hour of Professionalism

• 1 hour of Law Office Management

• 1 General Hour

12:00-12:45pm — Registration

• Sign in and pick up your packets.  The LSBA will be present to issue member identification cards.  Please note, lunch is not served at this event.

12:45-1:-00pm — Welcome

• Hon. Judge Wendy B. Vitter, Chief District Judge, U.S. District Court Eastern District of Louisiana

• Atoyia Harris, Senior Counsel, Proskauer

1:00-2:00pm — The Role of Implicit Bias in Your Legal Career and Community

• Professionalism CLE

  • Hon. Janis van Meerveld, Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court Eastern District of Louisiana

  • William Snowden, Assistant Professor of Law, Loyola University College of Law

• Objectivity is an illusion. Without our conscious knowledge, stereotypes, and assumptions are embedded into all our brains. Implicit biases are held by everyone, including those negatively impacted by them. With a focus on new professionals, our speakers will help you learn how to recognize and address implicit bias and highlight how law firms and lawyers can work to create and foster a legal community where opportunities for growth, development and advancement are open to all.

2:00-3:00pm — Ethics in AI Use

• Ethics CLE

  • Hon. Susie Morgan, District Judge, U.S. District Court Eastern District of Louisiana

  • Valerie Fontenot, Special Counsel, Jones Walker

  • Cayce Peterson, Founding Partner, JJC Law LLC

  • Moderator- Kristen Amond, Kristen Amond LLC

• Artificial intelligence is changing how lawyers research, draft, and serve clients — but its use raises critical ethical questions. This program explores the professional responsibilities implicated by AI, including competence, confidentiality, supervision, candor to the tribunal, and reasonable billing. Through practical examples, these speakers will discuss risks such as fabricated citations, biased outputs, and inadvertent disclosure of client information, as well as strategies for evaluating AI tools, verifying their outputs, and incorporating AI into legal practice while maintaining independent professional judgment and protecting client interests.

3:00-3:15pm — Break (with light snack provided)

3:15-4:15pm — Lawyering 101: The Playbook Survival Guide

• Law Practice Management CLE

  • Camille Bryant, Assistant General Counsel, Labor & Employment, Ochsner Health

  • Palmer Lambert, Partner, Pendley, Baudin & Coffin

  • Cherrell Taplin, Co-Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer, Liskow & Lewis

  • Moderator- Gerald “Jess” Waltman III, Member, Gordon Arata

• Starting a legal career takes more than knowing the law; it takes a practical playbook for navigating the demands of daily practice. Our speakers will equip new lawyers with strategies for managing assignments and deadlines, conducting effective legal research, producing clear and persuasive writing, and communicating with clients, colleagues, and supervising attorneys. Participants will also explore how to seek and apply feedback, exercise sound professional judgment, and avoid common early-career pitfalls.

 4:15-5:15pm — Order in the Courtroom: What Judges Wish Lawyers Knew

• Hon. Karen Wells Roby, Magistrate Judge, U.S. District Court Eastern District of Louisiana

• Hon. Darrell J. Papillion, District Judge, U.S. District Court Eastern District of Louisiana

• Moderator: Caroline Donze, Attorney, Port of New Orleans

• What makes an attorney effective in the eyes of the court? Our speakers will offer a judicial perspective on the habits, skills, and professional standards that shape successful courtroom advocacy. Topics include preparing for appearances, delivering persuasive written and oral arguments, following courtroom procedures, and navigating difficult questions from the bench. Participants will explore common missteps, the importance of civility and candor, and ways to advocate zealously while maintaining credibility.

5:15-5:30pm — Swearing In Ceremony and Admission to the Federal Courts

• Hon. Judge Wendy B. Vitter, Chief Judge, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana

5:30pm — Holiday Party

• U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals  (600 Camp St, New Orleans)