BATON ROUGE, La. (May 7, 2019) – Beaux Jones started as the Institute’s general counsel Monday, bringing with him experience in the government, non-profit, and private sectors, and an extensive knowledge of coastal and environmental law.
Prior to joining the Institute, Jones served as the environmental section chief for the Louisiana Department of Justice, where he represented the State of Louisiana and its agencies in a wide variety of matters ranging from environmental and coastal law to criminal and appellate law. He most recently worked as an environmental and coastal lawyer for the law firm Baldwin Haspel Burke & Mayer in New Orleans.
Jones has extensive experience representing agencies, companies and organizations inside the courtroom and internally. He has argued cases at every level of state and federal court in Louisiana and has worked on several high-profile cases related to the Gulf Coast and Louisiana. He was on the BP spill litigation team with the Louisiana Attorney General which ultimately resulted in a $18.7 billion settlement.
“We are thrilled to welcome such a talented attorney with a deep understanding of and commitment to our coast” said Justin Ehrenwerth, Institute president and CEO. “Beaux has been a leader on coastal issues for many years and he embodies the Institute’s values around collaboration and partnership.”
Jones will be tasked with general legal matters for the Institute, handling matters like contracts and immigration law, but will also be a key member of the leadership team, merging the Institute’s ongoing work in science, engineering and resiliency with legal policy.
“This is exactly what I’ve wanted to do,” Jones said, a native of Ruston, La. “The opportunity to do this type of work is why I am in Louisiana and why I became a lawyer. I see the Institute as a bridge between universities, people, and policymakers. I don’t think there’s a better place to be in order to participate in those discussions. Organizations like the Institute are necessary in order to address the water challenges we face on a local, national and international basis.”
Jones earned his bachelor’s from Davidson College and his law degree from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at LSU. He is active in a variety of community and environmental causes. He currently serves as vice chair of the Louisiana State Bar Association-Environmental Section and vice chair for the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana. Jones lives in New Orleans with his wife Emilie Bahr and their two children.