Leger, Walter J.

Walter "Walt" J. Leger III was born in Metairie, Louisiana in 1978. Leger is an attorney at the law firm of Leger & Shaw. After graduating from Louisiana State University with numerous honors, Leger attended Tulane Law School, earning his Juris Doctor and a Certificate in Maritime Law in 2003. While in Law School, Leger served as a Judicial Extern for the Hon. Morey Sear, United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana. After law school, Leger served as an Assistant District Attorney in New Orleans, with a focus in the felony prosecution of violent offenders and narcotics traffickers. Leger tried countless jury trials and judge trials maintaining a conviction rate of over 90%.

Since joining Leger & Shaw, Leger's practice areas have included Admiralty & Maritime Law and Commercial, Insurance, Toxic Tort, Complex and General Civil Litigation. Leger is presently admitted to the Louisiana Bar and he is also admitted to practice law before the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana. He is a member of the Louisiana Bar Association, New Orleans Bar Association, American Bar Association, American Association for Justice, and Louisiana Association for Justice.

Despite his busy law practice, Leger always finds time to give back to his community. In the wake of hurricane Katrina, Leger served as a founding board member of the Louisiana non-profit organization Desire NOLA, dedicated to rebuilding small businesses following the storms of 2005. He maintains leadership roles in the Louisiana State and New Orleans Bar Associations, is a member of the Young Leadership Council and serves on the board of the St. Bernard Parish Chapter of the American Red Cross.

Leger is regularly called upon to lecture at Continuing Legal Education programs for lawyers. He has also lectured at Tulane Law School, Tulane University, and the Loyola Institute of Politics.

Leger was elected to serve as the Louisiana State Representative for District 91 representing parts of Uptown, Central City, and the Irish Channel in New Orleans in November 2007. As a member of the legislature, Leger has served on the Appropriations Committee, the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget, the Education Committee, the Administration of Criminal Justice Committee and the Judiciary Committee.

Leger has recently been honored by the Louisiana Partnership for Children and Families as the 2009 Legislator of the Year, and received the 2010 Legislative Champion Award from the Louisiana Council of YMCAs. He has been a consistent advocate for the Children and Families of Louisiana, promoting Early Childhood Education, Juvenile Justice Reform, creation of a Statewide Witness Protection Services Board, and healthcare and educational opportunities for all Louisianans.