Local Residents Receive Law Degree from Loyola University New Orleans

College of Law

New Orleans, LA (Grassroots Newswire) – The Loyola University New Orleans College of Law awarded 250 Juris Doctor degrees on May 10 at its 91st commencement ceremony at the Louisiana Superdome.

The following local students were among those who received Juris Doctorate degrees:

* Christopher Pellegrin from Houma (70360) received a Juris Doctor degree from the College of Law.

* Bobby King from Houma (70361) received a Juris Doctor degree from the College of Law.

Legal-thriller bestseller and attorney Scott Turow was the commencement speaker for Loyola’s College of Law. Turow is the author of seven best-selling novels including Presumed Innocent, The Burden of Proof, Pleading Guilty, The Laws of Our Fathers, Personal Injuries, Reversible Errors and Ordinary Heroes. His books have won a number of literary awards including the Heartland Prize in 2003 for Reversible Errors, the Robert F. Kennedy Book Award in 2004 for Ultimate Punishment and the Time Magazine

Best Work of Fiction award in 1999 for Personal Injuries. Turow continues to work as an attorney as a partner in the Chicago office of Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal, a national law firm, concentrating on white collar criminal defense, while also devoting a substantial amount of time to pro bono matters.

The top graduate was Laura Renee Cocus, summa cum laude. Elizabeth Jean Halaz, summa cum laude, ranked second. Both graduates are Crowe Scholars, designated for students who finished in the top 10 percent of the class.

Christopher M. Hannan, who received a Juris Doctor degree, and graduated magna cum laude, was presented the Ignatian Award for outstanding law student at Loyola’s Baccalaureate Mass on Friday, May 9. He is also a Crowe Scholar.