Mike Hebert formerly served as city attorney before the city and parish of Lafayette consolidated in 1996, and he is considered an expert on annexations and other governmental issues. The Lafayette City-Parish Council will vote Tuesday on a resolution appointing Mike Hebert as chief attorney for Lafayette Consolidated Government and head of LCG's legal department. A longtime assistant city-parish attorney who has advised the council when current LCG attorney Pat Ottinger was unable to attend council meetings, Hebert is widely considered a shoo in for the post.
Hebert formerly served as city attorney before the city and parish of Lafayette consolidated in 1996, and he is considered an expert on annexations and other governmental issues. In January during an interview for a cover story on Ottinger, City-Parish President Joey Durel explained why he had nominated Hebert to succeed Ottinger:
I don't think there's an attorney in Lafayette that has done more to earn the position - and want it - than Mike. He did act as a city attorney at one time for a little while under Kenny Bowen, and he has worked for this government in one form or another for the past 25 years.
I was there when he argued before the state supreme court for the fiber issue. He's done a lot of LUS work, and he's probably one of the top annexation attorneys in the state. And he's just a good guy.
As I've talked to other attorneys around town, one of the words I've heard consistently is integrity, that he's a good, good lawyer, smart, and there's no reason to question anything. I've heard nothing but praise for him.
I like Mike a lot; he's always been very helpful to me and responsive to me and just a real good guy.
Ottinger has served as LCG attorney for seven years - the longest tenure in the position since consolidation in 1996. He also teaches law in the fall at his alma mater, LSU, and has a private practice. Hebert acknowledged at the time that he has "big shoes to fill" and said he would likely follow Ottinger's lead in running the legal department: "I don't know of anything of significance that I intend to do differently from what Pat has already done," Hebert said.
Read more about outgoing LCG attorney Pat Ottinger in our Jan. 12 cover story, "Good Counsel."