In early 2005, planning was under way to open a Baker Donelson office in Baton Rouge. The plan was for a public policy practice serving the legal needs of businesses with interests at the Louisiana State Capitol. By late August when the office opened, however, life in Baton Rouge had shifted significantly in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The office's mission and service offering were adapted to meet this new reality.
Today the office is home to 23 lawyers working in a full range of legal specialties, serving national, regional and local clients. Our Baton Rouge office is known for its particular strength in health care law – both regulatory and litigation – as well as complex business litigation, labor and employment, tax and estate planning, real estate, business transactions, gaming, intellectual property, cybersecurity, education and public policy.
Our lawyers in Baton Rouge are committed to giving back to the community through pro bono legal and community service. They partner with leading community service organizations including the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank and Ronald McDonald House, just to name a few. During the Summer of 2016, our Baton Rouge office supported the Access to Justice Program of the Louisiana State Bar Association – the association's program to increase awareness of the needs of indigent members of the community – by sponsoring a pro bono law student.
In addition, our Baton Rouge office has a reputation for creating a culture and work environment which is highly collegial. In 2015 and 2016, the office won second place in the annual Baton Rouge Business Report "Best Places to Work" feature.