Don Paul Landry is an accomplished, tenacious, and passionate activist, advocate, and litigator. He has the courage of his convictions and a well-earned reputation as a thoughtful, creative problem solver and skillful strategist. From the courtroom to the Capitol, he is a tireless voice for the voiceless and resolute defender of rights and dignity. He is called to serve, genuinely cares about the well-being of others, and is committed to achieving results that concretely improve his clients’ lives and circumstances. 

Don Paul received his law degree from Tulane University Law School and his undergraduate degree from Louisiana State University. He has significant courtroom experience and previously worked with prominent New Orleans litigation boutique law firms and the Louisiana Department of Justice. He handles cases in federal and state courts throughout Louisiana including appellate courts and the Louisiana Supreme Court.

A sizable portion of his career focused on defending personal injury claims involving maritime and longshore accidents, chemical exposures, motor vehicle accidents and medical malpractice. More significantly, he was the lead counsel/trial attorney representing the State of Louisiana and state doctors and state hospitals in medical malpractice cases and held this role for more than one-third of his career. Don Paul discontinued representing the State of Louisiana in 2016 and shifted his personal injury focus to representing people injured by the negligence of others. His civil legal practice focuses on personal injury and wrongful death cases, including motor vehicle accidents, medical malpractice, and premises liability.

Don Paul is also a holistic criminal defense practitioner. For the past 10 years he has been a public defender in St. Charles Parish, where he defends felony drug charges and misdemeanors, and served as the attorney for participants enrolled in the St. Charles Parish Drug Court. He also created and directs the Community Oriented Defense Program, which seeks to break the cycle of generational poverty and incarceration through education, vocational training, substance abuse and mental health treatment and counseling, and other social services. Don Paul resolutely defends the rights and dignity of his clients, while always zealously defending their constitutional rights, he also excels at crafting rehabilitative sentences leading to successful case and life outcomes.

For most of his career, Don Paul has had the distinct privilege of serving as a quiet, yet effective activist for the LGBTQ+ community, representing his community to statewide elected officials, the Louisiana State Legislature, and the church. Don Paul continues in this work and handles governmental relations for other select causes and organizations, including criminal justice reform.

Don Paul is also a leader in the legal profession. He served on the Board of Directors of the Federal Bar Association, New Orleans Chapter, the largest Federal Bar Association chapter in the United States. He was elected by his fellow attorneys to serve as their Director At-Large of the St. Charles Parish Bar Association and as one of their representatives to the Louisiana State Bar Association’s House of Delegates. Don Paul has also served in other leadership positions within the parish and state Bars. While serving as the Access to Justice Chair of the St. Charles Parish Bar Association, he spearheaded the establishment of a branch office of Southeast Louisiana Legal Services in Hahnville, which provides free civil legal aid to low-income people. He is currently a member of the Advisory Board of Southeast Louisiana Legal Services and is a member of the New Orleans Bar Association.

Don Paul’s dedication to serving others is reflected in his leadership in organizations that defend, empower, and transform people and communities. These organizations include the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), Forum for Equality, Halloween’s in New Orleans (HNO), Project Lazarus, We MADE Organization, NAACP of St. Charles Parish, Rotary Club of St. Charles Parish, Catholic Charities of St. Charles Parish, the ARC of St. Charles, and United Way of St. Charles. 

Don Paul is also a former elected official, having served on the St. Charles Parish Democratic Parish Executive Committee, and served as the DPEC representative to the St. Charles Parish Election Board.

Don Paul is a health and fitness enthusiast, yoga practitioner, supporter of the arts, proud 9th-generation German-Acadian Louisianian, grateful Episcopalian, and resident of the historic Tremé in New Orleans.