Editor’s Introduction

Patrick D. Murphree is a 2017 summa cum laude graduate of Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. Before entering law school, Patrick received his Ph.D. in Theatre History, Theory, and Literature from Indiana University, Bloomington and taught acting, theatre appreciation, and test preparation in Indiana and Louisiana. Following law school, Patrick clerked for the Honorable Elizabeth Erny Foote of the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana. After completing his clerkship in 2019, he joined Burns Charest, LLP, where he practices mass tort, antitrust, and class action litigation. In recognition of his commitment to using law in support of social justice, Patrick has been awarded the College of Law’s Spirit of Ignatius Award and the Gillis Long Center’s Public Service Award and has been recognized by Clinical Legal Education Association and Southeast Louisiana Legal Services.

Acknowledgments:  I wish to acknowledge the Gillis Long Center, Southeast Louisiana Legal Services, and Acadiana Legal Services, without whom this revision would not have been possible. I particularly thank Professor Davida Finger, Christina Luwisch, Riley Trahant, Rebecca Holmes, Laura Tuggle, Greg Landry, Sachida Raman, Hannah Adams, and David Williams. My thanks to Ekow Lampty and Laurel Taylor for proofreading assistance. I thank all of the members of the Louisiana legal community who work tirelessly in the fight for access to justice. The community’s excitement for a new edition of the manual has been an inspiration to move the process along towards final publication. Finally, as the saying goes, we stand on the shoulders of giants. This edition of the manual would not have been possible without the tireless work of the late Mark Moreau, whose leadership brought prior editions of the manual into being.

Disclaimer: The articles in the Gillis Long Desk Manual do not contain any legal advice.