Katrina + 2 Years = A Rebuilt Legal System In New Orleans?
This week marked the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. The news has been full of reports about the status of the affected areas, particularly New Orleans, two years later. Most of them have not been good; here are a few examples:
"Bitterness lingers 2 years after Katrina" [AP via Yahoo!]
"Katrina-ravaged Gulf Coast Struggling 2 years later" [CNN]
"Hope, skepticism mark Katrina anniversary" [USA Today]
But this is a legal blog, and so we want to know specifically about the state of the legal community in New Orleans two years post-Katrina. Immediately following the hurricane, the New Orleans legal system was "devastated." Has it recovered?
We'd like to hear from associates in New Orleans about their current experiences. Are the courts up and running? What is the backlog like? What about associate pay; is it back to normal?
And this has little to do with biglaw, but when is New Orleans going to get a handle on the murder situation?
Share your perspectives on the state of the New Orleans legal community in the comments.
(15) Comments
Guess all the associates in New Orleans have fled to higher ground and greener pastures elsewhere.
This might partially explain the breakdown of the legal process in N'Awlins.
Civil practice is busy and the courts are and have been running - insurance cases are the bread and butter of civil litigation these days. The criminal courts and system suffered the greatest. State criminal cases are what most people are referring to when they say that the legal system in New Orleans has failed.
They have a legal community in New Orleans? And, even if they do, why would we at ATL give a ****?
I've got one word for you: TORT
When is the last time a new biglaw associate saw the inside of a courtroom?
You'll want to read this article on New Orleans, post Katrina:
"The Most Dangerous City: Two years after Katrina, New Orleans desperately needs law and order."
http://www.opinionjournal.com/federation/feature/?id=110010532
"...For generations now--and this is the city's deepest problem--New Orleans has hobbled along without a real law-and-order presence. Criminals graduate from petty crimes to burglary to drug-dealing to carrying illegal weapons to gang robberies to murder, and face few consequences at any stage. The police, and especially the prosecutors, are ineffectual. Since Katrina, things have gotten much worse, in part because criminals, finding life difficult in cities that enforce the law, have returned to the Big Easy in numbers disproportionate to those of law-abiding citizens. Mayor Ray Nagin doesn't try to fix things, perhaps because, as he often says, he believes crime is a social problem, rooted in a lack of opportunity for poor youth."
The federal government should have created a D.C.-like district around New Orleans and suspended local control for one year, renewable at Congress' pleasure. Create temporary Article I judges to handle the justice system and recruit a wave of special AUSAs to prosecute. Baghdad-style street patrolling by reservists and guardsmen. I am sure there are valid civil liberties concerns, but it would have provided people with the kind of confidence that is sorely lacking now. It has been plain for decades that the city and state are not up to the task - it's the federal government's job to step up and do what they cannot. It's a tragedy that Bush will oversee the virtual occupation of a middle eastern nation, but let block grants do the work in Louisiana.
Fuckin' Merck.
Geezus, I've been busy all day, and finally check in to find YOU.
Shit.
They are all busy filing Katrina cases- big deadline in the insurance claim cases.
Christ, Merck.
WTF does this have to do with anything? How about an open thread on building a book of business?
Any Fifth Circuit clerks care to chime in?
Where is B Clerker? B Clerker PWNS!
VERA, in concert with local authorities, actually released a lengthy report detailing New Orleans past practices and suggestions for change. Its pretty interesting reading.
I think the worst problem is that the new public defender system is still not up and running; however, its a good start.
"big"law is at 85-95k. Not a lot comparitively but a good amount of do gooders wanting to help rebuild are coming to town.
Lots and lots of litigation work to be had.
"big"law is at 85-95k. Not a lot comparitively but a good amount of do gooders wanting to help rebuild are coming to town.
Lots and lots of litigation work to be had.