Mr. Braud is a co-founder of Ballay, Braud & Colon, PLC originally formed as Lobrano, Ballay & Braud, PLC in 1980. Prior to his entry into the practice of law, Mr. Braud served in the U.S. Air Force following his graduation with a B.S. in Aeronautical Engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1970. In 1979, his law practice began with a focus in matters involving both transactional and litigation matters involving business formation/mergers/buyouts and business litigation, real estate, estate planning, and oil and gas. Mr. Braud has also successfully litigated a number of redhibition suits involving defective vehicles, homes and equipment. Mr. Braud managed the Plaquemines Parish Government’s mineral lands involving leasing, unitization, and production matters over 20 years including extensive work with the LA State Mineral Board, Dept. of Natural Resources and the LA Legislature after which he was appointed Parish Attorney in 1995 and established a complete in-house legal office of attorneys, paralegals and support staff to address all legal matters involving Parish Government. In 1999, Mr. Braud resigned to devote all of his time to the law firm where he continued to build an extensive practice in the aforementioned areas of the law. In January 2009, Mr. Braud was asked to again serve as the Parish Attorney for Plaquemines Parish Government to assist in the resolution of complex issues that arose as the result of the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav and Ike. He now heads a staff of multiple attorneys, paralegals and support staff engaged in matters involving FEMA Stafford Act recovery programs, insurance defense, municipal law, and oil & gas. Mr. Braud regularly appears before the Louisiana State Mineral Board, Louisiana Commission of Conservation and the Louisiana Legislature in support of client issues. Mr. Braud is married to Mary D. Braud and has two children and two granddaughters.