Curtis R. Boisfontaine Trial Advocacy Award

This trial advocacy award was established through an endowment to the Louisiana Bar Foundation in memory of Curtis R. Boisfontaine, who served as President of the Louisiana State Bar Association and the Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel. Generous donations from Sessions, Fishman, Nathan & Israel, LLP, the Boisfontaine Family and friends established the fund.

Mr. Boisfontaine was a consummate trial lawyer who, throughout his career, adhered at all times to the highest standard of the profession. He earned the enduring respect of the courts before which he practiced and the admiration of opposing counsel and litigants. This award was established in 1994 to honor Mr. Boisfontaine's contributions and to encourage others to emulate the standard to which he adhered.

The award is presented at the Louisiana State Bar Association's Annual Meeting in June. The recipient will receive a plaque and $1,000 will be donated in their name to a non-profit, law-related program or association of their choice who provides services in Louisiana.

2021 Curtis R. Boisfonaine Trial Advocacy Award

Timothy G. Schafer

Timothy G. Schafer, founder of the firm Schafer & Schafer, LLP is the recipient of the 2021 Louisiana Bar Foundations (LBF) Curtis R. Boisfontaine Trial Advocacy Award.

Mr. Schafer is receiving this award in recognition of his long-standing devotion to and excellence in trial practice and for upholding the standards of ethics and consideration for the court, litigants, and all counsel. This award carries a cash stipend to any non-profit law related program providing services in the state of Louisiana; Mr. Shafer has selected Southeast Louisiana Legal Services to receive the $1,000 stipend to be donated in his name.

Mr. Schafer graduated from Loyola School of Law and served in the United States Army for two years before beginning the active practice of law. His trial experience involved insurance personal injury litigation, ranging from death, brain injuries, serious burns, and quadriplegia, and insurance bad faith, massive fires, hurricane damage, contracts, coverage issues, product liability, premises liability, property disputes, and construction matters. He served as the President of the Louisiana Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) and has participated as a lecturer / instructor in many trial advocacy seminars.

2020 Curtis R. Boisfontaine Trial Advocacy Award

Adrianne L. Baumgartner

Adrianne L. Baumgartner, a member of the Porteous Hainkel & Johnson Law Firm is the recipient of the 2020 Louisiana Bar Foundations (LBF) Curtis R. Boisfontaine Trial Advocacy Award.

Ms. Baumgartner is receiving this award in recognition of her long-standing devotion to and excellence in trial practice and for upholding the standards of ethics and consideration for the court, litigants, and all counsel. This award carries a cash stipend to any non-profit law related program providing services in the state of Louisiana; Ms. Baumgartner has selected Youth Service Bureau of St. Tammany to receive the $1,000 stipend to be donated in her name.

Her litigation practice areas are personal injury and insurance defense. Over the years her practice has also focused on the defense of insurance companies in bad faith/extra contractual cases. Adrianne has been a member of numerous Bar organizations including the Covington, New Orleans and Louisiana Bar Association. She serves on the Nominating Committee for the Louisiana State Bar Association as well as the Legislation Committee. She has served as a hearing officer for the Louisiana Disciplinary Board and is presently serving as a probation officer and fee dispute arbitrator. In 2011 she was inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers. She is a member of the West St. Tammany Chamber of Commerce. She serves on the Board of Directors of Support our War Heroes. Ms. Baumgartner has been a LBF Fellow since 2008 and serves on the Northshore Community Partnership Panel and Grants Committee.

2019 Curtis R. Boisfontaine Trial Advocacy Award

Kim M. Boyle

Kim M. Boyle, a partner in Phelps Dunbar in New Orleans is the recipient of the 2019 Louisiana Bar Foundation’s (LBF) Boisfontaine Trial Advocacy Award. The award was presented at the Louisiana State Bar Association’s (LSBA) Annual Meeting in June in Destin, Florida.

Ms. Boyle is receiving this award in recognition of her long-standing devotion to and excellence in trial practice and for upholding the standards of ethics and consideration for the court, litigants, and all counsel.

The award was established through an endowment to the LBF in memory of Mr. Boisfontaine, who served as president of the LSBA and of the Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel. Donations from Sessions, Fishman, Nathan & Israel, L.L.P., the Boisfontaine family and friends established the fund.

Ms. Boyle received a plaque and a stipend will be donated in her name to CASA New Orleans, The Innocence Project New Orleans, and Southeast Louisiana Legal Services.

2018 Curtis R. Boisfontaine Trial Advocacy Award

Patrick S. Ottinger

Patrick S. Ottinger, a partner in the Lafayette firm of Ottinger Hebert, L.L.C., has been in private practice since 1973, concentrating in oil and gas (onshore and offshore), renewable energy projects, and corporate, banking and commercial matters, with emphasis on financial transactions, project financing, real estate and eminent domain. He received a BS degree in 1971 from the University of Southwestern Louisiana and his JD degree in 1973 from Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center. He also is admitted to practice in Texas.

An experienced arbitrator and mediator in oil and gas matters, Ottinger is affiliated with The Patterson Resolution Group and is listed on the AAA Energy Panel and on the Energy Arbitrators List of the Institute for Energy Law. He completed formal mediation training through the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, Pepperdine University School of Law.

He is a Fellow of the Louisiana Bar Foundation and served on its board of directors from 2003-07. He served as president of the Louisiana State Bar Association in 1998-99. Ottinger is a member of several Louisiana State Law Institute committees, chairs the Advisory Council of the Institute on Mineral Law, is an adjunct professor at LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center and was recognized as a 2014 Distinguished Achievement Honoree by the Law Center. In 2017, he was inducted into the Lafayette Bar Association’s Hall of Fame.

Ottinger has authored and/or contributed to several books and articles, including A Course Book on Louisiana Mineral Rights in 2011, Louisiana Mineral Law Treatise in 2012 and Louisiana Mineral Leases: A Treatise in 2016.

Ottinger received a plaque and $1,000 has been donated in his name to The Lafayette Bar Foundation.

2017 Curtis R. Boisfontaine Trial Advocacy Award

Emmett C. Sole

Emmett C. Sole, a member of the law firm Stockwell, Sievert, Viccellio, Clements & Shaddock, L.L.P. in Lake Charles is the recipient of the 2017 Louisiana Bar Foundation’s (LBF) Boisfontaine Trial Advocacy Award. The award was presented at the Louisiana State Bar Association’s (LSBA) Annual Meeting in June in Destin, Florida.

Mr. Sole is rated "AV Preeminent" by Martindale-Hubbell and has been peer-reviewed and listed in Best Lawyers in America and Louisiana Super Lawyers. He has served as a Special Assistant Attorney General for the State of Louisiana in boundary litigation and Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act litigation. Mr. Sole is Chair Emeriti and past president of the Louisiana State Law Institute and has been a member of the council for over thirty years. Additionally, he has served as Reporter of the Special Advisory Committee on Attorney's Fees, and is active on the Security Devices Committee and other committees of the Institute.

Mr. Sole is a Charter Fellow of the Louisiana Bar Foundation and a Life Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. He has served the Louisiana State Bar Association as a member of the Board of Governors, House of Delegates, Nominating Committee, and is Immediate Past-Chair of the ADR Section and Vice-Chair of the Fidelity, Surety and Construction Law Section. He has been active in the Southwest Louisiana Bar Association, the American Bar Association and the INternational Association of Defense Counsel.

Mr. Sole received this award in recognition of his long-standing devotion to and excellence in trial practice and for upholding the standards of ethics and consideration for the court, litigants, and all counsel. The award was established through an endowment to the LBF in memory of Mr. Boisfontaine, who served as president of the LSBA and of the Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel. Donations from Sessions, Fishman, Nathan & Israel, L.L.P., the Boisfontaine family and friends established the fund. Mr. Sole received a plaque and $1,000 has been donated in his name to The Southwest Louisiana Law Center in Lake Charles.