Alaina Boothe

Ms. Alaina Boothe is a native of New Orleans, Louisiana. Ms. Boothe attended Southern University where she received her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education earning her Juris Doctorate from Southern University Law Center. Prior to attending Southern University Law Center, Ms. Boothe taught first grade at Sharon Hills Elementary School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana where her students came from low-income families and experienced a host of educational, social, and mental health challenges. While she was fortunate to experience extraordinary success with her students, Ms. Boothe became frustrated that the gains her students experienced inside the classroom were being overshadowed by the challenges her students were facing in the community. It was this frustration that led her to apply to law school. Upon graduation from law school in 2016, Ms. Boothe was hired by the Baton Rouge Office of Public Defender where she has practiced client centered representation while also serving as the Director of Students. As the Director of Students, she increased diversity in new attorney hires and raised awareness of the importance of public defense at local law schools. Ms. Boothe was recently promoted as the first Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion of the Baton Rouge Office of Public Defender. Furthermore, recognizing the importance of fair and sensible legislation, Ms. Boothe has bolstered her office’s involvement with local and state legislators through a stronger legislative, policy, and strategic planning presence. Ms. Boothe is also the latest recipient of the Gideon’s Promise 2020 Public Defender Ambassador Award for her work with her local chapter of the NAACP where she raised funds from her community to bail out ten women for Christmas. In July 2020, the Baton Rouge Branch of the NAACP appointed Ms. Boothe the Chair of the Social Justice Committee. Ms. Boothe is a member of the Louis A. Martinet Society, Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense of Attorneys, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Black Public Defender Association and the National Legal Aid and Defender Association.