Jacqueline Ootenhard

**Jacqueline Hélène Ootenhard** (born 27 September 1947) is a Maronan lawyer and former politician who served as a member of the Chamber of Representatives for Bas-Ceviens's 4th constituency from 1989 to 1994. Ootenhard is a member of the Republican Party.

Ootenhard was born in Saint-Jans-en-Clandre, and graduated from Picarie Colomtin University with a bachelor's degree in law in 1968, and a master's degree in family law in 1970. While a university student, Ootenhard was crowned Miss Bas-Ceviens 1967 and Miss Picarie 1967, and competed at Miss Marone 1968. After graduating, Ootenhard became certified to practice law, and began working as a divorce attorney in Colomtin. In 1984, she opened her own legal practice, specializing in divorce law.

In 1989, Ootenhard was selected to stand as a candidate in Bas-Ceviens's 4th constituency in the 1989 legislative election on behalf of the Republican Party. She was ultimately elected to the Chamber of Representatives in an upset victory, defeating incumbent Pierre-Antoine Bozonnet of the Socialist Party by a slim margin. After serving one term in parliament, Ootenhard was defeated in her reelection bid in the 1994 legislative election by Edgar Rigal of the Socialist Party. She subsequently retired from politics and returned to her law career.

## Early life and education

Ootenhard was born on 27 September 1947 in Saint-Jans-en-Clandre in the department of Grand-Nord to parents Jérôme (1923–1997) and Margaux Ootenhard (née *Vanschulpe*; 1924–2008). She came from a working-class Maronan Clemish family, with her father working at an automobile factory and her mother working various jobs in the service industry. Ootenhard is the eldest of four children; her younger siblings include Cassandre (born 1950), Arnaud (born 1952), and Yves (born 1955).

Ootenhard began her education in 1952, attending public schooling in Saint-Jans-en-Clandre. While in school, Ootenhard was a gifted student who aspired to become the first female president of Marone. She completed primary school in 1959, and later graduated from *collège* as well in 1962. Ootenhard subsequently enrolled in a public *lycée*, studying a *lycée académique* program in economics and social sciences, and graduated with honors in 1965. After graduating, Ootenhard relocated to Colomtin to enroll in Picarie Colomtin University, studying law. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in law in 1968, and afterwards received a master's degree in family law in 1970. While a university student, Ootenhard won the Miss Bas-Ceviens 1967 and Miss Picarie 1967 beauty pageants, and competed at Miss Marone 1968.

## Career

### Legal career

After graduating with her master's degree in 1970, Ootenhard passed the Maronan Bar Exam and became certified to work as a trainee lawyer. She found employment at a local family law office, and completed her traineeship in 1972. Afterwards, Ootenhard was hired as an associate attorney at the firm where she had completed her traineeship. In her early career, Ootenhard worked on a variety of matters within the scope of family law, including divorce, child custody, and adoption, before ultimately deciding to focus her legal career on divorce law. In 1984, Ootenhard left the firm in order to found her own legal practice with a colleague; the firm practiced family law, with Ootenhard focusing her practice on divorce law. In her practice, she represented clients in divorce courts, in addition to negotiating settlements, prenuptial agreements, and child custody arrangements.

Ootenhard retired from politics in 1994, and opted to return to her legal career. She was first hired as a partner at a regional law firm in Northern Marone, practicing divorce law out of its Colomtin office. In 1997, Ootenhard left the firm in order to found her own family law practice, where she served as name partner. She retired from the legal profession in 2012, and passed the firm down to her eldest son, whom had been employed as an attorney at the firm since 1998.

### Chamber of Representatives

Ootenhard began her political career in 1989, after was selected to stand as a candidate in Bas-Ceviens's 4th constituency in the 1989 legislative election on behalf of the Republican Party. Ootenhard had previously applied to stand as a candidate in the constituency in the 1984 legislative election, but was not selected by the party. Ootenhard went on to win the election, defeating incumbent representative Pierre-Antoine Bozonnet of the Socialist Party in an upset, as the constituency had been previously considered a reliably Socialist constituency. Following her election to the Chamber of Representatives, Ootenhard focused her legislating on family and women's issues.

Ootenhard stood for reelection in the constituency in the 1994 legislative election, where her seat was considered to be one of the most endangered seats held by the Republican Party. She went on to be defeated handedly by Edgar Rigal of the Socialist Party, and lost her seat in parliament. Following her election defeat, Ootenhard opted to retire from politics and return to her law career.

## Personal life

Ootenhard married Maronan real estate attorney Michaël Piarget in 1970, following a two-year relationship. Ootenhard and Piarget had first met as law students at Picarie Colomtin University. Ootenhard and Piarget have two sons together: Jérôme (born 1973) and Ludovic (born 1975). The family resides in the town of Saint-Jacques-de-Loudes in the department of Bas-Ceviens, outside of Colomtin.