Louis A. Wilson, Jr.

A celebration of Louis’ life will be held Thursday, June 3rd, 2021 at 1:00 PM at Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Shrine of St. Jude, 411 N. Rampart Street. Donations can be made in Louis’ name to the New Orleans’ Musicians Clinic, neworleansmusiciansclinic.org

Louis Aloysius Wilson, Jr. loved people, parties, art, music, fishing, winning the argument and telling a good story. He was a leading attorney and a supporter of the arts. You were as likely to find Louis at an art gallery or Jazz Fest as at a museum fundraising gala or the table having the most fun in any restaurant in New Orleans.

Louis is survived by his wife of eighteen years, Sandra Trout Wilson, whom he married in Venice, celebrating their mutual love of Italy. He is also survived by his daughters Theresa Wilson and Lisa Wilson, and his two grandchildren, Riley and Parker McNeal.

Louis grew up on Henry Clay Street in Uptown New Orleans, with his siblings Philip Wilson, Susan Sutherland, and Lee Pennebaker, and attended Jesuit High School. After college and law school at Tulane University, he joined the Federal Bureau of Investigation, serving as a Special Agent from the mid-West to Los Angeles.

Upon returning to New Orleans, Louis joined the law firm Adams and Reese in 1970, where he had a distinguished career and became a pillar of the firm’s New Orleans office and its presence in the city and the state. Managing Partner Gif Thornton said, “Louis Wilson led by example and rose to the occasion, no matter the challenge he faced. He set the standard for excellence in client service. His strong character and legal expertise were critical to the success of our firm during a period of growth, and we are where we are today thanks to Louis’ leadership. We are grateful for Louis’ many contributions to the firm, to the legal profession, and to the community." As a member of the Transactions Practice Group, Louis was one of the leading Louisiana attorneys doing transactional work in the oilfield marine service and construction industries and was a go-to lawyer for many heavy hitters in the industry. Louis represented major clients of the firm in the oil and transportation industries and performed commercial finance work for most of Louisiana’s major banks and the United States Maritime Administration. He was also dedicated to firm management and leadership, serving on the Executive Committee, in leadership roles as the firm successfully expanded throughout the Southeast, and as a mentor to many Adams and Reese attorneys.

Louis was always active in the New Orleans community and the arts. He contributed his time and leadership to the firm’s grassroots philanthropy program, HUGS. He served on the boards of the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts, the New Orleans Museum of Art, where he chaired the Odyssey Ball, and the Contemporary Arts Center, where he was president of the board. Louis was a member of the Krewe of Alla, serving as maharajah in 1988. An avid art collector, Louis was also a friend to many artists and musicians, including George Rodrigue, Luis Colmenares, George Dureau, and Rockin Dopsie.