Honorees

The 2008 Distinguished Jurist
Justice Bernette J. Johnson
Louisiana Supreme Court

Justice Bernette Joshua Johnson was elected Associate Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court in 1994, and was reelected, without opposition, in 2000. Since she has been on the Supreme Court, Justice Johnson has been appointed to the Legal Services Task Force, and has served on the Judicial Council of Louisiana. She is the Supreme Court's contact person for the National Campaign on best practices in the area of Racial and Ethnic Fairness In the Courts, and has worked closely with the Court's Mandatory Continuing Legal Education Committee, and the Committee on Bar Admissions.

In 1984, Justice Johnson was the first woman elected to the Civil District Court in New Orleans. She was reelected without opposition in 1990, and was elected Chief Judge by her colleagues in 1994. Justice Johnson attended Spelman College in Atlanta on an academic scholarship, where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree. One of the first African-American women to attend the Law School at Louisiana State University, she received her Juris Doctorate degree in 1969.

Prior to her election to the bench, Justice Johnson spent much of her legal career working in the public sector. She has been a legal services attorney, and a Deputy City Attorney for the City of New Orleans. Justice Johnson has worked as a law intern with the U.S. Justice Department, Civil Rights Division, and as a community organizer with the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund in New York City. She helped to organize household workers, so they would receive social security benefits and a minimum wage.

In 1996, Justice Johnson's portrait was unveiled, and she was inducted into the LSU Law Center Hall of Fame. Justice Johnson is the recipient of numerous awards, including the American Bar Association's Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award in 1998. She was the recipient of the first Ernest N. Morial Award given by the New Orleans Legal Assistance Corporation and the A.P. Tureaud Citizenship Award given by the Louisiana State Conference, NAACP. In 2000, she was presented the Medal of Honor by the Mayor of the City of New Orleans. Also, in 2000, she received the Women of Wonder award presented by the National Council of Negro Women. In 2001, Justice Johnson received an Honorary Doctorate of Law from Spelman College. In 2005, she was presented the Judicial Public Service Award by the Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order Nobles Mystic Shrine of North and South America and its Jurisdictions. Inc.

Justice Johnson organized the first Continuing Legal Education (CLE) program for the Louis A. Martinet Legal Society and was Chair of the CLE Committee. She was given the Martinet's President award in1997 and 2008. She is a Fleur De Lis member of the New Orleans Bar Association, and is active with several committees of the Louisiana State Bar Association (LSBA). She was presented with the LSBA President's award in 2005, for her work as co-chair the Diversity Committee. In 1998, she Chaired of the National Bar Association Judicial Council, where she also served a term as Secretary. She is currently a member of the A.P. Tureaud Inn of Court and the Louisiana State Law Institute. She is an active member of the National Association of Women Judges. She has served as a District Director, and is now active with the Women in Prison Project.

The 2008 Distinguished Professor
Cheney C. Joseph, Jr.
LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center

Professor Cheney C. Joseph, Jr. is currently the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs for the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University. He holds the Erick V. Anderson Professorship in Law. In January, 2000, he returned to full-time teaching after serving as Executive Counsel to Louisiana Governor M. J. "Mike" Foster, Jr. during the Governor's first term (1996-2000).

Professor Joseph received his A.B., cum laude, in 1964 from Princeton and his J.D. in 1969 from the LSU Law Center, where he was a member of the Law Review and Order of the Coif. He served as administrative assistant and special counsel to the district attorney in the 19th Judicial District before joining the LSU faculty in 1971. He was Vice Chancellor of the Law Center from 1981 to 1989.

He served as reporter for the Louisiana Code of Juvenile Procedure and currently serves as reporter for the Committee for Continuous Revision of the Louisiana Criminal Code and the Louisiana Code of Criminal Procedure for the Louisiana State Law Institute. He is also a reporter for the Louisiana Supreme Court's Advisory Committee for the Louisiana Judges' Benchbook (Louisiana Judicial College). He also served as reporter for the Speedy Trial Advisory Committee and as chairman of the Magistrate Selection Committee, both for the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana.

He has been a member of the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement, the Louisiana Sentencing Commission, and the Advisory Committee for the Louisiana Code of Evidence (Louisiana Law Institute).

Professor Joseph served as First Assistant District Attorney and District Attorney in the 19th Judicial District from May, 1989 until January 1, 1991. He served from July, 1976 until August, 1977 as court appointed United States Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana. In 1992 and 1993, he served on the 16th and 40th Judicial District Courts as Judge Pro Tempore by appointment of the Supreme Court of Louisiana.

He formerly served and again serves as Executive Director of the Louisiana Judicial College.

The 2008 Distinguished Attorney
Edward J. Walters, Jr.
Moore, Walters, Thompson, Thomas, Papillion & Cullens

Edward J. Walters, Jr. is a 1975 graduate of the LSU Law Center. He has been a partner with the Baton Rouge law firm Moore, Walters, Thompson, Thomas, Papillion & Cullens since 1976. He was born in New Orleans and moved to Baton Rouge to attend college. He earned his B. S. in Accounting from LSU in 1969, served in the United States Air Force from 1969- 1973, and has lived in Baton Rouge ever since.

Mr. Walters is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and has been a Board Certified Civil Trial Specialist with the National Board of Trial Advocacy since 1988.

He is an Adjunct Professor of law at the LSU Law Center where he and Mike Patterson jointly teach a year-long trial skills course, which they developed, entitled "Advanced Trial and Evidence Seminar." In the class, the students are divided into two law firms - one plaintiff, one defense - which take one case from initial client interview to the trial of the case before a real judge.

He is a Past President of the Baton Rouge Bar Association and received its "President's Award" in 1995 and 1998. He has been the Editor of its monthly publication, Around the Bar, since its first issue over 24 years ago.

He is a member of the Editorial Board of the Louisiana Bar Journal, a member of the Rules of Professional Conduct Committee, Continuing Legal Education Committee and serves as a Hearing Officer with the Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board.

He is a frequent lecturer and author on trial-related topics on a local, state and national level.