New Orleans atty. enjoys being active in community, politics and

New Orleans CityBusiness, Aug 25, 2003 by Megan Kamerick

In a 2001 commencement address at Loyola University Law School, Donna Fraiche related the following story:

As a freshly minted lawyer in the early 1970s, she traveled to Winn Parish, birthplace of Huey Long, on behalf of a bank from outside the parish.

After pleading her case, Fraiche was summoned to the judge's bench.

L'il Lady from Nuuuu Orleeeeens, that was a well-reasoned argument and I believe you serve your law school training proudly, he told her. I must tell you that you are the first of your persuasion to actually argue in mah court. You lose. G'bye.

Such blatant sexism did not faze Fraiche. On the contrary, she focused on an obscure legal niche at the time - health care law - and has ridden its ascendance to the top of her profession.

She was the first female president of the American Health Lawyers Association and as a partner at Locke Liddell & Sapp LLP, she has a national roster of clients. She helped create and implement the concept of the New Orleans Regional Medical Center in downtown New Orleans, has testified before federal committees and lobbied in Washington, D.C., on health care issues.

But success came not just through practicing law. Fraiche used her active involvement in community, politics and nonprofit boards to expand her knowledge and her networks.

People who do it just to put it in a resume, that doesn't work, she said. If you do it to get something out of it and give back, personally or for your firm or your firm's reputation, then it's much better. But it takes a tremendous amount of time.

Giving back

In any given week, Fraiche chairs a meeting (or two or three), consults with clients, plays host to a political gathering, introduces international diplomats at a luncheon or lobbies in Washington, D.C.

She's a little ball of energy, said Mary Lynn Lytal, owner of Environmental Associates of Louisiana, who met Fraiche on a recent trade mission to Costa Rica.

That is the essence of who she is, said Julie Kraft, Fraiche's older sister. It's that intelligence combined with energy that keeps her involved in so many things.

At 51, Fraiche is president of the World Trade Center, and chairwoman of the Loyola University Board of Trustees and the Louisiana Health Care Commission. She has served on countless other boards throughout her career.

She's never been one to just sit back and do lawyering, Kraft said. She needs other things to stimulate her. She's a natural born leader so people tend to look toward her to lead whatever group she's involved in.

Fraiche gravitated to health care law by accident. But her growing expertise in the 1970s left her poised for success as the number of health care law cases mushroomed in subsequent years.

I think a lot of what we do is serendipity and that was serendipity - that I happened to represent clients in an industry where the legal aspects were beginning to emerge, she said.

Former Mayor Dutch Morial and retired Judge Fred J. Cassibry are among the mentors who influenced her significantly. She was once law partners with them both. Mentoring is important to her.

Wherever I practiced, I sought out people who would assist me, she said.

International interests

Fraiche's family has often played host to international students. She made sure her children grew up with an appreciation for international travel and foreign languages.

I was very much committed to the mission of world trade, peace and understanding, she said.

She gravitated to the World Trade Center, where she has played many roles over the years and is now serving a yearlong term as president. She has been deep in discussions over a hotel deal in the building with the city of New Orleans, as well as planning for the latest round of talks on the Central America Free Trade Agreement.

Despite these high-profile roles, Fraiche deflects praise for her efforts.

I'm realistic about what it all means, she said. Most of the credit goes to hard-working staff people at the various organizations, she said.

Gene Schreiber, WTC director, has worked with Fraiche for years. He admires her leadership style of building consensus. Like so many of her colleagues, he is dumbfounded by how she can give so much of her time and attention to so many different causes.

When Donna signs up for something or volunteers for something, you can count on 100% input, which to me is remarkable, Schreiber said. I don't know how she does it.

Point of order

After years of experience, Fraiche has the art of the meeting down to a science.

At a recent meeting of the Louisiana Health Care Commission, created by the Legislature to study the availability and affordability of health care in the state, she steered 17 board members through a discussion of health care in Louisiana by asking them to name three top priorities. Some did it quickly; others took the opportunity to meander in minutiae or grandstand. Yet the meeting ended early and many complimented Fraiche's skills.

She credits Dutch Morial for teaching her to run meetings properly.

You always start one on time and end it on time. If someone has something to say they can usually say it within three minutes, she said.