I am committed to fighting for your rights and working diligently to achieve the best outcome possible in your legal matter. I am honored to practice law in the State of Louisiana, and the Parishes of Ascension and East Baton Rouge and the surrounding areas. I will care for your legal matter as though it were my own. I understand that you worked hard to earn the fees paid to my office – I will give you a diligent and honorable effort in return.
Personal Biography:
Born and raised in Louisiana, I spent significant time in Tennessee and Georgia in the 90’s, but returned home to go to school and have lived here since 1998.
I spent more than twenty years in the restaurant business, culminating in managing a premiere white tablecloth steak house; where, as the sommelier, I was responsible for the 3,000 bottle wine list. I also ran the day-to-day operations of the restaurant, a skill set I am able to put to use in my law practice.
I have five children ages 26 to 2, and one step-son. And am lucky enough to be married to Ms. Mindy Ambeau, previously an emergency room nurse, prior to taking leave to raise our youngest child.
Educational Biography:
I have an undergraduate degree in Philosophy from Thomas Edison State College, a leading distance learning institution located in New Jersey. I completed my undergraduate studies while deployed to Kuwait/Iraq in 2004. Prior to deployment, I had studied at Louisiana State University for 3 ½ years. My undergraduate thesis at LSU focused on the ethics of Immanuel Kant and a formal logic analysis of his formulations of the moral law from his famous book ‘Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals’.
I graduated from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University in the spring of 2008, where I was a two time finalist in the Ira S. Flory Moot Court competition and a member of the 2007-2008 Moot Court Board.
I am currently enrolled in a Masters Degree Program at the University of Florida, distance learning, studying Forensic DNA and Serology. I hope to complete this masters degree in the summer or fall of 2019. I am also working on a book on meeting the challenge of DNA in the courtroom, hoping to publish concurrent with obtaining my degree.
Military Biography:
I joined the U.S. Military in October of 2001, both in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 and a desire to join ROTC at LSU. I transferred to the 22nd LSO Trial Defense Service, a criminal defense arm of the JAG Corps, in December of 2003 to function as a 27D, paralegal, in an environment that would offer the opportunity to learn about the practice of law.
In May of 2004, I volunteered to be deployed to Iraq. I was sent to Kuwait where I was the NCOIC of the Kuwait Trial Defense Service office. The attorney for whom I worked was assigned to one of the Abu Ghirab soldiers and we functioned as her defense team for the duration of my deployment. We spent significant time traveling to Iraq in support of soldiers as legal defense. In addition, we had 5 General Courts Martial, and about 400 Article 15 proceedings, non-judicial punishment in the UCMJ. I redeployed in January of 2005 and returned home shortly thereafter.
Since my return, I have been a member of the 22nd LSO, Trial Defense Service, Team 15, in New Orleans, LA.
Though I had been selected to commission as a 27A, JAG Officer, with the 22nd LSO, TDS; I have decided to leave the U.S. Army after 12 years. I will get out of the U. S. Army sometime in the fall of 2013.
Practice Areas:
- Jury Trial Attorneys
- Felony Criminal Defense
- Personal Injury Litigation
- Family Law
- DWI Defense
ORGANIZATIONS:
Member: Louisiana State Bar Association.
LSBA – Right to Counsel Committee, 2009.
Criminal Justice Committee, 2010-present.
Member: American Bar Association; Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
HONORS AND SERVICE:
Invited to be a ‘special advisor’ to the Code of Criminal Procedure Revision Committee, 2013.
Instructor for the 23rd Judicial District Indigent Defense Board, ‘Voir Dire CLE’, 2012 and 2013.
Co-chair of the LACDL DWI CLE 2013
Chair of the LACDL Annual Forensic Science CLE 2017 – present
LEGAL EMPLOYMENT:
2009 – 2010: Dugas, LeBlanc & Mire, Donaldsonville, LA.
2009 – present: Contract Felony Public Defender, 23rd Judicial District Indigent Defense Board, Div “A”
2010 – present: Owner, The Ambeau Law Firm.
MILITARY SERVICE:
2001 – 2016: U.S. Army, 27D Paralegal Specialist, Trial Defense Service, JAG Corps.
2004 – 2005: Deployment to Kuwait/Iraq.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
May 2009 to Present THE AMBEAU LAW FIRM, LLC
- Principal of this Criminal Defense, Family Law, and Personal Injury representation/litigation law firm
- More than 10 felony jury trials in private representation, including presenting/handling extensive forensic science evidence
May 2009 to Dec 2018 CONTRACT PUBLIC DEFENDER, 23RD JDC
- More than 30 felony jury trials in public defense representation
- More than 20 cases in which I presented/challenged extensive forensic science evidence, including 10 in which there was extensive forensic DNA evidence
Oct 2001 to Oct 2016 UNITED STATES ARMY, JAG CORPS
- 27D Paralegal in the Trial Defense Service (criminal defense of soldiers) of the JAG Corps
- Including deployment to Iraq from May 2004 to Jan 2005 in support of Trail Defense Service mission.
EDUCATION
June 2015 to Present UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
- Master of Science in Pharmacy, Forensic DNA and Serology, distance learning
- Completed 18 hours of 32 for completion of this degree
- Currently enrolled in 6 hours fall semester
Aug 2005 to May 2008 PAUL M. HEBERT LAW CENTER, LOUISIANA STATE
UNIVERSITY
- Juris Doctorate and Bachelor of Civil Laws
May 2004 to June 2005 THOMAS EDISON STATE UNIVERSITY
- Bachelor in Science, Philosophy
- Finished my undergraduate degree, distance learning, while deployed to Operation Enduring Freedom, Baghdad, Iraq
Aug 1999 to May 2004 LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY
- Undergraduate study in Philosophy
- Did not complete undergraduate education at LSU, deployed to Iraq in my final semester
TRAINING AND INSTRUCTION
Oct 2018 CLE – Public Defender Association of Louisiana (PDAL)
- “Forensics 101”, 1-hour presentation at this CLE, focusing on forensic DNA science and mixture interpretation
Aug 2018 CHAIR/PRESENTOR, LACDL FORENSIC SCIENCE CLE
- Chaired Forensic Science CLE
- “DNA Intro”, 1-hour presentation at this CLE
June 2018 CLE – 23RD JDC BAR ASSOCIATION
- DNA Mixture Analysis and Interpretation
NATIONAL FORENSIC COLLEGE, CARDOZO LAW SCHOOL
- Completed 40-hour course in forensic science; fingerprints, DNA, computer/cell phone, statistics, and confessions; with the Innocence Project, at Cardozo Law School in New York, NY
Aug 2017 CHAIR/PRESENTOR, LACDL FORENSIC SCIENCE CLE
- Chaired Forensic Science CLE
- “DNA Challenges”, 1-hour presentation at this CLE
May 2016 NATIONAL FORENSIC COLLEGE, CARDOZO LAW SCHOOL
- Completed 40-hour course in forensic science; fingerprints, DNA, computer/cell phone, and confessions; with the Innocence Project, at Cardozo Law School in New York, NY
RELEVANT CASE WORK
2017 U.S. v. GEARALD WAYNE HEARD, 3:16-cr-00133, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Louisiana
- DAUBERT HEARING: Hired as Co-counsel/Expert in this Felon in Possession of Firearm trial, with extensive preparation and filing of a Daubert challenge to a Low Copy Number DNA (LCN DNA) sample, and the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab’s adherence to its own procedures and protocols.
STATE v. FABIAN BROWN, #30957, 23rd JDC, Gonzales, Louisiana
- PRE-TRIAL MOTIONS: Lead counsel in this Armed Robbery case, with extensive preparation for evidentiary challenges and cross examination of State’s expert, regarding evidence gathered and tested at Louisiana State Police Crime Lab, and presented at per-trial hearings.
STATE v. TOMMY FRANCISE, #1276-16, 18th JDC, Plaquemine, Louisiana
- PRE-TRIAL MOTIONS: Lead counsel in this 2nd Degree Murder Case, with extensive preparation for evidentiary challenges and cross examination of State’s expert, regarding evidence gathered and tested at Louisiana State Police Crime Lab, and presented at per-trial hearings.
2016 U.S. v. DAMION HAMILTON, 6:16-cr-00002, U.S. District Court, Western District of Louisiana
- JURY TRIAL: Lead counsel in this Felon in Possession of Firearm jury trial, with extensive preparation and cross examination of the Government’s expert, regarding a trace DNA sample on the surface of a pistol, alleged to be in possession of the accused, including issues of tertiary transfer of DNA material from a non-contact party and reliability of a partial profile of a Low Copy Number DNA (LCN DNA) sample.
STATE v. COREY SCOTT, #05-14-0805, 19th JDC, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- JURY TRIAL: Lead counsel in this 2nd Degree Murder jury trial, with extensive preparation and cross examination of the State’s expert, regarding pattern matching evidence in shell casings and bullet projective fragments.
STATE v. DEJOHN SCOTT, #35151, 23rd JDC, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- PRE-TRAIL MOTIONS: Lead counsel in this Felon in Possession of Firearm case, with extensive preparation, regarding a trace DNA sample on the surface of a pistol, including issues of allelic drop out, contamination, and reliability of a partial profile of a Low Copy Number DNA (LCN DNA) sample.
2015 STATE v. MICHAEL HEBERT, #19-13-0383, 19th JDC, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- JURY TRIAL: Lead counsel in this 2nd Degree Murder jury trial, with extensive preparation and cross examination of the State’s expert, regarding a trace DNA sample on a wooden bat, including issues of familial relation between possible contributors to the partial profile.
2014 STATE v. TOLBERT MORRIS, #27652, 23rd JDC, Gonzales, Louisiana
- JURY TRIAL: Co-counsel in this cold case jury trial, 2nd Degree Murder case, with extensive preparation and cross examination of State’s expert, regarding mtDNA and y-STR DNA on 20-year-old biological evidence.
STATE v. ANTHONY SMITH, 19th JDC, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- JURY TRIAL: Co-counsel to cross examine the State’s expert in this Rape jury trial, and to assist counsel in presentation of challenge to DNA evidence.
2013 STATE v. JESSIE NEWMAN BREAUD, #30477-78, 23rd JDC, Gonzales, Louisiana
- PRE-TRIAL MOTIONS: Lead counsel in this Aggravated Rape case, with extensive preparation for cross examination of State’s expert, regarding evidence gathered and tested at Louisiana State Police Crime Lab, and presented at per-trial hearings.
2012 STATE v. JEREMY JOHNSON, #, 23rd JDC, Gonzales, Louisiana
- PRE-TRIAL MOTIONS: Lead counsel in this Sex Assault case, with extensive preparation for cross examination of State’s expert, regarding evidence gathered and tested at Louisiana State Police Crime Lab, and presented at per-trial hearings.
CONSULTATION SERVICES
2018 STATE v. DULCE MARIA FUNEZ, 20th JDC, East Feliciana, Lousiana
- CONSULTATION: Reviewing DNA analysis in this matter, including complex mixture and probalistic genotyping, and assisting lead counsel in hiring outside expert and direct and cross examination.
U.S. v. RAYMOND D FORD, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Alabama
- CONSULTATION: Reviewed DNA analysis in this matter and assisted lead counsel in collecting additional discovery and analysis of that information.
2017 U.S. v. GEARALD WAYNE HEARD, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Louisiana
- CONSULTATION: Reviewed DNA analysis in this matter and assisted lead counsel in preparation for examination of State’s expert. Eventually hired to conduct examination of State’s expert at trial.
STATE v. HARDY ALLEN, #, 19th JDC, Gonzales, Louisiana
- CONSULTATION: Reviewed DNA analysis in this matter and assisted counsel in preparation for examination of State’s expert and presentation of challenge to DNA evidence.
STATE v. KENON JOHNSON, #, 19th JDC, Gonzales, Louisiana
- CONSULTATION: Reviewed DNA analysis in this matter and assisted counsel in preparation for examination of State’s expert and presentation of challenge to DNA evidence.
STATE v. OLLIE COLEMAN, #, 23rd JDC, Gonzales, Louisiana
- CONSULTATION: Reviewed DNA analysis in this matter and assisted counsel in preparation for examination of State’s expert and presentation of challenge to DNA evidence.
STATE v. JAMES SIMON, #33929, 23rd JDC, Gonzales, Louisiana
- CONSULTATION: Reviewed DNA analysis in this matter and assisted counsel in preparation for examination of State’s expert and presentation of challenge to DNA evidence.
2014 STATE v. ANTHONY SMITH, 19th JDC, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- CONSULTATION: Reviewed DNA analysis in this matter and assisted lead counsel in preparation for examination of State’s expert. Eventually hired to conduct examination of State’s expert at trial.
2012 STATE v. PATRICK PARKER, #17543-44, 23rd JDC, Gonzales, Louisiana
- CONSULTATION: Reviewed DNA analysis in this matter and assisted lead counsel in preparation for post-conviction challenge in this matter.