MEMBERS OF FIRM
John A. Gordon (A P.L.C.) (Member) born Chicago, Illinois, December 16, 1926; admitted to bar, 1951, Louisiana. Education: Tulane University of Louisiana (B.A., 1949; LL.B., 1951). Member: New Orleans, Louisiana State, Federal and American Bar Associations. Practice Areas: Oil and Gas Law; Oil and Gas Contracts; Oil and Gas Title Examination; Energy.Email: John A. Gordon (A P.L.C.)
Blake G. Arata (A P.L.C.) (Member) born New Orleans, Louisiana, August 15, 1931; admitted to bar, 1953, Louisiana. Education: Loyola University (B.B.A., 1952; J.D., 1953). Alpha Sigma Nu. Member, 1951-1953; Recent Case Editor, 1952-1953, Loyola Law Review. City Attorney, City of New Orleans, 1970-1975. Member: New Orleans, Louisiana State (Chairman, Section on Mineral Law, 1969-1970) Federal and American Bar Associations. [LCDR, U.S. Naval Reserve (Retired)]. Practice Areas: Oil and Gas Litigation; Business Litigation; Energy Contracts; Oil and Gas Title Examination; Real Estate; Finance.Email: Blake G. Arata (A P.L.C.)
John M. McCollam (A P.L.C.) (Member) born New Orleans, Louisiana, June 19, 1933; admitted to bar, 1959, Louisiana. Education: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (A.B., 1954); Tulane University of Louisiana (J.D., 1959). Order of the Coif; Omicron Delta Kappa; Phi Delta Phi. Member, 1957-1959; Editor-in-Chief, 1958-1959, Tulane Law Review. Author: Article, "Legal Relations Among Parties to Compulsory Units," 15th Ann. Inst. on Min. L., Louisiana State University, Center of Continuing Professional Development (1968); Paper, "A Selective Comparison of Contractual Operating Problems Under Federal Offshore and Onshore Oil and Gas Leases," 29th Ann. Inst. on Oil & Gas L. & Tax'n (Matthew Bender 1978); Paper, "Contract Actions and the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act: Jurisdiction, Venue and Applicable Law," 38th Ann. Inst. on Oil & Gas L. & Tax'n (Matthew Bender 1987); Article, "A Primer for the Practice of Mineral Law Under the New Louisiana Mineral Code," 50 Tul. L. Rev. 739; Article, "Gas Royalty and Implied Covenant Litigation," South Texas College of Law 7th Ann. Adv. Oil & Gas L. Inst.; Article, "Present Status of the Prudent Operator Obligations," 42nd Ann. Inst. on Min. L., Louisiana State University, Center of Continuing Professional Development (1995). Professor of Law Emeritus, Tulane University, 1964-1974; 1976-1987. Professional Associations: Fellow: American College of Trial Lawyers; American Bar Foundation. Member: New Orleans (Executive Committee, 1969-1970; Secretary, 1978-1979), Louisiana State, Federal Energy and American Bar Associations. Practice Areas: Oil and Gas Law; Oil and Gas Litigation; Oil and Gas Title Examination; Contract Litigation; Complex Commercial Litigation; Antitrust and Trade Regulation; Energy; Real Estate; Real Estate Finance.Email: John M. McCollam (A P.L.C.)
Ewell E. (Tim) Eagan Jr., (A P.L.C.) (Member) born New Orleans, Louisiana, November 16, 1947; admitted to bar, 1975, California; 1977, Louisiana. Education: Tulane University of Louisiana (B.A., 1969); Georgetown University (J.D., 1975). Omicron Delta Kappa. Member, The Georgetown Law Journal, 1974-1975. Author: "Fifth Circuit Symposium: Antitrust," 24 Loyola Law Review 841 (1980). Professional Associations: Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers. Member: New Orleans, Louisiana State and American (Member, Sections on: Antitrust Law; Litigation) Bar Associations; State Bar of California. [Lt., U.S. Navy, 1969-1973]. Practice Areas: Complex Commercial Litigation; Class Action Defense; Federal Civil Litigation; Oil and Gas Litigation; Construction Litigation; Antitrust and Trade Regulation; Labor and Employment.Email: Ewell E. (Tim) Eagan Jr., (A P.L.C.)
Cynthia A. Nicholson (Member) born Bethesda, Maryland, March 28, 1955; admitted to bar, 1980, Louisiana. Education: H. Sophie Newcomb Memorial College (B.S., 1977); Tulane University of Louisiana (J.D., 1980). Member: New Orleans, Louisiana State (Oil and Gas Section) and American (Natural Resources Section) Bar Associations; Petroleum Landmen's Association of New Orleans; American Association of Professional Landmen. Practice Areas: Oil and Gas Title Examination; Oil and Gas Acquisitions; Oil and Gas Contracts; Oil and Gas Exploration; Oil and Gas Finance; Energy; Real Estate; Real Estate Finance.Email: Cynthia A. Nicholson
Steven W. Copley (Member) born Ft. Monmouth, New Jersey, January 17, 1954; admitted to bar, 1985, Louisiana. Education: University of Illinois-Springfield (B.A., 1976); Loyola University (J.D., 1985). Member, 1983-1985 and Articles/Comments Editor, 1984-1985, Loyola Law Review. Co-author, "Fifth Circuit Symposium: Federal Jurisdiction and Procedure," 36 Loy. L. Rev. 801 (1990)). Member: New Orleans, Louisiana State and American Bar Associations. Practice Areas: Complex Commercial Litigation; Products Liability Defense; Franchise Litigation; Commercial Bankruptcy; Insurance Litigation; Antitrust and Trade Regulation; Class Actions.Email: Steven W. Copley
Marion D. Welborn Weinstock (Member) born New Orleans, Louisiana, October 16, 1961; admitted to bar, 1987, Louisiana. Education: H. Sophie Newcomb Memorial College (B.S., magna cum laude, 1984); Tulane University of Louisiana (J.D., summa cum laude, 1987). Phi Beta Kappa; Order of the Coif. Recipient, Faculty Medal. Member, 1985-1987 and Associate Editor, 1986-1987, Tulane Law Review. Author: "PAC Spending Limits Held Unconstitutional: Federal Election Commission v. National Conservative Political Action Committee," 61 Tul. L. Rev. 1985 (1987). Judicial Clerkship, The Honorable Walter F. Marcus, Jr., Associate Justice, Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1987-1988. Member: Louisiana State and American Bar Associations; Louisiana Bankers Association (Bank Counsel Section). Practice Areas: Oil and Gas Finance; Commercial Real Estate; Commercial Leasing; Secured Transactions; Banking Regulation; Real Estate Title Insurance; Energy.Email: Marion D. Welborn Weinstock
Martin E. Landrieu (Member) born New Orleans, Louisiana, April 3, 1963; admitted to bar, 1988, Louisiana. Education: Louisiana State University (B.S.P.L.M., 1985); Loyola University (J.D., 1988). Member, Loyola Law Review, 1986-1988. Member: Louisiana State (Member: Young Lawyers Section Council, 1998-2000; Continuing Legal Education Committee, 1998-2000), Federal and American Bar Associations. Practice Areas: Business Litigation; Real Estate Contracts; Real Estate Litigation; Telecommunications Law; Construction Litigation; Franchise Litigation; Class Actions.Email: Martin E. Landrieu
A. Gregory Grimsal (Member) born New Orleans, Louisiana, August 29, 1950; admitted to bar, 1979, Louisiana. Education: Tulane University of Louisiana (B.A., cum laude, 1972; J.D., 1979); Cambridge University, Cambridge, England (LL.B., 1981). Recipient, Rotary Foundation Graduate Fellowship for International Understanding, 1980. Member, 1977-1979 and Articles Editor, 1978-1979, Tulane Law Review. Judicial Clerk, Honorable Edward J. Boyle, Sr., Senior Judge, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana, 1981-1989. Member: Louisiana State and Federal (National Membership Chairman; President, New Orleans Chapter, 2003-2004) Bar Associations. Practice Areas: Federal Civil Litigation; Banking Litigation; Insurance Coverage; Products Liability Defense; Shopping Center Law; Antitrust and Trade Regulation; Class Actions; Labor and Employment.Email: A. Gregory Grimsal
Donna Phillips Currault (Member) born New Orleans, Louisiana, July 31, 1964; admitted to bar, 1989, Louisiana. Education: Loyola University (B.A., cum laude, 1985); Tulane University of Louisiana (J.D., magna cum laude, 1989). Order of the Coif. Member, 1987-1989 and Managing Editor, 1988-1989, Tulane Law Review. Author: Comment, "Immediate Appealability of Minimum Contact Defenses: How Far Does the Cohen Doctrine Extend?" 63 Tulane Law Review 913 (1989). Judicial Clerk, The Honorable Morey L. Sear, Judge, United States District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana, 1989-1990. Member: Louisiana State, Federal (Member, Sections on: Litigation; Labor and Employment; Federal Securities Litigation; Bankruptcy) and American (Member, Sections on: Litigation; Employment and Labor Relations; Securities Litigation) Bar Associations; Louisiana Bankers Association (Member, Bank Counsel Section). Practice Areas: Complex Litigation; Class Action Defense; Employment Discrimination; Hospital Liability Defense; Commercial Bankruptcy; Antitrust and Trade Regulation.Email: Donna Phillips Currault
Scott A. O'Connor (Member) born New Orleans, Louisiana, August 7, 1963; admitted to bar, 1989, Louisiana. Education: University of New Orleans (B.A., 1985); Loyola University (J.D., cum laude, 1989). Member, 1987-1989 and Managing Editor, 1988-1989, Loyola Law Review. Judicial Clerk, The Honorable A. J. McNamara, Judge, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana, 1989-1990. Co-Author: "Fifth Circuit Symposiums: Oil and Gas," 41 Loyola Law Review 521 (1995) and 46 Loyola Law Review 1199 (2000). Member: Louisiana State, Federal, Federal Energy and American Bar Associations; Thomas More Inn of Court; New Orleans and Houston Professional Landmen's Association. Reported Cases: Texas Eastern Transmission Corp. v. Amerada Hess Corp., 145 F.3d 737 (5th Cir. 1998); EP Operating Ltd. Partnership v. Placid Oil Co., 26 F.3d 563 (5th Cir. 1994); Fina Oil & Chemical Co. v. Amoco Production Co., 673 So. 2d 668 (La. App. 1st Cir. 1996); LaPlaque Corp. v. Chevron U.S.A. Inc., 638 So. 2d 354 (La. App. 4th Cir. 1994). Practice Areas: Oil and Gas Contracts; Arbitration; Commercial Arbitration; Complex Commercial Litigation; Bankruptcy; Class Actions; Energy.Email: Scott A. O'Connor
C. Peck Hayne Jr. (Member) born New Orleans, Louisiana, April 9, 1962; admitted to bar, 1988, New York; 1989, Louisiana. Education: Yale University (B.A., summa cum laude, 1984); New York University (J.D., 1987). Phi Beta Kappa. Member, 1985-1987; Managing Editor, 1986-1987, New York University Journal of International Law and Politics. Co-Author: "Fifth Circuit Symposium: Oil and Gas," 46 Loyola (LA) Law Review 1199, 2000; "Fifth Circuit Symposium: Oil and Gas," 44 Loyola (LA) Law Review 519, 1998; "State Regulation of Pipelines," Energy Law and Transactions (Matthew Bender 1990). Author: "Oil and Gas," 34 Texas Tech Law Review 819, 2003; Note, "Anschuetz, International Discovery American Style, and the Hague Evidence Convention," 19 New York University Journal of International Law and Politics 87 (1986). Judicial Clerk, The Honorable Charles Schwartz Jr., 1987-1988; The Honorable Patrick E. Carr, 1988-1991, Judge, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana. Member: Louisiana State (Member: House of Delegates, 1999-2003; Access to Justice Committee, 1997-2005), Fifth Circuit, Federal, American and Energy (Member, Judicial Review Committee, 1992-1999) Bar Associations; American Association of Professional Landmen; Professional Landmen's Association - New Orleans. Practice Areas: Mineral and Energy Law; Oil, Gas, Pipeline and Gas Storage Title Examination; Acquisitions; Contracts and Finance; Real Estate; Federal Appellate Litigation.Email: C. Peck Hayne Jr.
Howard E. Sinor, Jr. (Member) born New Orleans, Louisiana, September 6, 1949; admitted to bar, 1975, Louisiana. Education: University of New Orleans (B.A., with honors, 1971); Harvard University (J.D., cum laude, 1975). Contributing Author: Louisiana Appellate Practice Handbook, Lawyer's Co-Op Publishing, 1997. Editor, Continuing Legal Education Manual of Recent Developments in the Law, 1983-1985. Author: "Antitrust Compliance Programs," Kentucky Bar Association, 1994; "Louisiana Evidence Code," Louisiana State Bar Association, 1989; "New Justice Department Merger Guidelines," 30 La. Bar J. 94, 1982; "Antitrust and the Health Care Industry," 30 La. Bar J. 156, 1982. Chairman, 1987-1989, Vice-Chairman, 1985-1987 and Secretary-Treasurer, 1984-1985, Section of Antitrust Law; Member, Section on Corporation and Banking Law; Chairman, 1985-1987, Continuing Legal Education Committee, Louisiana State Bar Association. Member: American Bar Association (Member, Sections on: Antitrust Law; Litigation; Construction Industry Forum). Practice Areas: Commercial Litigation; Antitrust and Trade Regulation; Construction Law; Litigation; Class Actions; Labor and Employment; Real Estate; Real Estate Finance.Email: Howard E. Sinor, Jr.
Tina Crawford White (Member) born Slidell, Louisiana, December 4, 1964; admitted to bar, 1994, Louisiana. Education: Loyola University (B.B.A., cum laude, 1986); Tulane University of Louisiana (J.D., magna cum laude, 1994). Order of the Coif; Phi Delta Phi; Beta Alpha Psi. Member, 1992-1994 and Articles Editor, 1993-1994, Tulane Law Review. Judicial Clerk to the Honorable Walter F. Marcus, Justice, Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1994-1995. Certified Public Accountant, 1987. Author: "Leatherman v. Tarrant County: The Supreme Court Rejects the Fifth Circuit's Heightened Pleading Requirement in Civil Rights Cases Against Municipalities," 68 Tul. L. Rev. 689 (1994). Member: New Orleans (Co-Chair, Approach the Bench Committee, 2000-2002); Fifth Circuit, Louisiana State (Co-Chair, Community Action Committee, 2003); Federal and American (Member, Sections on: Antitrust Law; Litigation; Construction Industry Forum) Bar Associations; Young Leadership Council (Co-Chair, Neighborhood Renaissance Partnership, 2003). Practice Areas: Commercial Litigation; Antitrust; Trade Regulation; Construction Litigation; Civil Litigation; Class Actions; Labor and Employment.Email: Tina Crawford White
David J. Messina (Member) born New Orleans, Louisiana, May 4, 1962; admitted to bar, 1987, Louisiana. Education: Loyola University (B.M., 1984; M.B.A., 1987; J.D., 1987). Beta Gamma Sigma. Member, 1985-1987, and Articles/Comments Editor, 1986-1987, Loyola University Law Review. Author: "An Inquiry into the Possessor's Protection Against the State," 32 Loy. L. Review 231, 1986; "Corporal Punishment v. Classroom Discipline: A Case of Mistaken Identity," 34 Loy. L. Rev. 35, 1988; "Fifth Circuit Symposium - Bankruptcy," 35 Loy. L. Rev., 1989; "Chapter 13 - Overview of Developing Areas," Louisiana State University Law Center, 1991; "Pros and Cons of Filing a Chapter 7 of 13 Bankruptcy Case: How to Choose Between the Two," LSU Law Center, 1992; "An Alternative to Redemption and Reaffirmation for Chapter 7 Debtors,: 40 La. Bar J. 447, 1992; "Bankruptcy and Gambling -- The Future," LSU Law Center, 1995; "Recent Developments in Bankruptcy," LSU Law Center, 1995; "Fifth Circuit Update," Baton Rouge Bar Assoc. Bankruptcy Seminar, 1995; "Section 544 and 548 Avoidance Actions," LSU Law Center, 1996; "Avoidance Actions," LSU Law Center, 1997-1999. Law Clerk to Louis M. Phillips, Judge, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Middle District of Louisiana, 1988-1989. Member: New Orleans, Louisiana State and American Bar Associations; American Bankruptcy Institute. Practice Areas: Bankruptcy; Commercial Litigation.Email: David J. Messina
Terrence K. Knister (Member) born San Diego, California, May 11, 1956; admitted to bar, 1981, Mississippi, Louisiana, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Mississippi and U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana; 1982, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Louisiana; 1983, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; 1988, U.S. District Court, Western District of Louisiana; 1994, U.S. Supreme Court; 1997, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Mississippi. Education: University of Mississippi (B.P.A., 1978; J.D., 1981). Phi Delta Phi. Member, University of Mississippi Moot Court Board. Member: Louisiana State and American Bar Associations; The Mississippi Bar. Fellow: Louisiana Bar Foundation; Defense Research Institute; National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel. Practice Areas: Trial Specialist; Toxic Torts; Environmental Litigation; Class Action Defense; Products Liability Litigation; Premises Liability Litigation; Railroad Defense Litigation; Toxic Exposure; Environmental Regulation; Maritime Personal Injury Law; Commercial Litigation; Labor and Employment; Oil and Gas Transactions; Oil and Gas Regulation.Email: Terrence K. Knister
Anne P. Birdsong (Member) born Monroe, Louisiana, December 31, 1967; admitted to bar, 1992, Louisiana and U.S. District Court, Eastern, Middle and Western District of Louisiana; 1993, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; 1995, U.S. Supreme Court. Education: Tulane University of Louisiana (B.A., magna cum laude, 1989; J.D., 1992). Phi Beta Kappa; Omicron Delta Kappa. Recipient: Award for Highest Class Standing, Civil Law Seminar; Honors in Trial Advocacy. Managing Editor, Tulane Maritime Law Journal. Judicial Extern for the Honorable Ronald A. Fonseca, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana. Author: "The Best Repellent for the Class Action Mosquito," ABA Mass Tort Litigation Newsletter, Vol. 1 Issue 1, 2002; "Commercial Mayhem on the (Trans-) Orient Express: Trans-Orient Marine Corp. v. Star Trading & Marine, Inc.," 16 Tul. Mar. L.J. 203 (1991). Member: New Orleans, Louisiana State (Chair, Public Service Committee, 1996-1998; First District Representative, 1996-1998; Secretary, 1998-1999; Chair-Elect, 1999-2000; Chair, 2000-2001; Board of Governors, 2000-2001, Young Lawyers' Council; Member, Committees on: Access to Justice; Consumer Fraud and Protection, 2000-2001; House of Delegates, 2003); Federal (Member, Litigation Section) and American (Member, Sections on: Litigation ; Tort and Insurance Practice; Committees on: Admiralty and Maritime Litigation; Mass Tort Litigation) Bar Associations; Louisiana Bar Foundation (Distinguished Charter Fellow; Board of Directors, 2000-2001); Louisiana State Law Institute, 2000-2001. Practice Areas: Toxic Tort Litigation; Products Liability Litigation; Class Action Defense; Railroad Defense Litigation; Admiralty and Maritime Personal Injury Defense; Oil and Gas Transactions; Oil and Gas Regulation.Email: Anne P. Birdsong
Fernand L. Laudumiey, IV (Member) born New Orleans, Louisiana, December 8, 1969; admitted to bar, 1996, Louisiana. Education: Loyola University (B.A., magna cum laude, 1992); Louisiana State University (J.D., 1996). Recipient, Austin W. Lewis Scholarship Award. Judicial Clerk, The Hon. Marcel Livaudais, Jr., Judge, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana, 1996-1998. Member: Louisiana State, Federal and American Bar Associations; Petroleum Landmens Association of New Orleans. Practice Areas: Commercial Litigation; Oil and Gas Litigation; Bankruptcy; Energy.Email: Fernand L. Laudumiey, IV
Wendy Hickok Robinson (Member) born Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, September 13, 1970; admitted to bar, 1997, Louisiana. Education: Yale University (B.A., 1992); Columbia University (J.D., 1997). James Kent Scholar, 1995-1996. Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, 1994-1995, 1996-1997. New Orleans Legal Assistance Corporation, Skadden Foundation Fellowship, 1998-2000. Articles Editor, Columbia Law Review. Judicial Clerk, Chief Judge, Jerry Buchmeyer, Northern District of Texas, 1997-1998. Member: New Orleans, Louisiana State, Federal and American Bar Associations. Practice Areas: Commercial Litigation; Antitrust; Employment Law; Public Utility Litigation; Class Actions.Email: Wendy Hickok Robinson
Michael E. Botnick (Member) born Hattiesburg, Mississippi, June 10, 1950; admitted to bar, 1975, Louisiana. Education: Miami University at Oxford, Ohio (1968-1970); University of New Orleans (1970-1972); Tulane University (J.D., 1975). New Orleans Deputy City Attorney (1994-2003). Director of Economics Development (1993-1994). Assistant City Attorney (1988-1993). Member: New Orleans, Louisiana State and American Bar Associations; Academy of New Orleans Trial Lawyers. Reported Cases: Civil Service Commission of The City of New Orleans v. The City of New Orleans, No. 02-C-1912 c/w 02-C-1815 (La. 9/9/03); Total Benefit Services, Inc. v. The City of New Orleans, et al., 819 So.2d 1067 (La. App. 4 Cir. 4/11/02); Kaufmann v. Corporate Realty, Inc., 759 So.2d 969(La. App. 5 Cir. 4/12/00); Times Picayune Publishing Corporation v. The City of New Orleans, 760 So.2d 375 (La. App. 4 Cir. 2/23/00); McCall v. McCall, 688 So.2d 193 (La. App. 4 Cir. 1/29/97); Louisiana Landmark Society, Inc. v. The City of New Orleans, 85 F.3d 1119 (5th Cir. 1996); Dukov v. 701 Corporation, 688 So.2d 379 (La. App. 4 Cir. 1/19/96); River Road Construction, Inc. v. The City of New Orleans, 667 So.2d 1166 (La. 1/11/96); City of New Orleans v. Badine Land Limited, 657 So.2d 770 (La. App. 4 Cir. 6/29/95); Missouri Pacific Railroad Company v. City of New Orleans, 46 F.3d 487 (5th Cir. 1995); McCall v. McCall, 651 So.2d 878 (La. App. 4 Cir. 2/23/95); Emporia Holding Company, Inc. v. City of New Orleans, 644 So.2d 1156 (La. App. 4 Cir. 10/27/94); Hearty v. Harris, 574 So.2d 1234 (La. 1991); L&M Demolition, Inc. v. City of New Orleans, 534 So.2d 27 (La. 4 Cir. 1988); Cahanin v. Cahanin, 533 So.2d 27 (La. 4 Cir. 1988); Century 21 - Loraso Real Estate, Inc. v. Lazzara, 520 So.2d 1204 (La. 5th Cir. 1988); DePaul Hospital v. Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York, 487 So.2d 143 (La. 4 Cir. 1986); Succession of Davis, 463 So.2d 723 (La. 4 Cir. 1985); Drew Development Company, Inc. v. Hibernia National Bank of New Orleans, 442 So.2d 1229 (La. 5 Cir. 1983) Super City Boxing Productions, Inc. v. Louisiana State Athletic Commission, 423 So.2d 643 (La. 1983); Lakewood Patio Homes Association, Inc. v. Spitzfaden, 410 So.2d 281 (La. 4 Cir. 1982); Wagner and Truax v. Fo-Coin Company, 350 So.2d 265 (La. 4 Cir. 1977); Broadmoor, L.L.C. v. Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority, 867 So.2d 651 (La. 2004); Haspel & Davis Milling v. Board of Levee Commissioners, 493 F.3d 570 (5th Cir. 2007). Practice Areas: Commercial Real Estate; Construction Law; Contracts; Real Estate Title Insurance; Business Litigation; Trusts and Estates; Trusts and Estates Taxation.Email: Michael E. Botnick
V.M. Wheeler III (Member) born New Orleans, Louisiana, April 26, 1958; admitted to bar, 1984, Louisiana, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit and U.S. Supreme Court. Education: Loyola University (B.B.A., magna cum laude, 1978); Southern Methodist University (M.B.A., 1979); Tulane University (J.D., 1984). Beta Alpha Psi; Beta Gamma Sigma. Author: "Intergovernmental Tax Immunity: Can Congress Constitutionally Tax State and Local Obligations?" 7 Municipal Finance Journal 107, 1986; "Real Estate," Louisiana State Bar Association 1984-1985 Recent Developments in the Law, 1984. Member: New Orleans, Louisiana State and American Bar Associations; National Transportation Safety Board Bar Association; Lawyer-Pilots Bar Association; Louisiana Agricultural Finance Authority (1999; Vice Chairman, 2000). Practice Areas: Buying and Selling of Businesses; Commercial Real Estate; Residential Real Estate; Real Estate Finance; Corporate Organizations; Litigation; Aviation Law.Email: V.M. Wheeler III
Loulan J. Pitre, Jr. (Member) born Cut Off, Louisiana, December 19, 1961; admitted to bar, 1986, Louisiana. Education: Harvard University (B.A., 1983; J.D., 1986). Practice Areas: Commercial Litigation; Class Actions; Corporate Litigation; Securities Litigation; Energy Law; Environmental Law; Antitrust.Email: Loulan J. Pitre, Jr.
Aimee Williams Hebert (Member) born Baton Rouge, Louisiana, June 17, 1970; admitted to bar, 1998, Louisiana; U.S. District Court, Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of Louisiana and U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit. Education: Louisiana State University (B.G.S., 1995; J.D. 1998). Recipient, Harry A. Johnson, Jr. Memorial Scholarship, 1997. Winner 1998 Robert Lee Tullis Moot Court Competition. Member 1997-98 Moot Court Board. 1998 Paul M. Hebert Hall of Fame Inductee. Law Clerk to the Honorable W. Eugene Davis, United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit, 2002-2003. Author: "Restrictions on Assignment (Consent to Assign, Preferential Right to Purchase and Maintenance of Uniform Interest)", 48th Annual Mineral Law Institute (2002); "Restrictions on Assignment" State Bar of Texas Oil, Gas and Energy Resources Law Section Report, Vol.27,no.1 (2002)(jointly authored); "Class Actions in Mineral Law Litigation" 46th Annual Mineral Law Institute (1999)(jointly authored). Honorabale John M.Dune Inn of Court (1999-2002). American Association of Professional Landmen (1999-2002). Member: Lafayette Young Lawyers Association (Board Member, 1999-2003). Practice Areas: Oil and Gas Litigation; Energy.Email: Aimee Williams Hebert
Nina W. English (Member) born New Orleans, Louisiana, January 24, 1974; admitted to bar, 2003, New York; 2004, California and Louisiana. Education: Dartmouth College (B.A., 1996); University of California School of Law, Los Angeles (J.D., 2001). Member, UCLA Law Review. Member: Louisiana State Bar Association; State Bar of California. Practice Areas: Commercial Litigation.Email: Nina W. English
Demarcus J. Gordon (Member) born Harvey, Illinois, August 19, 1968; admitted to bar, 1999, Illinois and U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois; 2002, U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois; 2003, Louisiana; 2004, U.S. District Court, Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of Louisiana. Education: University of Illinois (B.S., 1991); St. Louis University (J.D., 1997). Member: Illinois State, Louisiana State and American Bar Associations; Defense Research Institute; National Bar Association. Practice Areas: Class Action Defense; Toxic Tort Defense; Products Liability Defense; Construction Law; Energy Regulation.Email: Demarcus J. Gordon
P. Kevin Colomb (Member) born New Orleans, Louisiana, December 13, 1954; admitted to bar, 1983, Louisiana. Education: University of New Orleans; Louisiana State University (B.S., 1976); Loyola University (J.D., 1983). Instructor, UNO Paralegal Institute, 1985-1987. Assistant U.S. Attorney, Eastern District of Louisiana, 1983-1985. Attorney: Amoco, New Orleans, 1988-1999; Montgomery, Barnett, Brown, Read, Hammond & Mintz, New Orleans, 1985-1988. Member: New Orleans, Louisiana State, Federal and American Bar Associations; St. Thomas More Catholic Lawyers Association.Email: P. Kevin Colomb
ASSOCIATES
Sara E. Mouledoux (Associate) born New Orleans, Louisiana, June 9, 1978; admitted to bar, 2003, Louisiana; 2004, U.S. District Court for Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of Louisiana. Education: University of Mississippi (B.B.A., 2000); Loyola University School of Law, New Orleans (J.D., 2003). John C. Boutall Inn of Court. Law Clerk to Honorable Jay C. Zainey, United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana, 2003-2004. Member: Louisiana State Bar Association. Practice Areas: Oil and Gas Litigation; Oil and Gas Transactions; Commercial Litigation; Energy.Email: Sara E. Mouledoux
Kelly D. Perrier (Associate) born New Orleans, Louisiana; admitted to bar, 2009, Louisiana. Education: University of Georgia (A.B.J., cum laude, 2004); Louisiana State University (J.D., D.C.L., 2009). Law Clerk to Chief Judge Burrell J. Carter, Louisiana First Circuit Court of Appeal. Prior to law school worked as media/political consultant. Practice Areas: Commercial Litigation.Email: Kelly D. Perrier
Phillip J. Antis, Jr. (Associate) born Charlotte, North Carolina, October 28, 1975; admitted to bar, 2004, Louisiana. Education: James Madison University (B.M., 1997); Tulane Law School (J.D., cum laude, 2004). Practice Areas: Commercial Litigation.Email: Phillip J. Antis, Jr.
Abaigeal VanDeerlin (Associate) born Greenwich, Connecticut, April 21, 1978; admitted to bar, 2006, Louisiana. Education: Newcomb College, Tulane University (B.A., 2005); Tulane University School of Law (J.D., 2006). Member: Tulane Moot Court Board; Tulane Environmental Law Journal. Practice Areas: Commercial Litigation; Public Utility Law.Email: Abaigeal VanDeerlin
Weston W. Sharples (Associate) born San Antonio, Texas, September 22, 1980; admitted to bar, 2007, Louisiana. Education: Dartmouth College (B.A., 2003); Tulane University (J.D., cum laude, 2007). Phi Delta Phi.Email: Weston W. Sharples
Dana E. Dupre (Associate) born Opelousas, Louisiana, June 13, 1979; admitted to bar, 2007, Louisiana. Education: Colby College (B.A., magna cum laude, 2001); Tulane School of Law (J.D., magna cum laude, 2007). Recipient, Dean's Honor Scholarship; CALI Award for highest grade in Civil Law Seminar. Practice Areas: Oil and Gas Litigation; Commercial Litigation.Email: Dana E. Dupre
Michelle C. Purchner (Associate) born Stuttgart, Germany, February 20,1977; admitted to bar, 2006, Louisiana. Education: University of Southern Mississippi (B.S., 1999); National University (M.B.A., 2003); Tulane School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 2006). Student Editor for the Journal of International Wildlife Law & Policy; Journal of American Arbitration (Junior Member). Practice Areas: Energy; Environmental Law.Email: Michelle C. Purchner
Timothy D. Kingston (Associate) born Metairie, Louisiana, May 24, 1982; admitted to bar, 2008, Louisiana. Education: Louisiana State University (B.S., 2004); Loyola University School of Law (J.D.; M.B.A., 2007). Practice Areas: Bankruptcy; Commercial Transactions; Commercial Litigation.Email: Timothy D. Kingston
Brian Guillot (Associate) born New Orleans, Louisiana, December 18, 1981; admitted to bar, 2008, Louisiana. Education: University of New Orleans (B.A., 2005); Loyola University (J.D., 2008). [U.S. Army, 1999-2005]. Practice Areas: Commercial Litigation; Public Utility Law; Construction Law.Email: Brian Guillot
Patrick M. Shelby (Associate) born Baltimore, Maryland, May 12, 1970; admitted to bar, 2008, Louisiana. Education: Auburn University (B.C.E., cum laude, 1992); Oregon State University (M.S., 1995); Loyola University (J.D., summa cum laude, 2008). Moot Court Staff. Member, Loyola Law Review. William Crowe Scholar. First Year Dean's Scholar, Oregon State. Recipient, Agricultural Engineering Scholarship, Auburn University. Author: "McGee v. A C & S, Inc.; Loss of Enjoyment of Life as a Compensable Category of General Damages," 54 Loyola Law Rev. 261, 2008. Member, Engineering Honor Society. Practice Areas: Bankruptcy; Litigation.Email: Patrick M. Shelby
Benjamin S. Allums (Associate) born New Iberia, Louisiana, December 4, 1979; admitted to bar, 2007, Louisiana. Education: Louisiana State University (B.S., 2002); Tulane University Law School (J.D., magna cum laude, 2007). Member, 2005-2006 and Senior Editor, 2006-2007, Tulane Law Review. Practice Areas: Commercial Litigation.Email: Benjamin S. Allums
Lori Silverstein (Associate) born New Orleans, Louisiana; admitted to bar, 2008, Louisiana. Education: University of Maryland (A.B.J., 2002); Tulane University (J.D., summa cum laude, 2008). Order of Coif. Associate Editor, Tulane Law Review. Senior Fellow for first year students in Legal Research & Writing program; Tulane Civil Litigation Clinic. Law Clark for Judge Lance M. Africk, U. S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Junior Honorary Member of the Louisiana State Law Institute. Practice Areas: Commercial Litigation.Email: Lori Silverstein
David M. G. Ross (Associate) born Urbana, Illinois; admitted to bar, 2009, Louisiana. Education: Georgia Institute of Technology (B.S., 1999); Tulane University (J.D., 2009). Editor-in-chief, Tulane Journal of Technology and Intellectual Property, 2008-2009. Law Clerk to: Chief Judge Helen Berrigan, U.S. Attorney's Office; Judge Martin L. C. Feldman, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. [Captain, U.S. Marine Corps, 1999-2006; Major, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 2006]. Practice Areas: Oil and Gas Title Examination; Oil and Gas Law; Intellectual Property.Email: David M. G. Ross
Matthew R. Emmons (Associate) born New Orleans, Louisiana; admitted to bar, 2009, Louisiana. Education: Southeastern Louisiana College (B.A., summa cum laude, 2006); Louisiana State University Law Center (J.D., D.C.L., magna cum laude, 2009). Order of the Coif. Recipient: Distinguished Graduate in Marketing, awarded President's Medal at Southeastern Louisiana University. Practice Areas: Commercial Litigation.Email: Matthew R. Emmons
SPECIAL COUNSEL
Marcel Garsaud, Jr. (Special Counsel) born New Orleans, Louisiana, September 28, 1932; admitted to bar, 1959, Louisiana; 1960, New York. Education: Loyola University (B.B.A., cum laude, 1954; LL.B., 1959); Yale University (LL.M., 1967). Dean, 1970-1982 and Acting Dean, 1994-1996, Loyola University School of Law. Listed in Who's Who in America. Member, Association of Professional Responsibility Lawyers. Member: Louisiana State and American Bar Associations; Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel. Fellow: Louisiana and American Bar Foundations [1st Lt., U.S. Army, Active Duty, 1954-1956.]. Practice Areas: Commercial Litigation; Arbitration; Mediation.Email: Marcel Garsaud, Jr.
J. Clifford Rogillio (Special Counsel) born New Orleans, Louisiana, June 24, 1953; admitted to bar, 1979, Louisiana. Education: Louisiana State University (B.S., 1975); Tulane University of Louisiana (J.D., summa cum laude, 1979); New York University (LL.M., Taxation, summa cum laude, 1982). Order of the Coif. Member, Tulane Law Review, 1977-1979. Associate Professor, Tax Practice and Procedure, Tulane University School of Law, 1986. Member: Louisiana State Bar Association. (Board Certified Tax Law Specialist, Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization). Languages: Spanish. Practice Areas: Taxation; Trusts and Estates.Email: J. Clifford Rogillio
MEMBERS OF FIRM
B. J. Duplantis (A P.L.C.) (Member) born New Orleans, Louisiana, July 12, 1939; admitted to bar, 1966, Louisiana; 1979, U.S. Supreme Court. Education: Louisiana State University (B.S., Petroleum-Chemical Engineering, 1961); Loyola University (J.D., 1966). Member, Loyola Law Review, 1965-1966. Member: Lafayette Parish, Louisiana State and American Bar Associations. Fellow: American Bar Foundation. Practice Areas: Oil and Gas Conservation; Oil and Gas Contracts; Oil and Gas Exploration; Oil and Gas Litigation; Oil and Gas Law; Energy.Email: B. J. Duplantis (A P.L.C.)
William F. Bailey (Member) born Venice, Louisiana, December 23, 1945; admitted to bar, 1970, Louisiana. Education: Tulane University of Louisiana (B.A., 1967); Louisiana State University (J.D., 1970). Phi Alpha Delta. Co-Author: "State Regulation of Oil and Gas Production," Energy Law and Transactions, Matthew Bender, 1990. Coordinator, Louisiana State Law Institute, 1971-1972. Assistant U.S. Attorney, Eastern District of Louisiana, 1973-1974. Member, Ad Hoc Committee for Preparation of Rules and Regulations for Mining and Reclamation of Lignite in the State of Louisiana, Office of Conservation, 1979. Member, Committee on Revision of Rules of Procedure, Office of Conservation, State of Louisiana, 1982-1983. Member, Advisory Committee, Office of Conservation, 1994. Member: Lafayette, Louisiana State and American Bar Associations; American Association of Professional Landmen; Lafayette Association of Professional Landmen; Professional Landmen's Association of New Orleans. Practice Areas: Oil and Gas Conservation; Oil and Gas Acquisitions; Oil and Gas Title Examination; Environmental Compliance; Clean Air Act; Clean Water Act; Energy.Email: William F. Bailey
Samuel E. Masur (Member) born Monroe, Louisiana, July 13, 1957; admitted to bar, 1982, Louisiana; 1985, U.S. District Court, Western District of Louisiana; 1986, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Louisiana and U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; 1997, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana and U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit. Education: University of Georgia (B.B.A., 1979); Louisiana State University (J.D., 1982). Fellow, Louisiana Bar Foundation. Member: Lafayette Parish, Louisiana State and American (Member, Sections on: Litigation; Business; Natural Resources and Environmental Law) Bar Associations; American Association of Professional Landmen's; Lafayette Association of Professional Landmen's; American Inn of Court of Acadiana (Master). Practice Areas: Business Litigation; Oil and Gas Acquisitions; Oil and Gas Title Examination; Oil and Gas Litigation; Toxic Tort Defense; Energy.Email: Samuel E. Masur
Matthew J. Randazzo, III (Member) born Donaldsonville, Louisiana, April 2, 1955; admitted to bar, 1984, Louisiana. Education: Loyola University (B.A., magna cum laude, 1981); Tulane University of Louisiana (J.D., cum laude, 1984). Pi Sigma Alpha. Member: New Orleans, Louisiana State (Member, Sections on: Mineral Law; Environmental Law) and American (Member, Sections on: Natural Resources; Litigation) Bar Associations. (Resident, Lafayette Office). Practice Areas: Administrative Hearings and Appeals; Environmental Litigation; Oil and Gas Law; Civil Litigation; Corporate Commercial Law; Energy.Email: Matthew J. Randazzo, III
Gregory G. Duplantis (Member) born Houston, Texas, January 22, 1962; admitted to bar, 1996, Louisiana. Education: Louisiana State University (J.D., 1996). Member: Louisiana State Bar Association. Languages: Swedish. Practice Areas: Oil and Gas Contracts; Oil and Gas Law; Energy.Email: Gregory G. Duplantis
R. Thomas Jorden, Jr. (Member) born Lake Charles, Louisiana, May 2, 1955; admitted to bar, 1985, Louisiana; 1997, Texas; U.S. District Court, Western, Eastern and Middle Districts of Louisiana and U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas. Education: University of Southwestern Louisiana (B.A., 1982); Louisiana State University (J.D., 1985). Author, "The Interplay Between Operating Agreements and Unit Orders in Establishing Ownership of Production", Landman, November/December 1988. Co-Author: "Subleases, Overriding Royalty Interests and Reversionary Rights," by R. Thomas Jorden, Jr., Margaret D. Swords, Landman, May/June 2001; "AAPL Model Deepwater Operating Agreement," by Bill Moore, R. Thomas Jorden, Jr., HAPL Spring Technical Workshop, April 12, 2001; "Subleases, Overriding Royalty Interests and Reversionary Rights," by R. Thomas Jorden, Jr. and Margaret D. Swords, 2000 Gulf Coast Institute, October 26-27, 2000. Author and Speaker: "The 1996 API Model Form of Offshore Operating Agreement," 43rd Mineral Law Institute, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, March 28-29, 1996; "Joint Operating Agreements 101, A Back to Basics Review," AAPL 42nd Annual Meeting and International Conference, Albuquerque, New Mexico, June 19-21, 1996. Member: Fifth Federal Circuit and Louisiana State Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas; Louisiana Independent Oil and Gas Association; Independent Petroleum Association of America; American Association of Professional Landmen; Professional Landmen's Association of New Orleans; Lafayette Association of Professional Landmen; Houston Association of Professional Landmen; Louisiana Mineral Law Institute (Member, Advisory Council); American Petroleum Institute (Former Member, AAPL Shelf Operating Agreement Subcommittee, 2002; Subcommittee on Offshore Operating Agreements; Forms Committee and Subcommittee on Model Form Deepwater Operating Agreement, 2000). Reported Cases: Snyder Oil Corp. v. Samedan Oil Corp., 208 F.3d 521 (5th Cir. 2000); Louisiana Intrastate v. Martin Intrastate, 623 So.2d 664 (La. App. 1 Cir. 1993). Practice Areas: Energy; Oil and Gas Acquisitions; Regulatory Law.Email: R. Thomas Jorden, Jr.
Gerald H. Schiff (Member) born Opelousas, Louisiana, September 27, 1941; admitted to bar, 1967, Louisiana; 1978, U.S. District Court, Western District of Louisiana; 1981, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; 1990, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Louisiana. Education: Louisiana State University (B.S., 1963; J.D., 1967). Phi Kappa Phi; Omicron Delta Kappa; Phi Alpha Delta; Order of the Coif. Speaker: "New Bankruptcy Act," Continuing Legal Education Seminar, Louisiana State Bar Association, February 1980; "The Pros and Cons of the Bankruptcy Remedies," Louisiana State University Law School, 1983. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge, Western District of Louisiana, 1992-2006. Member: St. Landry Parish (President, 1979), Lafayette Parish, Louisiana State and American Bar Associations; Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association; Bankruptcy Bar Association of Southwest Louisiana (Vice President, 1988-1989). [Capt., U.S. Army, 1967-1969]. Reported Cases: In re Cajun Electric Power Co-Op, Inc., 230 B.R. 343 (Bkrtcy MD LA 1999); In re WRT Energy Corp., 282 B.R. 343 (Bkrtcy WD LA 2001). Practice Areas: Bankruptcy; Mediation.Email: Gerald H. Schiff
Joseph Charles Giglio, III (Member) born New Orleans, Louisiana, March 21, 1975; admitted to bar, 2001, Louisiana, U.S. District Court, Western, Middle and Eastern Districts of Louisiana, U.S. Court of Appeal, 5th Circuit. Education: Louisiana State University (B.S., 1998; J.D., 2001). Member: Lafayette Parish, Louisiana and American Bar Associations; Lafayette Young Lawyers Association; Inns of Court of Acadiana. Practice Areas: Oil and Gas Litigation; Title Examination; Civil Litigation; Business Litigation.Email: Joseph Charles Giglio, III
MEMBER OF FIRM
Louis M. Phillips (Member) born San Antonio, Texas, May 27, 1953; admitted to bar, 1980, Louisiana, U.S. District Court, Western, Eastern and Middle Districts of Louisiana, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit and U.S. Supreme Court. Education: Rhodes College (B.A., 1976); Louisiana State University (J.D., 1980). Former Judge, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Middle District of Louisiana, 1988-2002. Contributing Editor, Norton Bankruptcy Law and Practice, 2nd Edition. Author: "Fifth Circuit Symposium: Bankruptcy," 35 Loy. L. Rev. 715 (1989); "Developments in the Law: Bankruptcy," 54 La. L. Rev. 599 (1994); "Ruminations on Property of the Estate: Does Anyone Know Why a Debtor's Postpetition Earnings, Generated by Her Own Earning Capacity, Are Not Property of the Bankruptcy Estate?," 58 La. L. Rev. 623 (1998). Frequent speaker and writer for legal education seminars, including seminars presented by or in conjunction with Stetson University College of Law, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law, Texas Tech School of Law, Norton Institutes on Bankruptcy Law, American Bankruptcy Institute, National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees, National Association of Chapter 13 Trustees, Mississippi Bankruptcy Conference, Southeastern Bankruptcy Law Institute, American Bar Association, the bar associations of Louisiana, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee, Washington and Wisconsin, numerous federal district bar associations, National Association of Attorneys General, States' Association of Bankruptcy Attorneys, National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys, and Visa International. Adjunct Professor, Louisiana State University Law School. Chair, Bankruptcy Law Seminar, LSU Center for Continuing Professional Development. Member: Louisiana State and American Bar Associations. Practice Areas: Bankruptcy; Commercial Litigation.Email: Louis M. Phillips
MEMBERS OF FIRM
Teanna West Neskora (Member) born Harlingen, Texas, August 30, 1944; admitted to bar, 1993, Louisiana; 2003, Texas. Education: Texas A & I University (B.S., cum laude, 1967); University of Oklahoma (M.S., 1976); Louisiana State University (J.D., 1993). Order of the Coif. Louisiana Law Review, Member, 1991-1993; Managing Editor, 1992-1993. Judicial Clerk, The Honorable James L. Dennis, Associate Justice, Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1993-1994. Author: "The Constitutional Rights of Putative Fathers Recognized in Louisiana's New Children's Code," 52 La. L. Rev. 1009 (1992); "Living Wills and Health Care Powers of Attorney," Louisiana Bar Journal, Vol. 44, No. 6, p. 512, April, 1997. Member: Louisiana and American (Member, Sections on: Business; Real Property, Probate and Trust Law) Bar Associations. Practice Areas: Contested Trusts and Estates; Estate Planning; Successions; Will Contests; Estate and Gift Taxation; Labor and Employment; Real Estate; Real Estate Finance.Email: Teanna West Neskora
J. Lanier Yeates (Member) born Pine Bluff, Arkansas, December 2, 1945; admitted to bar, 1981, Louisiana; 1982, Texas. Education: Louisiana State University (B.S., 1977; J.D., 1981). Order of the Coif. Associate Editor, Louisiana Law Review. Adjunct Faculty, University of Houston Law Center, 1989. President, L.S.U. Law School Alumni Association, 1993. President, Campanile Charities, Inc., 2001. Member, Board of Directors, Associated Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Galveston-Houston, 1993-1999. Member: Houston, Louisiana State and American (Vice Chairman: Energy Policy Committee, 1990-1993; Marine Resources Committee, 1993-1995; Oil & Natural Gas Exploration and Production Committee, 1991-1993; International Resources Committee, 1993-1995; Special Committee on International Energy Resources, 1996-1997) Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas; L.S.U. Foundation (Member, Board of Directors, 2000); L.S.U. Property Foundation (Member, Board of Directors, 2000); L.S.U. Marine Property Foundation (Member, Board of Directors, 2001); United States Supreme Court Bar Association; American Law Institute; Mineral Law Institute (Member, Advisory Council). [U.S. Navy, 1968-1975; Navy Reserves, 1975-1979]. Languages: Russian. Practice Areas: Energy.Email: J. Lanier Yeates
Charles L. Stinneford (Member) born Auburn, New York, May 17, 1965; admitted to bar, 1992, Texas; 1994, U.S. District Court, Southern and Eastern District of Texas and U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit. Education: University of Texas at Austin (B.A., 1987); South Texas College of Law (J.D., magna cum laude, 1992). Member: State Bar of Texas; Houston Bar Association; Fort Bend County Bar Association; Maritime Law Association of the United States; Defense Research Institute; Texas Association of Defense Counsel; Houston Mariner's Club, Inc.; Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute. Practice Areas: Admiralty and Maritime Law; Jones Act; Marine Cargo; Appellate Practice; Business Law; Business Litigation; Complex and Multi-District Litigation; Energy; Insurance Defense; Insurance Coverage Defense; Litigation; Negligence; Personal Injury; Torts; Toxic Torts; Antitrust and Trade Regulation; Class Action.Email: Charles L. Stinneford
Robert D. Jowers (Member) born Tampa, Florida, December 16, 1946; admitted to bar, 1973, Texas; 1975, Louisiana; U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas and U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit. Education: Louisiana College (B.A., 1969); South Texas College of Law (J.D., 1973). Phi Alpha Delta. Author: "Recent Legislation & Jurisprudence Concerning Oil & Gas in the State of Texas," Landman, Vol. XXX, No. 11. Member: Houston and Louisiana State Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas (Member, Sections on: Oil, Gas and Mineral Law; Environmental; Real Property Law). Practice Areas: Oil, Gas and Mineral Law; Corporate; General Business; Litigation; Civil Litigation; Real Property.Email: Robert D. Jowers
William A. Sherwood (Member) born New Orleans, Louisiana, December 12, 1950; admitted to bar, 1976, Louisiana; 1977, Texas; U.S. District Court, Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; U.S. Supreme Court. Education: Davidson College (B.A., 1972); Tulane University (J.D, 1976). Named, Texas Super Lawyer, Law & Politics Magazine and Texas Monthly Magazine, 2004. Articles Editor, Tulane Law Review, 1975-1976. Speaker and Co-Author: "Accident Reconstruction Experts," Deposition/Expert Program, University of Houston Law Foundation, Houston, Texas 2004; "Accident Reconstruction and Related Issues," Advanced Expert Witness Course II, State Bar of Texas, Houston, Texas, 2002; "Recent Arbitration Developments," , Advanced Business Litigation Program, University of Houston Law Foundation, Dallas and Houston, Texas, 2002; "Joint Defense Privilege and Its Ethical Implications," International Association of Defense Counsel, Toxic and Hazardous Substances Committee, Scottsdale, Arizona, 1999; "Experts Post Daubert-Qualifying and Disqualifying Experts," Eleventh Annual Advanced Personal Injury Law Course, State Bar of Texas, Houston, Texas, 1995; "Punitive Damages/Gross Negligence Update," Tenth Annual Advanced Personal Injury Law Course, State Bar of Texas, Houston, Texas, 1994; "Recovery for Fears," Texas Association of Defense Counsel, 1994; "Sexual Wrongdoing Suits," Ninth Annual Advanced Personal Injury Law Course, State Bar of Texas, 1993. Author: "Professional Rules: Guidelines, Standards or What?" Texas Association of Defense Counsel, Spring Meeting, 1991. Co-Author: "Joint Defense Privilege and Its Ethical Implications," 66 Defense Counsel Journal 366, 1999. Contributor: "Medical Monitoring," International Association of Defense Counsel, Toxic and Hazardous Substances Litigation Committee Newsletter, November 1998. Faculty Member: Advanced Civil Trial Advocacy Institute, University of Houston Law Center, 1990-1996. City Council Member, City of Bunker, Hill Village, Texas, 1999-2003. Member, 1997-2005 and President 2003-2004, Kiwanis Club of Houston. Member, 1998-2004 and Chairman, 2005, Advisory Board, Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center, Houston. Life Fellow: Texas Bar Foundation; Houston Bar Foundation. Member: Houston and Louisiana State Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas; International Association of Defense Counsel; Texas Association of Defense Counsel (Editor Evidence Newsletter, 2002; Commercial Litigation Newsletter, 1996-1998; Professional Liability Newsletter, Non-Medical, 1990-1995; Chairman, 1999 and 2003, Trial Academy); American Board of Trial Advocates (Associate); Defense Research Institute; American Judicature Society. (Resident, Lafayette Office) (Board Certified, Civil Trial Law and Personal Injury Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization). Practice Areas: Commercial Litigation; Products Liability; Construction Litigation; Professional Liability; Energy.Email: William A. Sherwood
SPECIAL COUNSEL
Cathy Chessin (Special Counsel) born Erie, Pennsylvania, April 24, 1955; admitted to bar, 1980, North Carolina; 1982, Louisiana; 2007, Texas. Education: University of North Carolina (B.A., 1977); Tulane University School of Law (J.D., summa cum laude, 1980). Phi Beta Kappa; Order of the Coif. Managing Editor, Tulane Law Review, 1979-1980. Judicial Clerk to the Honorable Sam D. Johnson, Judge U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, 1980-1981. Member: Louisiana Bar Association; State Bar of Texas. (Resident, Houston, Texas Office). Practice Areas: Mergers and Acquisitions; Corporate Contracts; Corporate Governance; Directors and Officers Liability.Email: Cathy Chessin