Judge Paula Brown was elected to the State of Louisiana Court of Appeal, Fourth Circuit on March 25, 2017, and was re-elected without opposition on July 20, 2018. She was formerly a judge at Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans, where she served for seven years. A native of Oceans Springs, Mississippi, Judge Brown attended Tulane University on a basketball scholarship and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Management from the A.B. Freeman School of Business. She received her Juris Doctorate from Southern University Law Center.

In 1993, as a young lawyer, Judge Brown began to hone her skills by serving as a judicial law clerk to Chief Justice Bernette J. Johnson (Ret.) in Civil District Court and again at the Louisiana Supreme Court. Her vast experience led her to an appointment as Judge Pro Tempore for Orleans Civil District Court in 2004.

Judge Brown is active in many state and national legal organizations. She is an American Bar Foundation Fellow, Class of 2021, and the Louisiana Bar Foundation Fellow, Class of 2011, where she serves as a member of the Greater New Orleans Community Partnership Panel. She serves as President of the A.P. Tureaud American Inn of Court and has served as an executive board member since 2014. She also serves as a moderator and presenter at continuing legal education programs for both judges and attorneys, and she mentors newly elected judges and newly admitted attorneys. In 2005, she was a recipient of the City Business Leadership in Law Award.

Judge Brown is not only active in legal activities, but also in her community. She is a board member of Louisiana Appleseed, Louisiana Green Corps, Covenant House New Orleans, Voices in the Dark Repertory Theatre Company, Louisiana Heat Foundation, Inc., and I.N.S.P.I.R.E., RR, Inc. (Increase Student Performance in Reading Excellence, Rewards Recognition) where she serves as Vice President. In addition, Judge Brown serves as a mentor in the Dillard University’s LEAD (Legal Education Advancing Diversity) Program and Tulane University Women’s Basketball Mentorship Program. She is the 2016 recipient of the American Athletic Conference/Tulane University’s National Girls and Women in Sports Day.

As a breast cancer survivor, and a person living with multiple sclerosis, Judge Brown is passionate about promoting awareness for these diseases. She currently serves as a board member of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, New Orleans Affiliate. Judge Brown was awarded the 2015 Susan G. Komen Survivor of the Year. She was also the 2015 recipient of the Forum for Equality Leadership Award. Judge Brown is a former YWCA Role Model and the 2010 recipient of the Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.’s Award for Exemplary Community Service.