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Meet J.P.
J.P. Morrell was born on September 2, 1978 at Baptist Memorial Hospital in New Orleans, Louisiana. He was the third, of what was to be four, sons of Arthur and Cynthia Morrell. JP grew up at 4925 Moore Drive, near Mirabeau Gardens by Gregory Junior High School.
JP attended Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama. He graduated from Spring Hill in May 2001 with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and was accepted to Tulane University Law School. Through out college, JP spent his summers working at the Art Without A Roof Program, part of the New Orleans Public School Homeless Education Program, where he taught Creative Writing to homeless children.
The summer preceding law school, JP served as a Staff Intern with Louisiana Senator John Breaux in Washington, D.C. During his period on the Senate staff, JP worked on the controversial Patient Bill of Rights Legislation and served as an assistant on the Special Council on Aging. While in D.C., JP was able to experience the first hand the trials and tribulations of legislative process and the differences between the two on a State and Federal level.
JP attended Tulane University Law School from August 2001 through May 2004. While in law school, JP was a member of the Black Law Student Association and served on the Student Bar Association. In 2003, JP was elected as first African-American President of the Tulane Graduate and Professional Studies Association (GaPSA) which the governing student organization over all Tulane Graduate Programs. JP graduated from Tulane Law School with a Juris Doctorate and Certification in Civil Law (the Code/Law System utilized in Louisiana).
After law school, JP worked in the law firm Morrell & Morrell, LLC, which he co-founded with his father, Arthur Morrell. In this capacity he has primarily practiced in the fields of Criminal Defense, Plaintiff Personal Injury and Domestic Relations. Additionally, JP worked part-time as a member of the Orleans Parish Office of Indigent Public Defender Program (OIDP) where he serves as the Public Defender for Magistrate Court until his election to the House of Representative in 2006. Currently he is ”Of Counsel“ with the law firm Middleberg, Riddle and Gianna, where he primarily handles legal issues regarding commercial real estate development.
JP’s older brother and younger brother are both members of New Orleans Police Department and serve in the Special Operations Division (S.O.D.). JP’s parents are Arthur Morrell, the Orleans Parish Clerk of Criminal Court, and Cynthia Hedge-Morrell, the New Orleans City Councilmember for District D. JP has seven nieces and nephews.
He currently resides in the Gentilly Terrace and Gardens subdivision with his wife, Catherine, and their children, Jude and Fiona.
Awards
- Alliance for Good Government, Legislator of the Year (2008)
- Humane Society, Legislator of the Year (2009)
- Justice for Youth Award, Juvenile Justice Project (2010)
- Forum for Equality Acclaim Award for Political Leadership (2010)
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COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS:
Current Assignments:
- Senate Enviromental Quality (Chairman)
- Senate Revenue and Fiscal Affairs (Member)
- Senate Natural Resources (Member)
- Senate Insurance (Member)
- Joint Special Committee on Hurricane Recovery (Member)
- Joint Special Committee on BP Spill Claims (Member)
- Louisiana Health Care Commission (Member)
- Taskforce on the Legal Protection of Children in Child Support Cases (Member)
Past Assignments:
- Senate Municipal and Parochial Affairs (Former Chairman)
- Senate Retirement (Former Vice-Chair)
- House Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs (Former Chairman)
- House Insurance (Former Member)
- House Appropriations (Former Member)
- House Civil Law (Former Member)
CAUCUS MEMBERSHIP:
- Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus
- Democratic Caucus
- Orleans Delegation
- Louisiana Rural Caucus
- Louisiana Bar Association
- Jefferson Delegation
BOARDS & ASSOCIATIONS:
Countdown
to the Election:
October 22, 2011
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