Judge Piper D. Griffin Sworn in as Chair of the Louisiana Judicial Council
Judge Piper D. Griffin was recently installed as the 10th chairperson of the Louisiana Judicial Council, which is the Louisiana affiliate of the National Bar Association Judicial Council.
Judge Griffin was sworn in by state Supreme Court Chief Justice Bernette Johnson at the LJC’s 20th annual meeting in Baton Rouge. The annual luncheon was highlighted by the keynote address of Governor John Bel Edwards and included a welcome from Baton Rouge mayor Sharon Weston Broome.
Louisiana boasts the largest number of African American judges per capita and the Louisiana Judicial Council/National Bar Association prides itself on being the voice of its membership.
Judge Griffin has served as the organization’s secretary for many years and most recently as its Chair Elect. Judge Griffin has served on the Orleans Parish Civil District Court since her election in 2001. She also serves as chair of the 4th and 5th Circuit Judges Association, Secretary of the Louisiana Judicial Council Foundation/NBA, treasurer of the Louisiana District Judges Association, president of the St. Katharine Drexel Prep Board of Directors (formerly Xavier Prep) and president of the Crescent City Chapter of the Links, Inc.
Other judges installed to new board included Judge June B. Darensburg, chair-elect; Judge Regina B. Woods, treasurer; Judge Rachael Johnson, secretary; Judge Angelique Reed and Judge Adrian Adams, district representatives; and Judge Madeline Jasmine, past chairperson.
Judge D. Nicole Sheppard Speaks at SUNO’s Honors and Awards Day Ceremony
Orleans Parish Civil Court Judge D. Nicole Sheppard delivered the keynote speech at the annual Honors and Awards Day Ceremony on April 11 in the Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO) Gymnasium.
The theme of this year’s program was “Higher Education is the Key to Achieving Success.”
Recently elected to the Orleans Parish Civil District Court, Sheppard earned an undergraduate degree from SUNO and her law degree from Southern University Law Center in Baton Rouge.
At the time of her 2017 run for office, Judge Sheppard was the founder of the Sheppard Williams Law Firm. Her professional experience includes work as an adjunct professor at SUNO, Dillard University and Delgado Community College, and as the host of the local television talk shows Real Life, Traffic Time and Real Life: Law Edition. Judge Sheppard has served as the academic committee co-chair and board vice chair for the Algiers Charter School Association.