Lisa Brener

I’ve spent 30 years of law practice in various firms in New Orleans and Lafayette, before staring my own firm in 2013. My experience as a lawyer has greatly influenced my writing as it allowed me a very close and personal perspective on human beings in crisis and how we come to terms with them.

WRITING

I was named Outstanding Graduate in English when I graduated from University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and throughout my thirty-some years as a practicing attorney I continued to pursue my literary interests. In addition to publishing several articles about law, I also published a few short stories and poems in literary journals, and my play, Mimi’s Pebble, was given a staged reading by the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts. Over the years I also participated in various writing workshops and conferences. Among the most significant: - Provincetown Fine Arts Work Center: participated in an intensive one-week poetry writing workshop, and there wrote the first draft of the poem now included in the last chapter of my memoir. - Iowa Writers’ Workshop: selected by author Hope Edelman as one of ten participants to take part in a 2-week memoir writing workshop, based on the submission of some of the early chapters of my memoir. - Sewanee Writers’ Conference: participated in a 2-week writing workshop taught by National Book Award winner John Casey.

EDUCATION

LL.M in International Law Tulane University Law School, New Orleans, LA Juris Doctor degree, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA Honors: Order of the Coif American Jurisprudence Award for Contracts Publication in LSU Law Review Bachelor of Arts in English University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA Honors: Magna cum Laude Outstanding Graduate in English
First Place for Fiction in the Deep South Writers’ Conference

I live in a historic double shotgun home on Magazine Street in New Orleans. My two grown children live nearby, and with one adorable grand daughter, visit often. I have two huge labs that keep me company and require lots of time and affection.

Note: Lisa passed away January 17th, 2018 from an aggressive, stage four brain tumor after a year of valiant struggle. It was her greatest wish to see her finished memoir published. Her family and friends are hoping to realize that dream for her.