BusinessReport.com

Dede Sabagh Ferrara says the best advice she ever received was to always do more than what is expected. She recognized its wisdom so profoundly that she applies it to all areas of her life.

“I love to help others,” says Ferrara, who is first generation American and a Baton Rouge native. “I think one of the things I’ve learned from my family is to work hard and not take for granted our country. I appreciate everything just looking back on what our family has gone through in Lebanon. I have the utmost respect for this country and what it stands for.”

Ferrara says a driving force in her work is her strong desire to make a difference.

“Your work is your autograph,” she says. “It’s a representation of who you are. It is important to remember that character and integrity are the most important things. My client’s satisfaction is paramount to me and I try to give every client the best representation possible.”

She earned her undergraduate degree in political science and French from LSU and her law degree at Loyola University School of Law in New Orleans. She’s been practicing law in civil litigation and criminal defense 12 years with her husband, Frank, at their law firm in Walker. Ferrara is a member of the Baton Rouge Community College Foundation board and is the immediate past president of the Junior League of Baton Rouge.

“We’re just so fortunate to live in a country that really sets the bar in everything,” Ferrara says. “It really is true that we live in a country that if you work hard you can dream and achieve your dream, and I think that’s the beauty of this country. I think there’s always something to learn from everyone, and I firmly believe in that. I never think one can know too much.”

If you could have dinner with any three living people, who would they be?

“Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan; Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice; Gov. and Mrs. Arnold Schwarzenegger.”