A proud native of Lafayette, Louisiana, Bart Bernard opened his own criminal defense law firm in his hometown in 1997, and has since won many millions of dollars in damages on behalf of his local clients. His many accolades include TWO “Best of 2017” awards from the Times of Acadiana, with readers voting him the “Best Lawyer” and “Best Law Firm” in the region.

Bart earned his undergraduate degree in finance from the University of Louisiana in 1992 and his J.D. from Louisiana State University’s Paul M. Hebert Law Center in 1995. He spent a year clerking for U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Gerald H. Schiff in the Western District of Louisiana and then joined the legal department at Harrah’s Casino in New Orleans.

After years practicing in other cities, Bart decided he would return to his hometown in 1997 to launch his own legal firm and dedicated his practice to helping people who have been harmed through no fault of their own. Not long afterward, his success led him to open offices in Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

His success has earned him such prestigious professional distinctions as membership in Elite Lawyers of America and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum.

To Bart, being a good lawyer also means being a good citizen. He has long been active in community activities, including Thanksgiving food donations to several non-profit organizations in Lafayette and Baton Rouge. He also supports the Camelia Crossings 5K & Family Fun Run to raise money for Miles Perret Cancer Services, the Opelousas Lighthouse Mission emergency shelter and transitional-living facility for men, and the Lafayette Catholic Services Center’s New Life Center for homeless women and children.

“I just really love helping people,” Bart says. “It’s why I became a lawyer.”

Bart Bernard was interviewed on the KLFY Channel 10 News’ “Meet Your Neighbor” segment talking about the Christmas@BartBernard.com program.  The campaign was designed to help feed families and provide Christmas gifts to Acadiana families in need.