Lewis O. Unglesby was born in New Orleans, LA in 1949. He received his B.A. from the University of Mississippi in 1971 and went on to receive his J.D. from Louisiana State University in 1974. He was admitted to the bar of Louisiana, U.S. District Court, Middle, Eastern and Western Districts of Louisiana, and U.S. Supreme Court and U.S. Court of Appeals, 5th Circuit in 1974. Also, he is admitted pro hoc vice in numerous states.
Mr. Unglesby has successfully won acquittals in over 50 felony jury trials in state and federal courts. He has achieved over 25 Multi-Million Dollar jury awards and over 45 jury awards exceeding One Million Dollars. Mr. Unglesby was the first person in Louisiana to successfully use the Battered Women’s Syndrome in a murder defense case. Impressively, he has won multi-million dollar awards for exposure to non-fatal toxic chemicals, proven the defective nature of 3-wheelers in a products liability suit by jury verdict , achieved a jury verdict proving product liability defects of 4-wheelers, and achieved jury verdicts proving the need for restraint systems on sit-down and stand-up forklifts. Moreover, Mr. Unglesby has successfully argued before the Louisiana Supreme Court over 20 times.
Mr. Unglesby is a fellow of the American Board of Criminal Lawyers and is certified as a civil and criminal trial advocacy specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (presently one of only two attorneys in Louisiana). He has been recognized in Best Lawyers in America since 1986 and listed by Martindale-Hubbell in the “Bar Register of Prominent Lawyers” since 1996. Mr. Unglesby is a member of the Baton Rouge Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, The Association of Trial Lawyers of America, and serves on the Executive Committee of the Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association.
His unique skill-set and history of success led to his appointment as Special Counsel for the Louisiana State Senate from 1993-1996 and Special Counsel for Governor Mike Foster (1996-1997). He has presented numerous times as lecturer for the Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association, Louisiana Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, American Trial Lawyers Association, and the National Business Institute. Finally, Mr. Unglesby’s cases have twice been the subject of ABC’s 20/20, and he has been featured on Good Morning America and CNN.