Bethard & Bethard, LLC – A Tradition of Legal Excellence Since 1922

Bethard & Bethard, LLC is a long-established law firm based in Coushatta, Louisiana, serving families, landowners, and businesses throughout the state. Founded in 1922 by Henry W. Bethard, Jr., the firm has built a reputation for trusted legal service, beginning with a focus on property and mineral law and a strong commitment to protecting landowners’ rights—principles that continue to guide the firm today.

Henry W. Bethard, Jr. graduated from Loyola University Law School in 1918 at the age of 20. Louisiana law required applicants to be at least 21 years old to sit for the bar exam, so he waited a year before taking it. When he passed the Louisiana Bar in 1919, he became the youngest licensed attorney in the state at that time. He began practicing in Harrisonburg, Louisiana, and moved to Coushatta in 1922, where he established the firm that still bears his name.

His son, Henry W. Bethard, III, followed in his father’s footsteps, graduating from LSU Law School in 1948 after service in World War II. Henry III joined his father in practice, and upon Henry Jr.’s passing in 1961, he continued the firm as the sole attorney in Red River Parish for several years. Later, he brought his sons, Jim Bethard and Robert Bethard, into the firm, continuing the family’s legal tradition.

The firm operated exclusively from its Coushatta office until 2016, when it expanded with the opening of a Shreveport office. The Shreveport office is staffed by Jordan N. George Young, who joined in 2021, and Adam L. Massery, who joined in 2022. Though not part of the Bethard family, Jordan and Adam have quickly become valued members of the firm’s extended “family,” working closely with our team to serve clients across the region. In the Coushatta office, the family presence continues with Kambrie Bethard Hays, daughter of Robert Bethard, and her husband, Joseph W. Hays, who both joined in 2023.

Bethard & Bethard, LLC maintains a concentrated focus on property law, real estate transactions, and property-related litigation, handling matters ranging from small residential lots to large tracts of land, timber, and mineral estates. The firm also has a strong concentration in estate planning, wills and trusts, successions and probates, adoptions, and interdictions.

Over the years, the firm has cultivated long-term relationships with individuals, families, businesses, and landowners throughout Red River Parish, Caddo Parish, Natchitoches Parish, DeSoto Parish, Bienville Parish, Bossier Parish, Claiborne Parish, Sabine Parish, and numerous other parishes across Louisiana.

We represent clients owning thousands of acres of timber, agricultural, and recreational property, as well as clients with residential lots, tax sale properties, and undivided interests. Our attorneys are experienced in matters involving mineral rights, surface ownership without mineral rights, complex successions and probates, and business entities including corporations and limited liability companies (LLCs).

From buying and selling property, negotiating mineral leases, and estate planning to complex litigation and all matters in between, Bethard & Bethard, LLC provides comprehensive legal services grounded in over a century of Louisiana experience. No matter the legal issue, we are committed to helping our clients find the best possible resolution, delivering high-quality legal work with personal attention and accessibility.