The Membership Committee is proud to recognize Denise Chandler as our April Member of the Month! Denise is the current co-chair of the Community Service Committee, and she has done a fantastic job organizing Martinet’s community service events. We are proud to have her as one of our leaders. Congrats Denise!
Tell us about yourself.
Denise is a proud native of New Orleans. She is a 2011 graduate of Loyola University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, and a 2014 graduate of Marquette University Law School.
Denise is a project director in the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice Coordination, managing the City’s MacArthur Foundation Safety and Justice Challenge grant that has an overall goal to safely reduce the City’s jail population. The programs implemented to reduce the jail population include diversion programs offered by courts, the district attorney’s office, public defender’s office and police department, and programs designed to create policy changes within the criminal justice system.
Why did you choose to become an attorney?
Denise attended Loyola University in 2007, a couple years after Hurricane Katrina, and worked at the Loyola Law Clinic through the work study program. It was at that clinic that Denise was exposed to legal barriers faced by New Orleanians that was directly tied to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. She had the opportunity to watch attorneys and Loyola Law professors advocate on behalf of individuals after the storm. It was at Marquette, where Denise was a member of the Student Advisory Board that facilitated free law clinics to the community, that she came to appreciate the importance of the role of the attorney in society.
What are the benefits of being a member of the Greater New Orleans Louis A. Martinet Legal Society?
The Louis A. Martinet Legal Society has allowed Denise to continue to serve the community. As the co-chair of the Community Service Committee, she is allowed to implement programs that offer resources to the New Orleans community. It’s something that she thoroughly enjoys doing and something that she thinks is very needed in a city like New Orleans.
What is your favorite Martinet event and why?
Denise’s favorite Martinet event will be the upcoming Community Impact Day, created by Martinet’s President, Kimberly Silas. The Community Service Committee is in the planning stages of what will be a resource fair including free legal seminars, exercise classes, music and entertainment, health screenings, free financial planning, and mental health services, among others. Planning the Community Impact Day, along with co-chair Megan Haynes, has been an enjoyable experience for Denise thus far and she is looking forward to finalizing the Community Impact Day.
Tell us about other organizations you are involved in and other causes you support, and why?
Denise is currently not involved in any other organizations. She is enjoying being the mom to a wonderful 13-month old daughter.