Summer 2001

Best of the law class

Erin Donelon and A. Kevin Troutman top the list of graduating law students. Both were summa cum laude graduates and were designated as Crowe Scholars. Donelon, a resident of Metairie, La., was the number one graduate out of the class of 185. Troutman, who lives in Slidell, Louisiana, finished second.

Donelon was editor-in-chief of the Loyola Law Review and an inductee into The Order of the Barristers. In addition to her academic achievements, she volunteered a significant amount of time to assist with public-interest litigation relating to bar exam reform and lawyer disciplinary enforcement, and to work on the penalty phase of two capital cases. She also was presented with the Spirit of Ignatius Award from University Ministry.

Troutman completed his law studies with an overall grade point average of 3.81. He was a member of the Moot Court team and the recipient of the eight "Law Excellence" awards. He is director of Human Resources at Pendleton Memorial Methodist Hospital and is a 1979 graduate of McNeese State University.

Interim Law Dean James Klebba presided over the May 18 ceremony. The speaker was Donna Fraiche, a 1975 graduate of the Loyola School of Law. Fraiche serves as chair of the Loyola Board of Trustees and is partner in the New Orleans law firm of Locke, Liddell & Sapp LLP. She is one of the leading health care legal specialists in the state and is nationally considered to be an expert in the field.

Crowe Scholars are those students who graduated in the top 10 percent of the class. It is named for William L. Crowe, Sr., who taught at the law school for more than 25 years. He died in 1997.