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State Senator Jean-Paul "JP" Morrell comes to the Louisiana Senate
after winning a special election for the seat in December, 2008. Prior to his
special election to the Senate, Sen. Morrell served in the Louisiana House of
Representatives beginning in 2006.
The New Orleans native graduated from Spring Hill College in May 2001
with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and went on to Tulane University
Law School. Throughout college, "JP" spent his summers working with the Art
Without a Roof Program, part of the New Orleans Public School Homeless Education
Program, where he taught creative writing to homeless children.
The summer preceding law school, "JP" served as a staff intern with
Louisiana Senator John Breaux in Washington, D.C. During his time at the U.S.
Senate, he worked on the Patient Bill of Rights legislation and served as an
assistant on the Special Council on Aging. While in D.C., "JP" was able to
experience first hand the trials and tribulations of the legislative process and
the differences between the two on a state and federal level.
"JP" attended Tulane University Law School from August 2001 through
May 2004. While in law school, "JP" was a member of the Black Law Student
Association and served on the Student Bar Association. In 2003, "JP" was elected
as the first African-American President of the Tulane Graduate And Professional
Studies Association (GaPSA), the governing student organization over all Tulane
Graduate Programs. He graduated from Tulane Law School with a Juris Doctorate
and Certification in Civil Law.
Since law school, "JP" has worked in the law firm Morrell & Morrell,
LLC, which he co-founded with his father, Arthur Morrell. He has primarily
practiced in the fields of criminal defense, plaintiff personal injury and
domestic relations. Additionally, "JP" worked part-time as a member of the
Orleans Parish Office of Indigent Public Defender Program (OIDP) where he served
as the Public Defender for Magistrate Court until his election to the Louisiana
State Legislature.
Sen. Morrell is the third of four sons to parents Arthur and Cynthia
Morrell. His older brother, Todd, is a 20 year veteran and decorated Sergeant
with the New Orleans Police Department, Special Operations Division. His younger
brother Nicholas is also an officer in the New Orleans Police Department. "JP"'s
father, Arthur Morrell, is the Orleans Parish Clerk of Criminal Court and his
mother, Cynthia Hedge-Morrell, is a member of the New Orleans City Council.
Sen. Morrell and his wife Catherine are the proud parents of one
son, Jude, and one daughter, Fiona.
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