Karen Carter Peterson

The United States Attorney’s Office announced that former Louisiana State Senator and Chair of State Political Party “A”,KAREN CARTER PETERSON, age 52, from New Orleans, Louisiana, was charged today in a one-count bill of information with wire fraud in Karen Carter Peterson Campaign Fund money to her personal use. If convicted, PETERSON faces a maximum term of twenty (20) years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three (3) years of supervised release after imprisonment, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. Louisiana State Senator Karen Carter Peterson is counsel in Dentons' global Energy sector. She represents New Orleans and parts of Jefferson Parish in the Louisiana State Senate. In 2012, she became chair of the Louisiana Democratic Party, the first woman in Louisiana history to do so. In 2013, Sen. Peterson was asked to serve as co-chair of the Democratic National Committee Credentials Committee. She was also elected, in 2013, to serve as vice president of the Association of Democratic Party Chairs. In addition to her public service, Sen. Peterson has been in private legal practice since 1995, representing clients on a variety of matters, including public utility regulatory compliance, litigation, agency rulemaking and appeals, local governmental relations, casualty defense, personal injury, real estate development and successions. She has also worked on commercial and financial matters, such as commercial litigation, contracts, public finance and corporate restructuring. Additionally, she advises emerging businesses on a full range of legal matters, including incorporations, strategic and business development and local regulatory processes. Experience Current chair of the Senate Select Committee on Women and Children in the Louisiana State Senate Currently serving on the Senate Judiciary B, Insurance, and Local and Municipal committees in the Louisiana State Senate Past chair of the Louisiana Women’s Caucus Served as House speaker pro tempore in the Louisiana House of Representatives, the second highest position in the House Served on the House Appropriations Committee, the Joint Legislative Budget Committee and the House Governmental Affairs Committee in the Louisiana House of Representatives Past chair, House Insurance Committee, Louisiana House of Representatives Argued before the DC Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of the New Orleans City Council Contributed to the successful team settlement of the National Tobacco Litigation Class Action Recognition Awarded, Legislative Champion, by Southeast Louisiana Way, 2015 Voted Best New Orleans Legislator in The Gambit, 2013 Honored as Legislator of the Year by the Alliance for Good Government, 2012, 2004 and 2000 Selected as one of two inaugural recipients of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation and the Institute of Politics at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government’s New Frontier Award, 2004 Participated in the inaugural class of the Aspen Institute’s Rodel Fellowship in Public Service Named Legislator of the Year by the Louisiana Association of School Superintendents, 2013 President’s Award for outstanding service in the advancement of human and civil rights, International Association of Human Rights Agencies, 2012 Justice for Youth Award, Juvenile Justice Project of Louisiana, 2012 Commissioner on the Louisiana Bicentennial Commission, 2012 Louisiana Association of Justice Public Service Award, 2011 Recognized as an emerging pro-growth progressive leader by NewDEAL, a leadership group founded by Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley and US Senator Mark Begich (D-AK) Activities and Affiliations Memberships Currently a member of the Board of Trustees for the Keystone Policy Center. Prior and Present Employment Karen has worked in the congressional offices of both United States Sen. John Breaux (D-LA) and Rep. Billy Tauzin (D-LA-3). From 1988 through 2012, she served as a delegate to Democratic National Conventions. Karen has previously worked for Carter & Cates, a New Orleans law firm, practicing personal injury law and utility regulatory law. She moved to the Phelps Dunbar law firm in 2004. In 2008, she helped create the Davillier Law Group.