LAURA C. RODRIGUE

Laura Cannizzaro Rodrigue began working as a prosecutor for the Jefferson Parish District Attorney immediately after law school.  While there, where she worked in the juvenile division and later as a senior trial attorney in the felony trial division   She was hired by the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s office in 2008, where she served for over a decade.  Laura was regarded as one of the most successful prosecutors to ever work in Orleans parish, taking over 70 felony cases to jury verdict with a conviction rate in excess of 90 percent.  In the Major Offense Trials division, Laura prosecuted some of the most challenging and high-profile cases in the office, including the nationally covered trial of Cardell Hayes, who was convicted for the homicide of former New Orleans Saints player Will Smith.

Laura founded the office’s  Restorative Justice Unit, which mediated issues between defendants and victims’ families in appropriate cases to secure a fair resolution for all involved.  Laura finished her career at the DA’s office working in the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative unit, which sought justice for victims of sexual assault through the use of previously untested DNA kits.  She was also appointed as a Special Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana by United States Attorney Kenneth Polite.   In that role, Laura assisted with investigations brought by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Gang Task Force, which was responsible for the dismantling of two notorious street gangs in New Orleans.  Laura joined the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office as deputy general counsel in 2018, where she defends the agency in litigation in both federal and state courts.

Laura is a graduate of St. Mary’s Dominican High School in New Orleans.  She graduated cum laude from the University of Notre Dame, and returned home to receive her juris doctor degree from Loyola University College of Law, where she was a member of moot court.

Contact Laura at lcr@rodriguearcuri.com.