Stacie Lambert deBlieux, 39
Assistant Attorney General, Louisiana Department of Justice; Section Chief, Complex Litigation Unit
PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS:
- Filing the state’s historic Hurricane Katrina cases, then litigating for many years through numerous legal and practical challenges before settling for more than $30 million.
- Tabbed by the attorneys general of 43 states to author the complaint and briefs in an antitrust suit against a major pharmaceutical company that is part of a complex, multi-district litigation and winning the motions briefed.
- Settling multiple large national cases every year that recover millions of dollars for the state, which are used to fill gaps across the budget.
COMMUNITY:
Leads a Girl Scout troop and serves as the camp-certified designee for every troop across four area schools; also sits on the St. Joseph’s Academy Alumni Board and Jefferson Terrace Aquatic Club Executive Board.
WHAT IS YOUR BIRTHDATE?
June 27, 1979
NAME ONE BOOK THAT HAS INSPIRED YOU PROFESSIONALLY
As the lead attorney in the State’s litigation against the opioid manufacturers, I would have to say the books that I’ve been reading lately about the opioid crisis, like Dreamland by Sam Quinones and Dope Sick by Beth Macy, have been both inspiring and educational.
WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD, WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP?
I have always loved to read and was obsessed with the Little House on the Prairie series as a kid. I always wanted to be an author like Laura Ingalls Wilder and I used to narrate my life in my head.
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB, HOW OLD WERE YOU AND WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM IT?
I worked retail in Cortana Mall, back when it was the only mall. The store where I worked did not get a lot of foot traffic. After being caught reading by the owner, I learned how to always find something to do to stay busy—there is always something you can do to help.
WHAT IS THE STRANGEST JOB YOU’VE EVER HAD?
My jobs have all been pretty mainstream, but I’ve definitely had some strange cases through the years—particularly in private practice defending school boards and municipalities.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE FOR A BUSINESS LUNCH IN BATON ROUGE, AND WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE DISH THERE?
Working for the State, we really do not go out to swank business lunches and our office location is not conducive to walking to the many downtown spots. So I would have to say the Serops in the Main Street Market parking garage. It is one of our favorite after-court quick pickups because it is always fast and friendly and parking is easier than most of downtown. I get the chicken shawarma lunch.
WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER YOUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT?
Balancing my three children and my career. I was pregnant with my oldest when I graduated from law school and took the bar exam, so I have never been anything but a working mother. I have been able to maintain involvement in their lives while advancing professionally and, for most of 2018, have been able to do so while juggling surgery, chemotherapy and radiation for breast cancer.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST FULFILLING MOMENT IN YOUR CAREER SO FAR?
My career has been extremely fulfilling. I’ve been involved with national-headline cases, cases that have settled for hundreds of millions of dollars, and cases that have gone to the U.S. Supreme Court—all on behalf of the State of Louisiana. I have a number of cases that have made or are making new law. I’ve had many opportunities to argue in court at the trial and appellate levels and to write briefs to the court. Many have won, and the few that haven’t are still being fought. But my most fulfilling moment was probably stepping out of my house closing—which was a significant moment for me personally—to find that the brief I had written on behalf of 43 states, on a novel issue in the already-complicated field of antitrust law, had been decided in our favor. I wrote that brief during a time that was very difficult for me personally, so the victory was that much more significant.
WHAT WAS YOUR PROFESSIONAL “AHA” MOMENT?
I was in a meeting with a former attorney general and his chief deputy discussing a complex legal theory. The deputy drew a visual flowchart on a piece of scrap paper to show his understanding of the claims that we were discussing, and a light bulb went off for me. I realized in that moment that it doesn’t matter how much you know about something—you have to be able to communicate it effectively to your audience, and every audience is different. I learned how to read people so that I present information to them in the way that they need to hear it to process it. Doing this has been life-changing. I still have that scrap of paper.
WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED THE HARD WAY?
Not everybody has the same standards, and not everyone go the extra mile to get something done the right way.
WHAT GIVES YOU PROFESSIONAL INSPIRATION?
My antitrust colleagues that I work with in the other state attorneys general’s offices. We all work together on a multitude of investigations and litigation, and they are among the smartest and most hard-working group of attorneys that exist.
WHAT IS THE BEST COMPLIMENT YOU’VE EVER GOTTEN FROM A COLLEAGUE OR BOSS?
The recognition and trust implicit in an unsolicited raise I received years ago, and in an unsolicited promotion under a new administration shortly after the transition period.
ARE YOU ACTIVE ON SOCIAL MEDIA? IF SO, ON WHICH PLATFORMS ARE YOU MOST ACTIVE?
Yes, I am on Snapchat with my kids, Instagram for the photo editing, and Twitter for up-to-date information on current happenings, but Facebook is my true love. I’ve been on it since it first began at LSU, right after I finished law school. I post a lot about the hilarious things my kids do and, lately, my cancer diagnosis and treatment. I don’t have any privacy settings and treat it more like a blog, so anyone is welcome to join or follow me there.
HOW MANY TEXTS DO YOU SEND ON AN AVERAGE DAY? HOW MANY EMAILS?
I probably send 50-100 texts daily and about 30 emails, but for each one I send I probably receive at least 5 because of group chats and emails.
HOW LOW WILL YOU ALLOW YOUR REMAINING PHONE OR COMPUTER BATTERY LIFE GET (IN %) BEFORE YOU HAVE AN ANXIETY ATTACK?
I have to be traveling and on a very tight schedule (i.e. need enough battery to Uber asap) to get stressed about that. Otherwise I usually don’t really care if it gets very low or dies.
HOW MANY UNREAD MESSAGES ARE IN YOUR INBOX RIGHT NOW?
Working for the state, I maintain a strict divide between my email accounts. There are just over 100 in my work account right now (I was away from my office yesterday afternoon and this morning) and 454 in my personal email account. In the personal account, some of those are just confirmations or receipts, which I will eventually file without ever opening. The rest are kids’ school and sports emails. The work account will all be read and filed today.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE APP AT THE MOMENT?
Walmart app to order groceries for pickup. It has been life changing.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT OF THE PAST DECADE?
Probably smartphones and all of the associated apps. I cannot check personal email from my work computer, so I don’t know how I would ever stay organized with all of my kids’ activities without access to personal email and the apps the sports teams use (game changer, group me, teamsnap, etc.) throughout the day via my smartphone.
WHAT TECHNOLOGY DO YOU WISH WAS NEVER INVENTED?
Whatever technology makes YouTubers financially viable.
WHAT TIME DO YOU GET UP ON WORKDAY MORNINGS?
Over the past year during cancer treatment it has varied wildly. But in “real life,” typically between 5:30 and 6 if I am going to exercise, and no later than 6:45 to get the kids on the bus.
BREAKFAST AT HOME? BREAKFAST ON THE GO? BREAKFAST AT YOUR DESK? NO BREAKFAST AT ALL?
Usually just coffee.
THE SAYING GOES: “BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD.” SPECIFICALLY, WHAT ARE YOU “BEING” TO MAKE BATON ROUGE BETTER?
Considerate. Walking around as a relatively young bald woman for months has really shown me how good people are. When they can see that you are going through something, even strangers can be uncommonly generous and helpful. But everyone deals with things that are hard, it is just that most things that people deal with are not as visible as a bald head. I’ve really tried to use this time to become more aware and thoughtful in my interactions with others, and to remind those around me to do the same.
WHEN DID YOU REALIZE YOU WERE “GROWN UP”?
I think most parents will think about when they first held their child, but truthfully that is probably when we all came to the stunning realization that we DID NOT feel grown up enough for that responsibility! As my children got older and things were mostly under control, my friends started having their own babies (I was the first among my friends). Looking at them hold their newborns, I realized that somewhere between that first night in the hospital with my first baby and then, I had grown up.
WHAT WAS THE BEST VACATION YOU HAVE EVER TAKEN?
Big Bend National Park in Texas. It is bigger than the state of Rhode Island and has a variety of topography for hiking, with zero cell phone service.
FAVORITE GIFT YOU WERE GIVEN AS A CHILD?
A puppy
WHICH TALENT OR SUPERPOWER WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO HAVE AND WHY?
The ability to teleport (and bring other items and/or people). It would save me so much time on a day-to-day basis but would also make travel so convenient and affordable.
WHAT’S A NICKNAME YOUR FRIENDS OR FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE FOR YOU?
In college I was Slambert or Slambe (the prefix of my LSU email address).
WHAT ARE YOU SUPERSTICIOUS ABOUT?
Absolutely nothing.
WHO FASCINATES YOU?
Probably my children. They are in middle school, so I can already see a lot of their personalities, strengths and weaknesses. Wondering what goes on in their heads, who they are going to be as they grow up, and watching them manage both their thoughts and their growth is fascinating.
WHICH FICTIONAL CHARACTER DO YOU MOST IDENTIFY WITH?
Pollyanna. There is always an upside to everything.
FAVORITE DRINK?
Coffee, water, and draft beer.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BAND OR SONG?
Ben Folds is my favorite artist, but Baby Got Back by Sir Mix-A-Lot will ALWAYS cheer me up when I am cranky.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE?
Office Space
WHO WOULD PLAY YOU IN A MOVIE?
Anyone who can do silly and serious equally well.
IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR 18-YEAR-OLD SELF?
I wouldn’t want to give any advice that may change the course of where I am today. I had a great balance of fun and work in college and law school and I made wonderful, life-long friends. So I would just say treasure all your memories and take plenty of pictures.
PETS?
Currently living: 2 part-time dogs and a cat. Many who my children talk about constantly—including a guinea pig, 2 hamsters, numerous fish, and a crawfish named Harry—await across the rainbow bridge.
HOBBIES?
Reading, photography, and hoping to start running again soon.
TELL US ABOUT A MOMENT THAT CHANGED YOUR LIFE.
Becoming a mom.
WHAT’S THE NEXT BIG PERSONAL OR CAREER CHALLENGE YOU PLAN TO TAKE ON?
Professionally, I am in the middle of several big cases that have major milestones ahead, including the possibility of a multi-week antitrust trial. Personally, I am looking forward to finishing treatment for breast cancer, getting my body and my life back, and rebuilding my health.
WHAT CONCERNS YOU MOST ABOUT THE FUTURE?
Divisive politics.
WHAT GIVES YOU THE MOST HOPE ABOUT THE FUTURE?
The goodness that I see in people as individuals.
WHAT WOULD BE YOUR ADVICE FOR FUTURE FORTY UNDER 40 HONOREES?
Jonas Salk, the inventor of the polio vaccine, said “The greatest reward for doing is the opportunity to do more.” That is a quote that I have repeated since high school, and would be the basis of my advice. Don’t stop striving for more and don’t be complacent. Keep giving back to your organization, your family and to your community.
DO YOU PLAN TO BE IN THE CAPITAL REGION FIVE YEARS FROM NOW? WHY OR WHY NOT?
Absolutely. I am born and raised in Baton Rouge and am here for the long-haul.
IF NAMED QUEEN FOR A DAY, WHAT IS ONE CHANGE YOU WOULD MAKE IN BATON ROUGE?
Since we are talking king instead of mayor, I will imagine that we live in a fairy tale world where you can make miraculous change in one day. In that day I would give us a permanent new climate that incorporated four actual seasons—a mild winter, a refreshing spring, a temperate summer and a crisp and invigorating fall—so that we could enjoy all of the outdoor beauty that our city has to offer for more than a few weeks without melting.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN BATON ROUGE; WHAT WORKS AND WHAT NEEDS IMPROVEMENT?
Baton Rouge is a big small town at heart. The people are friendly and their lives are intertwined like a small town, but it has the perks of a bigger city. There is so much to do if you look around, stay aware, and take advantage of what is offered. That is what works. However, the traffic needs major improvement. When I travel for work, anyone who has ever visited Baton Rouge remarks on the awful traffic.
DO YOU HAVE A BUCKET LIST? IF SO, WHAT ARE THE TOP 3 THINGS ON IT?
- Raft down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon and hike Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks with my family.
- Actually train for and run a half marathon; I’ve done four, but haven’t trained properly for them and have run/walked them.
- Hike part of the Appalachian Trail—much shorter than the whole trail but a little longer than a day or two.
See the entire 2017 Forty under 40 class
