Walter Marshall Sanchez

Firm founder, Walter M. Sanchez, has represented people in matters involving criminal law, family law and professional disciplinary actions since 1984. Mr. Sanchez has earned a reputation as an attorney for diligence in the protection of his clients' rights and the respect of colleagues in the legal profession.

Since 2007, he has been selected each year by his peers for inclusion in Louisiana Super Lawyers ® in Criminal Law and in Best Lawyers in America ® in Family Law. Mr. Sanchez is a frequent lecturer on criminal and family law issues at both the national and state level and has been a member of the LSU Law School Trial Advocacy Training Program faculty since 1993. He has testified before the Louisiana legislature on criminal justice issues annually for over 20 years.

In 1998, he was elected President of the Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and, in 2007, received the association's highest honor, the Justice Albert Tate Award.

Since 1999, as the result of his knowledge and experience, the Louisiana Supreme Court has appointed him, on an as-needed basis, to serve as Judge Pro Tempore for Sulphur City Court. The Court has also appointed him to numerous board and committees seeking to improve the criminal and civil justice system of the state. In the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, he helped draft legislation which provided a system for the relocation and continued operation of the state's civil and criminal justice system in the case of future catastrophes. Walt has worked with lawyers from across the country and state to improve Louisiana's chronically underfunded and overloaded indigent defense system. In 2007, he helped craft legislation which resulted in the complete restructuring of the Louisiana indigent defense system, a bill which is being looked to as a model for systemic reform in other states.