Title: Attorney
Company: Neuner Pate
Location: Lafayette, LA
Education: JD, Louisiana State University Paul M. Herbert Law Center (2017); Graduate Diploma in Comparative Law, Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Cum Laude (2020); Intern, Dill Firm (2017); B in Public Relations and Criminal Justice, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Summa Cum Laude (2017); Website Intern, Caroline & Company (2016)
Career History: Attorney, Neuner Pate (2020-Present); Junior Associate, Journal of Energy Law and Resources, Louisiana State University (2018-2019); Law Clerk, Dill Firm (2017-2018)
Katelyn E. Bayhi-Courville, Attorney at Neuner Pate, has been recognized as a Marquis Emerging Leader for their contributions and achievements in the field of law.
An emerging figure in the legal world, Ms. Bayhi-Courville serves as an attorney at the Louisiana-based firm where she primarily works on cases related to civil defense, environmental litigation, oil and gas, personal injury, open account collections, toxic torts, property disputes, maritime law, and commercial litigation. Before joining Neuner Pate in 2020, she served as a law clerk at Dill Firm from 2017 to 2018 and as a junior associate within the Journal of Energy Law and Resources at Louisiana State University, her alma mater, from 2018 to 2019. A dedicated member of the Louisiana State Bar Association, Lafayette Bar Association, and The Wex S. Malone American Inn of Court, she attained a Bachelor of Science in public relations and criminal justice from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where she graduated summa cum laude in 2017, and both a Doctor of Jurisprudence and a graduate diploma in comparative law, summa cum laude, from the Paul M. Herbert Law Center at Louisiana State University in 2017 and 2020, respectively. While studying law, she participated in an externship for The Honorable Carol B. Whitehurst, the United States Magistrate Judge for the Western District of Louisiana.
Although the law has proven to be the perfect fit for her, Ms. Bayhi-Courville was once torn about what professional path to take. She initially wanted to either become an FBI investigator or a boutique owner. She ultimately started with criminal justice as her major in undergraduate school; in her first year, she was advised to think about what she wanted to do. She believed the police academy was not for her, but having had a full year in criminal justice under her belt, she needed a semester’s worth of coursework to complete a double major. As part of the program, she interned at a law firm. She immediately gravitated toward the field as it provided an outlet for public speaking, advocating for others, and getting people to listen.
Upon reflection on her new career so far, Ms. Bayhi-Courville is proud to have been recognized as one of the “Top 40 Under 40 Young Lawyers” for the state of Louisiana in 2023. She also previously accrued such accolades as the Steve James Matt Beyond the Books Award and the Outstanding Pro Bono Attorney Award from the Lafayette Bar Association in 2021. Another highlight of her legal career has been the ability to represent pro bono protective order cases, all of which received the desired outcome. In addition, she was a semifinalist in the John R. Brown Admiralty Moot Court National Competition between 2019 and 2020. Outside of her primary endeavors, she has previously been active as the Director of External Appellate Competitions for the Law Board of Advocates at LSU, as well as the Notes and Comments Editor of the institution’s Journal of Energy Law and Resources.
Looking ahead, Ms. Bayshi-Courville aspires to become a partner with Neuner Pate, start establishing her own clientele, and continue to be involved in the community. On top of her career goals, she hopes to be able to start a family in the future with her husband, Michael Courville.