Dennis Hester

Dennis joined the Cogdell Law Firm as an associate attorney in September of 2010. Since that time, Dennis has assisted in many aspects of criminal cases, from bail hearings to sentencing hearings and appeals. He is passionate about criminal defense, and about the firm's clients. His commitment is demonstrated by his diligence, attention to detail, and level of thought he puts into his work.

Because cases are often won or lost before a lawyer sets foot in a courtroom, Dennis is committed to advocating for the firm's clients through researching and drafting persuasive motions and briefs. Dennis's special interests include motion practice, sentencing, and appellate work.

Prior to joining the Cogdell Law Firm, Dennis spent two years clerking for United States District Judge Robert Junell, where he assisted Judge Junell in the drafting of memorandum opinions and orders at almost every stage of the criminal process. He, furthermore, assisted the court in various aspects of criminal jury trials.

Dennis is a 2008 graduate (cum laude) of Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. 

A sample of Dennis's recent work includes:

• Assisted draft an appellate brief to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in a large-scale healthcare fraud case.
• Drafted an appellate motion to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals requesting that the Court overturn a district judge's denial of bail.
• Assisted draft complex motions to suppress evidence seized pursuant to search warrants and warrants under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), for client
  accused of attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction.
• Drafted pre-trial and sentencing pleadings for a variety of white-collar cases: mail fraud, wire fraud, and healthcare fraud.
• Obtained a dismissal for an individual wrongly accused of felony evading arrest.

Prior to joining the Cogdell Law Firm, Dennis held the following positions and achieved the following honors:

• Law Clerk to the Honorable Robert Junell, United States District Judge.
• Judicial Intern to the Honorable Joe Fish, United States District Judge.
• Student Attorney at the Loyola Criminal Prosecution Law Clinic.
• Member of Loyola Law Review.