Page 57 - ACTL Journal Win24

NEW ACTL ACCESS TO JUSTICE DISTINGUISHED PRO BONO FELLOW JUDY BARRASSO
AT THE 2018 ANNUAL MEETING IN NEW ORLEANS, THE COLLEGE LAUNCHED ITS ACCESS TO JUSTICE DISTINGUISHED PRO BONO FELLOWS PROGRAM BY WELCOMING THE FIRST CLASS OF EIGHT DIS- TINGUISHED PRO BONO FELLOWS. THE GOAL WAS TO CONTINUE ACKNOWLEDGING, ON A YEARLY BASIS, A SELECT GROUP OF NEW FELLOWS WHO HAVE DISTINGUISHED THEMSELVES THROUGH THEIR DEDICATION TO IMPROVING ACCESS TO JUSTICE THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA. THESE DISTINGUISHED FELLOWS PARTNER WITH HOST ORGANIZATIONS TO SIGNIFI- CANTLY ADVANCE THE COLLEGE’S MISSION OF IMPROVING THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE.
African American district. The Data Scientists also advocat- ed for adoption of a map created through computational redistricting employing scientific methods.
The federal district court entered a preliminary injunc- tion, enjoining use of the unconstitutional map. But in June 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court stayed Louisiana’s and other states’ redistricting lawsuits, pending resolution of a case in Alabama. That case, Allen v. Milligan, was recently
decided and resulted in the Court lifting the stay of the redistricting lawsuit brought in federal court and remanding the case for further proceedings so a map can be in place before the next congressional election in 2024. Judy’s team is gearing up to fight again for voter rights.
Judy Y. Barrasso was approved at the 2023 Annual Meeting as our newest Distinguished Pro Bono Fellow.
Judy is a founding member of Bar-
rasso Usdin Kupperman Freeman &
Sarver, L.L.C. in New Orleans. Her
practice focuses on commercial lit- igation, and includes complex com-
mercial litigation matters and class actions involving insurance coverage and bad faith, director and officer liability, securities fraud, and commercial contracts. Judy has been ranked by Chambers USA as a top commercial litigator and by Benchmark Litigation as a Litigation Star. She has been recognized among Benchmark’s Top 250 Women in Litigation and Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Lawyers in America. Judy was named a Law- dragon Legend in 2020 for being selected to its annual elite list ten times and was named to the Lawdragon Hall of Fame in 2023. Judy has also been recognized among Louisiana Super Lawyers’ Top 10 and has been ranked Number One among lawyers in the State of Louisiana. According to Chambers, Judy
“has a reputation as a formidable trial lawyer,” “stands head and shoulders above much of the competition,” and is “considered one of the state’s finest litigators.” Judy has been a Fellow
of the College since 2006.
Judy has truly distinguished herself as a pro bono lawyer. Most recently, Judy served as co-counsel for concerned mathematics and computer science professors (Data Scientists) in Louisiana restricting litigation. The Data Scientists intervened and filed amicus briefs in redistricting proceedings in federal and state courts, objecting to the congressional district map drawn by the Louisiana legisla- ture as unconstitutionally malapportioned because it did not include a second majority
Judy and her firm stepped up to the plate last year to support the Center for Reproductive Rights in its state court challenge to multiple Louisiana abortion bans that sprung into effect after Dobbs. After an intermediate court in Louisiana allowed these bans to go into effect, the Center filed an emergency writ with the Louisiana Supreme Court. Within a week of the intermediate court decision, Judy and her firm coordinated and drafted an amicus brief in support of the Center’s clients on behalf of twenty-two law professors from the four law schools across Louisiana providing unique insights on the interpretation of Louisiana’s statutory provisions regarding preliminary injunctions.
As if that were not more than enough, Judy works on behalf of the wrongfully convicted. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Innocence Project in New Orleans.
Judy makes us proud to be Fellows of the American College of Trial Lawyers.
Kimball R. Anderson
Immediate Past Chair
Distinguished Pro Bono Fellows Committee
WINTER 2024 JOURNAL 56
Judy has worked with the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, for which she serves on the Board of Directors, the National Council of Jewish Wom- en, and other voting rights groups, to help ensure fair elections in Louisiana. Toward that end, Judy’s firm has hosted Election Protection teams on elec- tion day and supported local voting field programs. Judy also has advocated for accessible early voting locations, especially during the pandemic, and worked at such locations. She continues to work with these groups as need- ed to try to ensure fair elections.