Board Member Profiles

BILLY R. PESNELL, Board Chair: Billy R. Pesnell is engaged in the private practice of law as a shareholder-director of The Pesnell Law Firm (A Professional Law Corporation), which he founded in 2004 with two of his sons, Whitney and Alan Pesnell. Mr. Pesnell graduated from LSU in 1956 with a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering. He received his L.L.B. in 1959 from New York University where he was a Root-Tilden Scholar. He was admitted to the Louisiana bar in 1960. Mr. Pesnell is a member of the Phi Kappa Phi, Omicron Delta Kappa, Tau Beta Pi and Order of the Coif. He served for many years as a member of the Fifth Circuit and the Root-Tilden Selection Committee. He is a Master member and Past President of the Harry V. Booth and Judge Henry A. Politz American Inn of Court. He has been listed in "The Best Lawyers in America" since 1989.

JOSEPH R. WARD, JR., Board Vice-Chair: Joe is a founding partner of the law firm Ward and Condrey where his practice primarily consists of commercial litigation, including complex and class action suits. After practicing 25 years in New Orleans, Joe recently moved his offices to Covington, although his practice area remains statewide. Joe and his wife, Lisa, are actively involved in community service activities in and around the Covington area. Joe was appointed to the Disciplinary Board in 2004.

WILLIAM D. AARON, JR., Lawyer Member: William D. Aaron, Jr. is a practicing attorney and a principal in the New Orleans firm of Goins Aaron, PLC. Mr. Aaron is a graduate of Duke University and Loyola University School of Law. He is admitted to practice in Louisiana and the District of Columbia. Mr. Aaron has over twenty-eight years of legal experience in both the public and private sectors and has previously served as City Attorney for the City of New Orleans, Special Prosecutor for the Orleans Parish District Attorney's Office, Special Assistant Attorney General for the State of Louisiana, Assistant District Counsel for the U. S. Small Business Administration and outside General Counsel for a broad range of businesses, non profit organizations and other entities. Mr. Aaron concentrates his practice in the areas of complex and high profile civil and commercial litigation, utility, cable and telecommunications regulatory law, banking, government and general business. He is a frequent lecturer on law and law related topics and has served on the adjunct faculties of Loyola University College of Business Administration and Loyola University School of Law. Since 1991 he has served on the faculty of the National Institute for Trial Advocacy's Trial skills Program as well as its Deposition Program. Prior to joining his current firm he was a partner in the New Orleans office of Phelps Dunbar, LLP. Mr. Aaron is active in civic and community activities and has previously served on the Board of Directors of a number of local organizations including: The New Orleans Museum of Art, Crimestoppers, Volunteers of America, Big Sisters of Greater New Orleans, The Mental Health Association of Greater New Orleans, and The Visiting Committee of Loyola Law School. Active in bar related activities, Mr. Aaron is currently serving a two year term as a member of the Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board. Prior to his appointment to the Disciplinary Board, Mr. Aaron served for four years as a Hearing Committee Chairman and Lawyer Member.

GLENN B. ADAMS, LSBA Representative: Glenn B. Adams is a practicing attorney and a partner in the New Orleans office of Porteous, Hainkel and Johnson, LLP. Mr. Adams is a graduate of Louisiana State University (BA, 1975) and Louisiana State University School of Law (JD, 1978). Mr. Adams’ practice has encompassed various areas of insurance defense including healthcare law, workers’ compensation, asbestos/toxic torts, products liability, first party and coverage claims. Mr. Adams spent two terms as a Hearing Committee member and was appointed to the Disciplinary Board in 2006.

CHARLES C. BEARD JR., Public Member: Mr. Beard was appointed to the Disciplinary Board in 2005.

MARTIN L. CHEHOTSKY, Public Member: Mr. Chehotsky was appointed to the Disciplinary Board in 2005.

JAMES R. DAGATE, Lawyer Member: Jimmy Dagate, partner in the law firm of Mathieu & Dagate, has practiced law for 26 years and has handled over 1000 personal injury cases, both for plaintiffs and defendants, earning a reputation for admirably representing his clients while maintaining a cordial professional relationship with opposing counsel. As an Assistant District Attorney he is also general counsel for the Terrebonne Levee and Conservation District and serves as a teacher and coordinator of a youth educational crime prevention program in the Terrebonne Parish School System. Jimmy has served his profession as President of the Terrebonne Parish Bar Association, Hearing Committee Member and Chairman in the Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary System, and Ad Hoc Judge of the City Court of Houma. He is an active civic and community leader having served in numerous capacities including his service as a member of the Board of Directors of Terrebonne General Medical Center and Terrebonne Council on Aging. A 1978 graduate of LSU Law School and summa cum laude graduate of Nichols State University, Jimmy is an experienced mediator having received his certification from Attorney-Mediators Institute in 1998.

LEV M. DAWSON, Public Member: Mr. Dawson was appointed to the Disciplinary Board in 2004.

DOW M. EDWARDS, Lawyer Member: Dow Michael Edwards, Partner, Lemle & Kelleher, L.L.P., native of New Orleans, received a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Oklahoma Panhandle State University in 1983 and a Juris Doctor degree, cum laude, from Southern University Law Center in 2000.

Mr. Edwards served as managing editor of the Southern University Law Review, a member of the Moot Court Board and a member of Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity during law school. In addition, he was named to the Golden Key National Honor Society and received Best Team Southern University Law Center Moot Court Competition honors. Mr. Edwards is the author of Fleming v. HCA Health Services of Louisiana: "Patient Dumping", Louisiana Revised Statute 40:2113.6 and the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA), 27 S.U. L. Rev. 215 (2000).

He served as a law clerk for the Honorable Pascal F. Calogero, Jr., Chief Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court, and as an Adjutant General officer in the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Corps, otherwise known as America's Guard of Honor. Mr. Edwards also is a former paralegal, claims adjuster, and professional football player. He serves on the Board of Directors for Oasis Community Development Corporation.

He is admitted to the practice of law in the State of Louisiana the Louisiana Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and the United States District Court for the Eastern, Western and Middle Districts of Louisiana. In addition, he is a member of the Federal Bar Association, American Bar Association, National Bar Association, Louisiana State Bar Association, New Orleans Bar Association, National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel, and American Inns of Court.

Mr. Edwards practice areas are Railroad and Transportation Law, Casualty Litigation, Class Actions & Complex Litigation, Products Liability, and Toxic Torts.

RICHARD E. GERARD JR., Lawyer Member: Mr. Gerard is a graduate of LSU Law School, has been practicing for thirty-five years and is currently a senior partner in the law firm of Scofield, Gerard, Singletary & Pohorelsky. He is a member of the American Bar Association (District Representative Louisiana & Mississippi Young Lawyers' Division Executive Council, 1978-80; Louisiana State Bar Association, Mineral Law Section (Outstanding Young Lawyer of Louisiana 1982); Southwest Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel (President, 1977-78); Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel; Southwest Louisiana Bar Association (President 1990-1991); Maritime Law Association of the U.S.; National Association of Railroad Defense Counsel; International Association of Defense Counsel. He is a past president and current member of the Calcasieu Kiwanis Club, and is currently a member of the LSU Foundation, LSU Alumni Federation and the Louisiana State Bar Foundation. Mr. Gerard was appointed to the Disciplinary Board in 2004.

DENNIS W. HENNEN, Chair: Mr. Hennen was appointed to the Disciplinary Board in 2004. As a Monroe attorney, Dennis Hennen earned a B.A. degree in 1977 from Northeast Louisiana University (now ULM) and a J.D. degree in 1981 from Tulane University in New Orleans. His law practice focuses on personal injury cases.

Mr. Hennen served as counsel in the Sterlington explosion class action. The litigation, which resulted from the chemical plant explosion that affected a town with a population of about 2,000, lasted 10 years and had 1,200 class members. It settled for $85 million. Mr. Hennen says that distributing checks for his first class action, handling adoptions and serving on the Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board are also among his most satisfying professional achievements.

Dennis Hennen is a member of LTLA, ATLA, American Inns of Court and Fourth Judicial District Bar Association. He serves as a mock trial coach. He is active in the March of Dimes and United Way and is a support of MD Anderson Cancer Center. He is a member of First Baptist Church of West Monroe and an ULM alumnus.

Dennis and Helen Hennen have been married for 23 years and have a daughter in law school and a son headed to law school.

CHRISTOPHER H. RIVIERE, Lawyer Member: A native of Thibodaux, Mr. Riviere has been practicing in south Louisiana for the past twenty five years. He began his practice in 1981 after completing Tulane University Law School in New Orleans, Louisiana. He became a partner in the New Orleans firm of Porteous, Hainkel, Johnson & Sarpy and handled a variety of insurance defense issues including complex litigation. In 1988 Mr. Riviere became a partner in the Pugh, Lanier & Riviere firm of Thibodaux, Louisiana where he handled insurance defense cases as well as matters involving construction and business law. Mr. Riviere currently represents numerous individual clients as well as business and industry with an emphasis on commercial, agricultural and business litigation. His firm has successfully represented numerous Fortune 500 companies, landowners as well as new and small businesses. He has many years of litigation experience in both state and federal court. He has presented statewide as a lecturer in lawyer’s continuing education as well as professionalism.

In addition to his legal practice, Mr. Riviere is an experienced mediator having received his certification from Attorney-Mediators Institute in 1997. He is a past president of the Lafourche Parish Bar Association and a past member of the House of Delegates for the Louisiana State Bar Association. He has served two terms on the Louisiana State Republican Central Committee. Additionally, Mr. Riviere previously served as an adjunct lecturer in law at Nicholls State University and is involved in numerous community service and civic organizations. Mr. Riviere is an active volunteer firefighter and first responder, having served as First Assistant Fire Chief of the Thibodaux Volunteer Fire Department for five years.

Mr. Riviere is active in church community and has served on the St. Joseph Catholic Elementary School Board. He is a trustee for the Houma-Thibodaux Diocese Cemetery Trust Fund.

A self taught artist, Chris has spent much of his life hunting and fishing in South Louisiana. His works are greatly inspired by the pursuit of fish, game, and waterfowl, which have brought him occasionally to Canada, Argentina, the Bahamas, Florida Keys and Mexico. He resides in Thibodaux, Louisiana with his wife, Brenda, and four children.

Mr. Riviere spent many years as a Hearing Committee Chairperson and was appointed to the Disciplinary Board in 2003.

LINDA P. SPAIN, Public Member: Ms. Spain was appointed to the Disciplinary Board in 2007.

MICHAEL S. WALSH, Chair: A 1983 graduate of the LSU Law Center, Michael S. Walsh is a member of the Louisiana and Texas Bar Associations. Mr. Walsh is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, the United States Middle, Eastern and Western District Courts of Louisiana, the Southern District of Mississippi and the Southern District of Texas.

Mr. Walsh is currently the Chairman of the Criminal Law Section of the Louisiana State Bar Association, a Past President of both the Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the Baton Rouge Bar of Criminal Justice and a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the Texas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

Mr. Walsh is currently serving as a Director-At-Large of the Baton Rouge Bar Association and the Baton Rouge Bar Foundation. Mr. Walsh also serves as a member of the Executive Board of the Istrouma Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America and is a veteran of the United States Army.

Mr. Walsh is a past Chairman of the Board of the Capital Area Family Violence Intervention Center, Inc. having served in that capacity during the acquisition of the present Battered Women's Shelter.

Mr. Walsh has been active in the litigation of numerous constitutional issues and is currently representing multiple clients who are being investigated and prosecuted by the Federal Government.

Administrative Committee: Billy R. Pesnell - Chair, Glenn B. Adams - LSBA Representative, Martin L. Chehotsky, James R. Dagate, Richard E. Gerard Jr.

Adjudicative Committee: Joseph R. Ward Jr. - Vice Chair, William D. Aaron Jr., Charles C. Beard Jr., Lev M. Dawson, Dow M. Edwards, Dennis W. Hennen, Christopher H. Riviere, Linda P. Spain, Michael S. Walsh,

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