Jeremy Alford

Executive counsel may leave Jindal administration

by Jeremy Alford

Gov. Bobby Jindal could soon be looking for a new lawyer. Jimmy Faircloth confirms that he's considering a run for the Louisiana Supreme Court. "I'm being urged to run by several people and I'm considering it," Faircloth tells The Independent Weekly. The court announced Monday that Justice Chet Traylor of Winnsboro is retiring May 31.

Since Jindal took office in January 2008, Faircloth has worked directly with lawmakers in hammering out some of Jindal's top initiatives, including a sometimes controversial ethics reform package and new proposals to strengthen the state's sex offender laws. That task could now end up in the lap of someone else.

The Alexandria attorney was a founding partner of Faircloth, Vilar & Elliot, a firm specializing in municipal law and commercial litigation. Despite an initial reluctance, Faircloth was forced to severe all ties with the firm when taking the job as the governor's executive counsel after concerns arose over potential conflicts involving some of the firm's clients who deal directly with the state, including the Coushatta Indian tribe.