Baton Rouge, LA — Louisiana Lawsuit Abuse Watch (LLAW) has announced that Lana Sonnier Venable will become its next Executive Director. LLAW is a local non-partisan, nonprofit, citizen watchdog group dedicated to stopping lawsuit abuse that hurts Louisiana’s families and threatens local businesses and jobs. Venable will be responsible for conducting campaigns to raise awareness about the costs and consequences of lawsuit abuse and helping pass legislation to improve the state’s legal climate.
A veteran public affairs professional, Venable is an LSU graduate bringing 25 years of experience to LLAW, most recently as ExxonMobil public and government affairs advisor in Baton Rouge. During her 11 years in this role, she worked in in the areas of media relations, community outreach, government relations and issues management. Her previous experience includes serving as Louisiana Economic Development Press Secretary following Hurricane Katrina, as well as government relations roles with American Cancer Society and American Heart Association. She also held positions in the non-profit sector in Washington, D.C. and Atlanta.
Venable replaces Melissa Landry, who has led the organization since 2009.
“Lana is a strategic thinker and skilled communicator with a proven track record of cultivating effective relationships with community and business leaders, as well as policy makers. I cannot think of a better person to take over and lead LLAW at this critical time,” said Landry, who is returning to the private sector.
“I believe in LLAW’s mission and look forward to engaging with stakeholders at all levels to continue the progress made toward meaningful tort reform in Louisiana. Our state’s future depends on our ability to retain and attract diverse employers that provide opportunities for all Louisianans and grow our economy. The trial bar should not be a cottage industry in Louisiana,” said Venable.
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About Louisiana Lawsuit Abuse Watch:
Louisiana Lawsuit Abuse Watch (LLAW) is a high-impact watchdog group with nearly 20,000 supporters across the state dedicated to fixing Louisiana’s broken legal system through transparency, accountability and lawsuit reform. Learn more at www.llaw.org.
