The Hon. Quintillis K. Lawrence (Ret.) is a former commissioner for the 19th Judicial District Court of Louisiana. He joined the bench in 2012, filling the vacancy created by the retirement of the Hon. John Smart. Lawrence resigned from the post in 2018.
The 19th Judicial District includes East Baton Rouge Parish. Lawrence presided over the Commissioners’ Court.
He received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Southern University in 1998. Lawrence then completed a J.D. at Southern University Law Center in 2001.
After graduating from law school, he began his legal career as a law clerk for the 18th Judicial District Court. Then, in 2004, Lawrence joined the New Orleans District Attorney’s Office, where he worked for almost three years. Three years later, he left his position as a prosecutor to represent indigent defendants as an assistant public defender in East Baton Rouge Parish. In addition to his practice there, Lawrence established a solo practice in 2009 and would continue to hold both positions until joining the bench in 2012.
Following his judicial tenure, he returned to private practice as an associate at The Law Offices of Ossie Brown in 2020. The next year, Lawrence began a yearlong stint as an H.R. attorney for the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. In 2022, he became assistant chief counsel for the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Lawrence has also taught at the National University and the Southern University Law Center. In addition, he has served as a judge advocate general in the United States Army Reserve. Lawrence enlisted in 1991, and he has served as a part-time Chief of Military Justice since 2020. He attended the United States Army Command and General Staff College (2014 to 2016) and the United States Army War College (2020).
His memberships include the Louisiana State Bar Association and the Baton Rouge Bar Association. Lawrence has also been involved with the YMCA of the Capital Area and the Imagination Leads Board of Directors.
He was born in Saginaw, Michigan.
Lawrence is registered as a Democrat.