Barrister’s Bingo is back. Plan now to attend the Thursday, May 5, fundraiser that supports the mission of the  SWLA Law Center. This year’s sponsors are ServPro of Lake Charles and the Baggett McCall Law Firm.   

“We take the Pioneer Club’s traditional family night bingo experience and put it on steroids,” said Mark Judson, executive director of the  SWLA Law Center. “We did it for the first time in 2018. Everyone had a super blast so we did it again the following year and it sold out.”

Judson uses the words “cool” and “fun” repeatedly when he talks about the event. He’s excited. After all, the prizes really are fabulous and include a basket of 15 bottles of wine, a Southwest Louisiana restaurant dining experience that includes 15 gift cards and two out-of-the ordinary prizes.

“We’re calling one of the prizes, ‘A Different Perspective,’ ” Judson said. “Dr. Craig Crawford is an excellent video drone pilot, as well as an excellent orthodontist. For the winner of this prize, Dr. Crawford will do video drone footage, create an aerial image of anything  you want to look at from that perspective, subject to flight restrictions, ideal for property inspections.”

The other prize is a literal one-hour aerial tour of Cameron and Calcasieu parishes from Southland Flyers.

The grand prize is an evening with Lake Charles Attorney Phillip DeVilbiss, an accomplished solo guitarist.

“He is a local attorney and an accomplished solo guitarist. Win this and he’ll come and play at your home, party or other special event,” Judson said.

The evening will begin with a “robust happy hour,” Judson promised, “followed by the traditional Pioneer Club fried chicken buffet. The Pioneer Club, that view, that food, that service. It’s iconic.”

The SWLA Law Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit law firm. Judson considers the work that’s done there as vital for a healthy community.

“The mission of the SWLA Law Center is to provide access to justice to the under- resourced of SWLA,” he said.  “We charge our clients for our representation on a sliding scale. We are ‘low bono’ not pro bono.”

SWLA Law Center does not take on criminal cases or contingency cases such as personal injury, workers compensation, disability or bankruptcy.  The center takes on those cases for which lawyers often want money up front, money out of pocket, for instance, domestic violence, child custody, spousal support, child support, divorce, intrafamily adoption, successions, wills, powers of attorney, contested real estate matters, interdictions, expungements, name changes and the list goes on.

“Maligned as it is, our civil justice system is still the best in the world,” Judson said. “Our civil justice system is adversarial. Like politics, businesses, and college football, it works pretty well with both sides being equally resourced.  However, if one side is heavily resourced and one side is under-resourced, then it does not work so well. The Law Center levels the playing field for the under-resourced.”

Enjoy the open bar, the buffet, the “cool fun” and the opportunity to win fabulous prizes and support a great cause. Buy seats in advance for $150. A table of 8 is $1,100. Call 337-436-3308.