Best Lawyers in Louisiana, United States

Hirschel Abbott concentrates his practice in estate planning, closely held businesses and entity selection, fiduciary litigation, charitable planning, and tax-exempt organizations. He currently serves as a co-chair of the firm’s Tax, Trusts and Estates Practice Group. As a Board-Certified Tax Law Specialist and a Certified Public Accountant, Hirschel counsels businesses and other high net worth individuals and families on matters related to property, tax, and estate planning. He also ad...

Frank Accardo is a founding member of the firm. He has been engaged in trial and appellate product liability litigation for over 30 years. His primary practice responsibilities include serving as managing counsel for the defense of asbestos personal injury litigation pending nationwide. Mr. Accardo was a licensed engineer engaged in the design and construction of offshore oil and gas platforms before starting his legal career.

Mark Adams is a partner in the Labor & Employment Practice Group. He represents employers in all types of employment matters. For more than 30 years, Mark has represented employers in disputes before federal and state courts and regulatory agencies. Drawing on the depth and breadth of his experience, he counsels employers on the development of effective human resources policies, procedures, and strategies for complying with federal and state labor and employment laws. He also works with b...

Since competing in Mock Trial tournaments in high school, Jennifer Adams has been hooked on the law. A naturally gifted communicator, Jennifer takes her clients’ best interests into consideration when completing difficult, but sometimes necessary, negotiations. Her love of triaging complex cases, whether defending cancer claims related to alleged asbestos exposure in the work place or "take-home" exposure claims, keeps Jennifer working hard to meet her clients’ needs. Jennifer is ...

Jay Adams is a partner in the Tax Practice Group and leader of the state and local tax team. Through partnering with his clients, Jay has developed a broad knowledge of the energy, manufacturing, healthcare, transportation, and retail industries that allows him to provide comprehensive and cost-effective advice in those areas. For more than 25 years, Jay has represented clients in matters involving virtually every type of state and local tax and in numerous jurisdictions. He has successfully ...

Gibbons Addison is a partner in the Litigation Practice Group. He represents clients in all phases of litigation and alternative dispute resolution. Gibbons litigates in state and federal courts across Louisiana and Texas. He represents individuals and businesses, from local organizations to Fortune 250 companies, in commercial, real estate, property damage, construction, employment, personal injury, intellectual property, environmental, oil and gas, and successions, trust, and estate litigat...

Lee Adler practices primarily in the areas of general business relationships and finance. He has an extensive transactional-based practice representing clients in a wide variety of fields. Finance transactions include real estate finance, vessel finance, accounts receivable-based finance and equipment and inventory finance, representing both borrowers and lenders. Prior to joining Phelps in 1992, Mr. Adler was an attorney at a large multi-practice firm in New York.

Richard Aguilar is resident in the firm's New Orleans office. His multi-state practice focuses on bringing his extensive business experience to bear for clients dealing with issues in areas involving creditor's rights, foreclosure, bankruptcy, reorganization, and high-consequence business and commercial litigation.

Andrea Albert brings a keen attention to detail and an eye toward long-term strategy to every investigation. A member of Galloway’s Emergency Response Team, she assists clients from the time of an accident through investigation and litigation. Her practice focuses on defense litigation—from trial through appeal—and includes transportation and trucking (including cargo claims), insurance coverage, property damage, premises liability, contractual liability, and personal injury...

Nan Alessandra represents employers in both the public and private sectors in the defense of discrimination, harassment and retaliation claims for age, gender, disability, race, religion, national origin, and other protected categories. Her litigation experience includes the defense of EEOC and other administrative charges filed through the various federal and state court agencies, as well as defense of legal claims filed at both the judicial level, as well as through the arbitration process....

Mr. Alford represents public utilities and other clients in a variety of matters, including commercial and tort litigation, regulatory proceedings, and contract and property issues. Representative cases include construction disputes, securities actions, antitrust and unfair trade practice claims, medical licensing, and consumer litigation. Mr. Alford also counsels clients concerning regulatory compliance, employment, and general business issues. Mr. Alford graduated from Louisiana State Unive...

Meaghan M. Anderson is an energy attorney with over 10 years of transactional experience. As a former Gulf of Mexico Land Representative at Chevron U.S.A. Inc. and General Counsel and Land Manager at Cantium, LLC, she has considerable experience working with Federal, State, and local governmental agencies, landowners, contractors, and other partners in complex transactions. Meaghan has worked on an array of agreements and dealings, including drafting, negotiating, and approving leases, acquis...

Michelle Anderson represents employers in all aspects of employment law in both state and federal courts, and before administrative agencies. Her practice focuses on representing employers against claims of unlawful discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, violations of leave and disability laws, and wage and hour related issues. Michelle also litigates and advises employers on issues arising out of employee defection, including the prosecution and defense of claims involving non-com...

Scott Andrews is the 2024-2025 President-Elect of the Louisiana Association for Justice (LAJ). He is licensed to practice law in Louisiana (since 1996) and Texas (since 2006), and is admitted to practice in all Federal Courts in Louisiana, and before the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court. Since 2010, Scott has been an Adjunct Professor of Law at the Southern University Law Center teaching Advanced Louisiana Torts, Insurance Law, and Products Liab...

Heather Angelico quickly and efficiently evaluates claims and related legal issues to assist clients in deciding whether matters should be resolved early or taken through trial. She focuses her practice on the Longshore & Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act and Defense Base Act and has extensive experience defending employers and carriers under the Longshore & Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, Non-appropriated Fund Instrumentalities Act, the Louisiana State Workers’ Compensa...

Phil is a commercial litigator in state and federal courts. He takes pride in advising his clients on how to succeed at trial, on appeal, or how to avoid litigation altogether. Louis Armstrong, the greatest trumpet player of all time, said “never play anything the same way twice.” Phil has taken this advice to heart in his practice, advising unique clients facing distinct challenges with an individualized approach. Phil represents a diverse set of clients across a broad range of i...

Barbara Arras represents defendants in toxic tort litigation primarily involving pulmonary diseases allegedly caused by asbestos and other pulmonary irritants and hematopoietic diseases allegedly caused by benzene. She is responsible for the medical defense in each case. Specifically, she analyzes the facts to formulate a theory of defense and identifies the correct scientific discipline needed to advance that theory. She then identifies and retains the best expert in that discipline from her...

Lee H. Ayres is principally a trial lawyer. He has extensive experience in civil litigation, including business and commercial disputes, oil and gas litigation, property disputes, natural resources litigation, products liability claims, professional malpractice defense, trucking defense, personal injury claims, fraud claims, insurance coverage, and insurance bad faith defense. Lee received his undergraduate and law degrees at Louisiana State University Law Center, where he was a member of the...

Stephen Babcock is a native of Ruston, Louisiana. He earned a B.S. from Louisiana Tech University and subsequently received a J.D. from the LSU Paul M. Herbert Law Center. Martindale-Hubbell has given Mr. Babcock an AV rating, an indication of his exemplary legal skills, stellar reputation—and highly respected, well-established practice. Since he founded Babcock Injury Lawyers, Mr. Babcock has prided himself on taking a direct, down-to-earth, insightful—and proactive—approac...

Bart Bacigalupi focuses his practice on corporate business matters, including commercial finance, real estate, leasing, software contracts, start-up advice, services agreements, corporate governance and other commercial matters. He advises companies in general business matters across various industries, including energy, shipping, financial middle-market lenders, real estate investors, technology, hospitality and public utilities with respect to their legal business needs. Bart seeks to serve...

Bill Backstrom is a partner and leader of the firm’s Tax Practice Group. For more than 35 years, he has focused on state and local tax matters in Louisiana and on a multistate basis. Bill provides comprehensive, practical, and solution-focused tax guidance to a broad range of business enterprises. Known for the quality of his counsel, his commitment to client service, and his ability to explain sophisticated issues in clear terms — particularly with respect to Louisiana’s hi...

Etienne Balart is a partner in the Maritime and Litigation practice groups, in the Construction Industry Team, and co-leads the firm's Latin America working group. He provides transactional and litigation counsel to clients in the energy and maritime industries. Etienne helps clients identify and quantify financial, compliance, and other risks associated with disputes and litigated matters, negotiate, and, where necessary, bring to trial commercial and other disputes. Relying upon this deep e...

Michael A. Balascio is an experienced litigator representing clients in securities litigation and arbitration, high-stakes insurance coverage and bad faith cases, and complex commercial litigation. He has first-chair trial experience and has successfully litigated matters in federal and state appellate courts. In his securities practice, Michael counsels investment management companies and brokers in litigated matters and FINRA proceedings in a variety of significant disputes involving securi...

Will Baldwin is co-leader of the firm’s Maritime Industry Group and leader of the firm’s maritime transactional team, where he focuses on maritime transactions and marine finance. Will also serves as co-chair of the firm’s offshore wind initiative. Will advises and represents clients on a wide range of complex marine transactional matters, including financings, ship mortgages, the purchase and sale of marine assets, Jones Act compliance, and governmental approval for maritim...

John T. Balhoff, II, a member of the firm, was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 1971. He attended college at the University of Notre Dame and graduated from there, cum laude, in 1993, receiving a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in finance. Mr. Balhoff received his Juris Doctor degree from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University in 1996. Mr. Balhoff presently is admitted to the Louisiana Bar and he also is admitted to practice before all United States District C...

Jeff Barbin practices in the areas of commercial and industrial real estate and finance. He has extensive experience in corporate, transactional and regulatory matters related to casino gaming. He counsels developers and operators on acquisitions, site development, financing and disposition. He has focused on gaming transactions requiring local gaming regulatory approvals and other complex transactional and regulatory matters, often working closely with the firm’s gaming lawyers in Miss...

Judy Barrasso is a founding member of Barrasso Usdin Kupperman Freeman & Sarver, L.L.C. Her practice focuses on commercial litigation, and includes complex commercial litigation matters and class actions involving complex commercial contracts, director and officer liability, securities fraud, and insurance coverage and bad faith claims. Judy has been ranked by Chambers USA as a top commercial litigator, by Benchmark Litigation as a Litigation Star, and by the Diversity Journal as among 20...

Brent Barriere has over forty years of experience litigating commercial cases. He represents clients in a wide variety of commercial disputes, including bankruptcy and creditors’ rights, securities litigation, breach of contract, business valuation disputes, director and officer claims, error and omission claims, and class actions. Brent has developed a national practice niche representing trustees and receivers in varied litigation. He is currently Receiver’s counsel in Securitie...

Frank Barry is an experienced maritime and energy litigator with successes involving maritime property damage, marine insurance indemnity and coverage claims. Frank also has achieved successful outcomes in insurance broker E&O claims, and in oil and gas claims such as Legacy Oil, on shore blowouts, and operating agreement litigation. With over 30 years of experience, his reported cases include seminal Louisiana caselaw on gas balancing and preferential rights in mineral law (Fina Oil &...

Partner H.S. Bartlett III (“Tad”) heads up Fishman Haygood’s Appellate Group and practices more broadly in the firm’s Litigation Section. He is an Appellate Practice Specialist, certified by the Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization, and serves as a member of the LBLS Appellate Practice Advisory Commission. Tad first practiced under the Louisiana student practice rule in 1999 as a member of the Tulane Environmental Law Clinic before graduating magna cum laude and Ord...

Bob Barton serves as the Taylor Porter Managing Partner and as a member of the Firm's Executive Committee. Practicing law since 1994, Mr. Barton’s practice is varied, consisting of representation of local and national businesses in matters involving commercial litigation and transactions, regulatory and compliance matters, and general litigation. He is the co-chair of the firm's Business and Commercial Litigation practice. Mr. Barton has been selected for inclusion in both Louisiana Sup...

Allison Bell is a partner in the Corporate Practice Group and co-chairs the firm’s Healthcare Industry Team. She focuses on merger and acquisition transactions. Allison represents a wide variety of organizations in a number of key industries, including healthcare, insurance, transportation, and energy. Allison has extensive experience advising public and private companies in acquisition and divestiture transactions, joint ventures, and other complex business transactions. Allison also r...

Ashley advises businesses, financial institutions, and individuals concerning bankruptcies, class actions, contracts, construction, environmental issues, fidelity, surety and financial institution bonds, insurance, professional malpractice, real estate, corporate, and estate matters. She also mediates and arbitrates business disputes. Ashley currently serves as a member of the AAA Construction Panel, AAA Commercial Panel and FINRA Panel as an arbitrator and mediator. After Hurricane Katrina, ...

Brad Belsome handles matters involving transportation law, specifically within the Rail Industry. He has represented a Class I Carrier in actions brought in the State and Federal courts of Louisiana, as well as before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, Court of Federal Claims, Office of Administrative Law Judges, OSHA, including: claims prosecuted pursuant to the Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA), 45 U.S.C. § 51 et seq. (1908), the Federal Rail Safety Act (FRS...

Jon Benda practices in the areas of contract preparation and negotiation, mergers and acquisitions, documentation of commercial loans, commercial real estate transactions, joint ventures, and general corporate and business law.

Fishman Haygood Special Counsel Alicia Bendana maintains a national practice focused on complex bankruptcy and commercial litigation. She represents trustees, debtors, creditors, creditors’ committees, receivers and liquidators in high-stakes matters involving officer and director liability, professional negligence, fraud, RICO, fraudulent transfers, and business dissolutions. A Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), Alicia is also board certified in business bankruptcy law by both the America...

Jamie L. Berger is a member of the firm and serves as the firm’s hiring partner. Clients have praised Jamie for her "out-of-the-box solutions to complicated legal problems" and "impeccable judgment." Jamie practices in all aspects of complex litigation. She has litigated, arbitrated, and advised clients in a variety of areas, including securities, corporate governance, contract disputes, and government and regulatory investigations. Her clients come from a range of industries, including...

As a degreed engineer, Keith J. Bergeron realizes that it gives his construction clients a sense of security to know they share similar backgrounds and that he understands their type of work. Receiving a lawsuit brought against you brings the stigma that something went wrong, but sometimes that is not a true statement. Keith investigates claims and defends his clients in all aspects of construction and construction surety law. He devotes special attention to architectural and engineering defe...

Ned Bergin is a partner in the Litigation Practice Group. He represents utilities and publicly held companies in a broad range of disputes. Ned has a robust commercial litigation practice focused on utility regulation, complex and class action litigation, contract litigation, energy litigation, state constitutional and home rule law and antitrust matters. He represents publicly held entities in these areas, including large nationwide telecommunications providers and energy production and coge...

C. Byron Berry, Jr.’s practice covers a broad spectrum of litigation matters. He handles complex, multi-district and multi-party litigation (including class actions) and is known for leading, managing and coordinating counsel in such matters. These cases arise in the areas of administrative law, construction litigation, business litigation, professional malpractice liability, pharmaceutical drug liability, products liability, healthcare, professional licensure investigations and discipl...

Richard Bertram is a partner in the Maritime Practice Group. Richard has more than 30 years of experience in admiralty and maritime law. He handles a wide range of domestic and international admiralty and maritime matters, including transactions, litigation, arbitration, appellate, regulatory, and administrative law, marine casualty investigations, regulatory compliance, and marine pollution and environmental matters.

Mr. Best is a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and he returned home to South Louisiana in 2005. Mr. Best worked for a healthcare boutique firm in New Orleans for almost nine years before joining Blue Williams. Mr. Best has first and second chaired numerous bench and jury trials in Louisiana, as well as Georgia, and he has participated in numerous medical review panel proceedings and arbitration hearings in various jurisdictions. Mr. Best has extensive experience in healthcare regulatory and ...

Robert Bieck is special counsel in the Litigation Practice Group. He focuses on securities and other regulatory compliance and enforcement defense, and capital markets products and corporate governance litigation. Rob represents securities brokers, banks and other financial institutions, and corporations, as well as their directors, officers, and other employees, in matters arising under federal and state securities laws, general corporate laws, banking laws, and the Employee Retirement Incom...