John R. Keogh graduated from Louisiana State University Law School in 1969, ranking twelfth in his class. After entering the Army in the Judge Advocate General's Corps, he served as prosecutor and attended the National College of District Attorneys at the University of Houston. After being discharged from active duty he has kept up his reserve obligations and has retired as a Lieutenant Colonel from the United States Army Reserve.

After an extensive trial practice in the Military, concentrating on Criminal Law and International Law, Mr. Keogh began the practice of insurance defense law in October of 1973. Mr. Keogh defends product liability, professional liability, and general tort claims. In addition, Mr. Keogh has an extensive list of small businesses for whom he acts as consultant and actively handles all of their litigation. Some of these corporations are Southeastern Biologics, Inc., Pathology Associates of Southern Louisiana, Ltd., Interstate Communications, Inc., and Southern Camera Services, Inc. Mr. Keogh's practice involves approximately 80 per cent litigation work. He regularly serves as a mediator and arbitrator for United States Arbitration & Mediation.

Mr. Keogh served as the Sixth District Representative to the Louisiana Bar Association Young Lawyer's Section and was a contributing writer for the Baton Rouge Bar Association Newsletter and the Gris Gris Regional Magazine. He is on the Legislative Coordination Committee of the Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel, and a past member of its Board of Directors.