Lafourche Parish’s new Assistant District Attorney Christopher Huddleston, a graduate of Nicholls State University and Loyola New Orleans College of Law, never dreamed of practicing law but soon after entering the legal field, it became his passion.
He desired a career that would challenge him intellectually but was uncertain of what that might be. Having family members already in the profession led Huddleston to law school and after one day he was hooked.
“I happen to love my chosen field,” he said.
From the moment he stepped foot on Nicholls campus, Huddleston said his professors from the English department played an essential role in his desire to pursue a career in law.
Huddleston said all of his professors stressed the importance of critical thinking and detailed analysis, which he uses daily in his profession.
“Literary analysis is a bedrock of the practice of law. In most cases, the first thing a lawyer is going to do is read through the law to see how it applies to the situation,” Huddleston said.
For students interested in legal professions, or any profession for that matter, Huddleston advised dipping their toes in the water first by shadowing individuals in the field.
However, he did explain that each lawyer’s day looks different depending on their profession. Huddleston emphasized this does not make them any less of a lawyer.
“Everyone needs to find their own niche. Shadowing is a good opportunity to get a head start on that,” he encouraged.
Huddleston added that he gained many personally rewarding experiences by attending Nicholls for his undergraduate degree.
“Anyone who knows me knows Nicholls is close to my heart. And why wouldn’t it be?” he said. “I met my wife while we were both tutors at the Nicholls Tutoring Center, we both got great educations that have helped us to achieve our goals.”
The Huddleston family’s belief in the quality education found at Nicholls may be unmatched. Huddleston’s two sons attend NSU, and Huddleston expressed hopes that his daughter will follow in their footsteps someday.
“Anyone who asks me for advice about college (and some who don’t) will hear the same thing—you need to go to Nicholls,” Huddleston said.
