Mary Terrell Joseph

Mary Terrell Joseph is a member in the firm's Baton Rouge office. She has over 40 years experience in the area of collections and creditors' rights, with experience in both retail and commercial collections. She was appointed by the Louisiana Supreme Court to serve as Judge Pro Tempore for the 19th Judicial District Court in 2005.

Mary has extensive experience in replevin (executory process seizure), having represented national and Louisiana clients in this area. She has filed hundreds of replevin matters in Louisiana since her practice began in the early 1970s. Her collection team is well acquainted with the procedures and has experience with the requirements of each parish (county).

Mary is a frequent lecturer in creditors' rights and collection procedures. She has lectured to attorneys, loan officers, credit managers and other credit professionals. In her presentations, she emphasizes the practicalities of credit management and collections.

Mary is active in the Baton Rouge community. She has served as Capital Area United Way Campaign Chair and Chair of its Board, president of Capital Area Network and secretary of the Foundation for Excellence in Louisiana Public Broadcasting. She also chaired the Arts Council and remains an advisor. She is past president of the Rotary Club of Baton Rouge and past president of Greater Baton Rouge Leadership Alumni. Mary has been honored as a Volunteer Activist, an Olympic Torchbearer, one of Baton Rouge's 25 Outstanding Women, YWCA Women of Achievement and received the Community Leadership Award from the Baton Rouge Chamber's Leadership Alumni. Mary is a graduate of CABL's Louisiana Leadership program and a recipient of the Louisiana Bar Association's Crystal Gavel Award. She was also named as one of Woodward White's Best Lawyers in America in Banking Law, Financial Institutions and Transactions Law. She is a member of the Board of Trustees of Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia and a former member of the Louisiana State Arts Council Board.

Presentations

Mary is a frequent lecturer on creditor’s rights, foreclosure and collection.  She has co-authored manuals for seminars for Lorman Education Services & National Business Institute which include: Collection Law for Attorneys in Louisiana; Collection Law in Louisiana; Collecting Judgments in Louisiana; Extraordinary Collections Procedures and Bankruptcy Practice in Louisiana; How to Get Results in Collection of Delinquent Debts in Louisiana; Successful Judgment Collections in Louisiana; The Legal Issues of Problem Collections in Louisiana.  She has made numerous presentations to the American Bar Association, Louisiana Bar Association and Baton Rouge Bar Association.