Hon. James J. Brady (Posthumously)

Judge James J. “Jim” Brady received an undergraduate degree in history from Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana in 1966 and a Juris Doctorate degree from the Louisiana State University Law School in 1969. Judge Brady served as a United States District Judge for the Middle District of Louisiana, May, 2000 to December, 2017. He took senior status on December 31, 2013.

He was active in the Federal Judges Association and has served as a member of the Association’s Board of Directors, and Fifth Circuit District Judges Association of which he is a Past President. Judge Brady was recently appointed to serve as a member of the Judicial Conference Committee on Codes of Conduct. In 1995, he was named Alumnus of the Year by Southeastern Louisiana University and received an honorary Doctorate of Humanities Degree from that institution. In 2014 he was named a Distinguished Achievement Honoree from the L.S.U. Law Center. Prior to his judicial appointment, he was associated or in partnership with Camille F. Gravel in the practice of law for twenty-three years, in the firm of Gravel, Brady & Berrigan. In August of 1997, Jim joined the firm of Gordon, Arata, McCollam, Duplantis and Eagan where he was the senior partner of the firm’s Baton Rouge office. Judge Brady and his wife, Karen, were married for 50 years.

Hon. W. Eugene Davis

Judge Davis is a graduate of Tulane Law School, receiving an L.L.B. Degree in 1960. He received his undergraduate degree from Samford University. Judge Davis served as a United States District Judge for the Western District of Louisiana, 1976-1983. He was appointed United States Circuit Judge for the Fifth Circuit in November 1983.

Judge Davis is married to the former Celia Chalaron. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the Maritime Law Association of the United States and the Louisiana Bar Association.

Judge Davis was appointed as a member of the Advisory Committee on Criminal Rules on October 1, 1995. He became Chairman of this Committee on October 1, 1997 and served as Chairman until October 2001 when his term of service ended.

Judge Davis received the prestigious 2014 American Inns of Court Professionalism Award for the Fifth Circuit at the American Inns of Court Celebration of Excellence held at the Supreme Court of the United States in October of 2014. Judge Davis was inducted into the Tulane Law School Hall of Fame in March of 2015. In September 2017, Judge Davis was also honored by the Lafayette Bar Association (LBA) as he was inducted into the LBA Hall of Fame.