Top Insurance Lawyers Near Me in NEW ORLEANS Area

Kevin LaVie practices in the area of admiralty and tort. He has a very broad-based practice involving nearly all aspects of maritime law including personal injury and death claims; cargo damage claims; dock damage and collision claims; Limitation of Liability matters; charter party and related commercial disputes (including ship arrests and Rule B attachments); insurance coverage disputes; oilfield indemnity actions; pollution matters; and various Coast Guard and immigration matters. His practice covers both the offshore energy or “brownwater” industry and traditional “bluewater” shipping.. Litigation is a major focus of Mr. LaVie’s practice, and he has tried personal injury and death cases (including Jones Act and 905(b) cases) in all federal courts in Louisiana, many state courts, and in federal courts in other states on a pro hac vice basis. He has also tried a number of cargo damage claims. A sub–specialty of his litigation practice involves maritime products liability claims, including machinery and equipment failures. Due to the number of cases he has tried, Mr. LaVie has handled numerous appeals, including over two dozen appeals in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.. Prior to joining Phelps Dunbar, Mr. LaVie was with the Terriberry, Carroll, & Yancey, L.L.P. law firm in New Orleans.

Katie Whitman Myers practices in the area of insurance and reinsurance. She counsels insurers on third-party liability and first-party insurance coverage and litigation issues involving the laws of multiple states, including Louisiana, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Texas, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and many others. Her experience extends to a wide variety of coverage issues, including those arising out of claims involving construction defect, automobile (garage, uninsured motorist, personal injury protection), professional liability, directors and officers liability, premises liability, property loss, and environmental and toxic tort, as well as issues of multiple-year trigger and allocation, additional insured and contractual indemnity, and extracontractual liability.

Katherine Quirk practices in the area of insurance and reinsurance. She serves as local, regional and national coverage counsel for both foreign and domestic insurance companies. She counsels clients, resolves coverage disputes and manages litigation involving a myriad of insurance issues under the laws of states in all regions of the United States. Her experience extends to a wide variety of coverage issues, including those arising out of third-party claims involving environmental and toxic tort, marine/oil and gas, construction defect, auto (transportation, garage, uninsured motorist), personal and advertising injury, and first-party property loss. Ms. Quirk routinely counsels clients and resolves complex coverage matters involving issues of multi-year trigger and allocation, additional insured and contractual indemnity, as well as extra-contractual liability arising of state-specific claims handling guidelines or time limit demands. In addition to post-claim advices to clients, she counsels clients on effective claims handling practices, risk management and avoidance procedures and provides underwriting assistance for manuscript policy language. Ms. Quirk hires and manages lawyers around the country in her capacity as national coordinating counsel and, within the firm, she mentors and manages a team of coverage attorneys in the Insurance and Reinsurance practice.

Kaja grew up in Maplewood, New Jersey and attended Rutgers University where she obtained her undergraduate degree in Political Science and Journalism, summa cum laude. She earned her J.D. at Seton Hall University School of Law where she served as a Senior Editor of the Law Review and participated in the Civil Rights & Constitutional Litigation Clinic, graduating cum laude. During law school, Kaja studied abroad in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, where she met her husband, a New Orleans native. After graduation, Kaja relocated to New Orleans. She was admitted to practice in the State of Louisiana in 2014.

Joseph focuses on several insurance coverage practice areas including environmental and toxic tort liability coverage, construction defect liability coverage, and oil-and-gas liability coverage.. Joseph’s practice is devoted to representing insurance companies in coverage disputes and property claims. He is routinely enlisted by clients to handle large, complex insurance coverage matters of all kinds, including general liability claims, public sector claims, oil-and-gas claims, first-party property claims and bad faith claims. Many of his matters have involved multi-million dollar claims in the commercial setting, and have included individual claims of more than $300 million; however, he has substantial experience with smaller liability and property claims as well.. Joseph has successfully handled more than 200 coverage actions in state and federal courts in Louisiana and other states in the South. He has argued before state and federal courts in Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, and Tennessee, and before Louisiana state appellate courts and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.. Joseph has been with Lugenbuhl since 2000, and has been a shareholder of the firm since 2005. Prior to joining Lugenbuhl, Joseph served from 1996 to 2000 as an associate independent counsel in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Washington, D.C., where he assisted with several prosecutions and appeals, including arguing a case of first impression before the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. During law school, he served as a law clerk for two years with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.

Jennifer R. Kretschmann practices in the area of insurance and reinsurance. She counsels insurers on first-party and third-party insurance coverage disputes. Her experience extends to a variety of coverage issues, including those involving commercial property losses, loss of business income, extra expense, general liability, issues of multiple-year trigger and allocation, additional insured status, contractual indemnity, and extra-contractual liability.. Ms. Kretschmann also has experience representing insurers in complex coverage litigation in both state and federal court with a particular focus on coverage issues relative to property damage, pollution, toxic tort and long-latency disease exposure. She has defended insurers in “bad faith” actions and class action litigation arising out of major hurricanes.

Jay Sever is a partner in the Insurance and Reinsurance group of Phelps Dunbar. He is also the Practice Coordinator for the Insurance and Reinsurance group in the New Orleans office. He serves as local, regional and national coverage counsel for both foreign and domestic insurance companies. He counsels clients, manages disputes and tries cases involving a wide variety of insurance coverage issues, including matters arising from bad faith, construction defects claims, third-party liability claims, first-party claims, professional liability claims, crane and rigging claims, racing and competitive sport claims, entertainment claims, transportation claims, environmental claims, general and toxic tort claims, advertising, copyright and trademark claims, media liability claims, multiple-year trigger and allocation issues, marine liability claims, Louisiana direct action claims and numerous others. In addition to handling cases in Louisiana and California courts in which he is admitted, Mr. Sever also has acted as lead counsel in cases pending in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Washington. Mr. Sever's practice, both litigation and counseling, involves attorneys from all of Phelps Dunbar's offices in the Gulf South and, where necessary, local counsel in states throughout the United States.. Mr. Sever serves as the Practice Coordinator for the Insurance and Reinsurance group in the New Orleans office.

James “J.J.” Reeves primarily practices in corporate defense, insurance coverage, and appellate practice. James is also experienced in products liability, toxic tort defense, construction defect litigation, contractual disputes, subrogation, general tort liability, Preferred Provider Organization (“PPO”) litigation, title, real estate, and commercial general liability policy disputes. James has earned a Martindale Hubbell Peer Review Rating of “AV Preeminent,” based on legal knowledge, analytical capabilities, judgment, communication ability, and legal experience. He has been named a Super Lawyer Magazine “Rising Star” and a “Top Insurance Lawyer” in 2016 and 2017, and, since 2015, has been named one of New Orleans’ best insurance coverage lawyers by New Orleans Magazine. James is also a Certified Claims Professional (“CCP”), a designation bestowed by the Claims and Litigation Management Alliance after three years of training. James is inducted into the Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel and the Defense Research Institute. James is also a graduate of the Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel Trial Academy.. James is an experienced courtroom and appellate litigator, with numerous reported decisions to his credit across several fields of law, in Federal and State courts.. James’ title and real estate experience includes experience with subrogation, quiet title actions, and bona fide purchaser and shelter doctrine litigation. James is also familiar with the nature of real estate financing issues and has successfully resolved numerous lis pendens issues outside of litigation and with minimal time and expense to the insured or the insurer. Moreover, James is thoroughly acquainted with Louisiana right of way law including right of access and predial and personal servitudes. Finally, James is also an accomplished appellate lawyer and federal practitioner, and can thus handle claims from their inception and through the appeals or removal process if necessary. James is licensed to practice in all Louisiana courts, including the Federal Courts of the Fifth Circuit and all Louisiana Courts of Appeal.. Originally from Pensacola, FL, James graduated from Tulane Law School on scholarship. James received his undergraduate degree, cum laude, from Florida State University with a double major in philosophy and communications and was a brother and officer of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. During his first year of law school, James clerked for the Honorable Judge Elizabeth Timothy in the 11th Circuit United States Court, Northern District of Florida. At graduation, James was recognized for leading Tulane Law School in pro bono hours, with over 400 hours spent evaluating §1983 claims made by aggrieved inmates. James is a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association, the American Bar Association, and the New Orleans Bar Association, and he is licensed to practice in Florida and Louisiana State and Federal courts.

In house counsel for a growing and innovative healthcare finance company.

I practice primarily in the State of Louisiana/Greater New Orleans Area serving individuals, small businesses, and corporate clients with an array of legal issues. Please do not hesitate to contact me directly for a free consultation at.

I have twenty-six years of experience in diversified areas of legal practice ranging from criminal prosecution to civil litigation. I represent clients in insurance defense, premises liability, property damage and automobile insurance claims and also against claims of medical malpractice.. I have strong litigation experience having litigated in Civil Court, Juvenile Court, Criminal Court, Appellate Court, Federal Court, before the Office of Workers’ Compensation, the Civil Service Commission, and the Division of Administrative Law in the State of Louisiana.

I have over 40 years experience as a civil litigator representing corporations and insurance companies in a wide variety of matters.  My main focus includes civil litigation defense; admiralty and maritime litigation; insurance defense litigation; insurance coverage; product liability litigation; class action and mass tort / disaster litigation.

I have developed a very diverse legal practice that encompasses all facets of civil litigation with an emphasis on both insurance defense and coverage work as well as domestic/family law.

I have 20+ years defending clients against medical malpractice and legal malpractice, premises liability, insurance coverage and general casualty claims. I represent individual healthcare providers, as well as large facility health care providers in cases involving serious personal injuries, including death, paraplegia, debilitating orthopedic injuries, brain injuries, and cardiovascular problems.. In my legal malpractice practice, I've successfully represented attorneys both in litigated matters and before the Louisiana Office of Disciplinary Counsel.  I also defend real estate agents and brokers and insurance agents and adjusters in their professional liability claims.

I engage in a diversified practice that includes the routine representation of clients in the areas of commercial transportation, casualty litigation, products liability with an emphasis on oil and gas equipment, maritime law and insurance coverage.

I am privileged to represent clients who share a desire to “get to the right result, quickly.”. “Unfortunately, an offshoot to Louisiana’s intertwined networks of transportation, tourism, and industry is a significant human cost. Whether it’s a trucking accident or a conventioneer failing to navigate a side-walk, severe injuries occur on a daily basis.” While most of my practice is dedicated to achieving the best-possible result for clients in litigation, I work with my clients in Louisiana and around the country to develop training and investigation protocols to reduce accidents and to effectively investigate the ones that happen. By developing claim and case-handling protocols, for example, I am able to significantly reduce a client’s exposure in high-value personal injury across multiple jurisdictions.

I am a regular speaker at national conferences focusing on products liability and work place exposures and have been named to Thomson Reuters’s list of "Louisiana Rising Stars" published in Louisiana Super Lawyers magazine, recognizes the state’s best attorneys 40 or under, or who have been practicing for 10 years or less.As native New Orleanian, I love photography, spending time with her family, and being at the beach.

I am a passionate writer of state and federal appeal briefs with experience in alternative dispute resolution methods. I am certified by the American Arbitration Association as an arbitrator and mediator.. In my professional liability practice, I defend architects, engineers, lawyers and insurance agents against coverage disputes, malpractice, and construction claims.  I also have an active products liability practice.

I am a partner in the firm practicing in the areas of maritime, products liability, insurance defense, offshore litigation and workers’ compensation. My maritime practice is devoted primarily to the representation of oil and gas producers and their contractors, defending them against personal injury and property damage claims, as well as prosecuting claims on their behalf for property damage and lost oil and gas revenues.. I defend the interests of the firm’s clients in state workers’ compensation proceedings and federal Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act actions.

I aim my career on trying all types of commercial matters before juries, judges and arbitration panels.  I have over 25 years of extensive experience defending insurance carriers and insurance guaranty associations in the areas of professional liability, employment law, securities and commodities fraud, and insurance.. I also defend life, health, disability, directors & officers, and errors & omissions claims for the insurance industry and malpractice suits for CPAs, attorneys, surveyors, appraisers and insurance agents.

Gerald J. Calogero was born and raised in New Orleans.  He received his undergraduate degree from Loyola University of New Orleans in 1988, with a major in political science.  After working in the medical industry for several years, Mr. Calogero attended Loyola University School of Law, earning his Juris Doctorate degree in 1999.  After graduation, Mr. Calogero worked as a law clerk in Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans, State of Louisiana, which maintains the largest volume of civil cases in the State of Louisiana.. Priot to forming Calogero Law Firm in 2003, Mr. Calogero worked for two private law firms for several years where he was exposed to diverse practice areas.  Mr. Calogero has represented thousands of clients in cases involving Personal Injury, Automobile Accidents, Wrongful Death, Medical Malpractice, Defective Products, Insurance Claims and Business Litigation.. Mr. Calogero currently serves as an Assistant Examiner for the Louisiana Supreme Court Committee on Bar Admissions.  He was previously appointed by the Louisiana Supreme Court to serve as a Hearing Committee Member for the Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board.

Elia focuses on several insurance coverage practice areas including third-party insurance coverage, general liability, and environmental and toxic tort liability coverage. Elia also focuses on property insurance coverage and bad faith claims litigation. She has served as defense counsel for insurers in commercial and residential property insurance cases resulting from hurricanes, hailstorms, and other first-party claims.. Elia is a shareholder in the firm, and her primary areas of practice are industrial employment/long-latency lung disease litigation, insurance defense and coverage, environmental law, and commercial litigation. In the last eighteen years, Elia has successfully defended thousands of occupational exposure claims, including exposure to asbestos and silica-containing products. Elia focuses her practice on insurance coverage litigation and counseling, and has significant experience representing insurers as direct action defendants in litigation in Louisiana. Elia’s extensive experience defending mass tort claims enables her to provide clients with an early strategic plan, vigorous defense, and efficient litigation.. Elia‘s professional credentials include being nominated as an AV-rated attorney, an honor bestowed on less than 5% of women lawyers. As an AV-rated attorney, Elia was selected for the inaugural edition of the Martindale-Hubbell® Bar Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers™ – an organization created exclusively for women attorneys who have received the highest possible peer rating in both legal ability and ethical standards.. In addition, Elia actively promotes diversity and the inclusion of women and Hispanics in the legal professions through various professional organizations. She is president of the Hispanic Lawyers of Louisiana. Elia is also a member of the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA), where she currently is one of fifty members selected nationally to participate in the HNBA/Associate of Corporate Counsel Executive Leadership Program. Elia also monitors legal trends and proposed laws that directly impact or affect the local Hispanic community. Her professional engagements include presenting a seminar on effectively communicating with corporate counsel, diversity seminars at the 2012 ABA mid-year meeting and 2011 HNBA National Corporate Conference, leading round-table discussions at several in-house corporate meetings, serving as a diversity facilitator for the Louisiana State Bar Association, participating in the Louisiana State Bar Association’s diversity and inclusion video, and presenting continuing legal education throughout the state.. Elia also serves on the Board of Directors of the ASI Federal Credit Union, which facilitates loans of all sizes for transportation, home ownership, business development, and education as well as international microloans in partnership with Kiva, a non-profit connecting individual investors with microfinance institutions.. In addition to her professional pursuits, Elia also volunteers and participates in a number of social and community programs including elementary school reading programs and various habitat/environmental groups, including Habitat for Humanity. She is a founding member of Candy Girls/Life Savers of New Orleans, a non-profit group that supports and provides services to families in need as well as a local orphanage.

Doug Kleeman practices in the area of insurance and reinsurance. He counsels clients, manages disputes and tries cases involving a variety of first- and third-party insurance coverage issues.. Prior to joining Phelps Dunbar, Mr. Kleeman practiced in the areas of insurance coverage and litigation at Bienvenu, Foster, Ryan & O’Bannon, LLC in New Orleans.

Dick Chopin is a Member of The Chopin Law Firm and licensed to practice in Louisiana and Texas.  Dick Chopin is one of the pre-eminent attorneys in the entire Gulf South. He has represented his clients in the smallest courthouses in southern Louisiana as effectively and professionally as he has in England and Belgium. Quite simply, there are few better lawyers out there.. Dick has tried over 125 civil jury trials and so many bench trials that he does not even bother to keep count. A fearless and powerful advocate, Dick is the warrior clients need on their side when everything is on the line, whether insignificant personal injury litigation, a domestic matter, or a large casualty case.. Dick was admitted to the Bar in Louisiana in 1973 and Texas in 1997. Dick has extensive experience in virtually all types of litigation and is recognized locally and nationally as one of the best trial lawyers. He is well respected for his skills, ethics and professionalism and has consistently been selected for the highest possible ratings in all areas by his peers.. Contact Richard:

Developing a profound reputation in the Gulf Coast area in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Jeffrey P. Berniard is an established and proven litigation entity. In working to defend the rights of hundreds of Louisiana and Texas residents against the unfair and illegitimate efforts of insurance companies, the Berniard Law Firm has been highly successful at getting clients the payments and claims they are entitled to. Employing a variety of tools and judicial approaches such as arbitration and expert testimony, we take every angle we can to guarantee that our clients receive the legal support that they deserve.. Established by Jeffrey Berniard, a native son to the Gulf Coast, the Berniard Law features employees from all across the United States that each bring a different expertise and experience to our litigation. Educated at McNeese State University and Loyola Law in New Orleans, Mr. Berniard is able to handle federal and state cases in courts across the South. For far-reaching jurisdictions, Mr. Berniard has highly qualified colleagues that are also capable of meeting your legal needs. As such, our firm is able to come to clients to bring them the legal assistance they need to keep insurance companies at bay with their low payouts and denied claims.. With a focus on storm damage and insurance litigation, the Berniard Law Firm also takes cases relating to serious injuries, medical malpractice and other disputes with insurance companies. Any Texas resident that feels they need legal support for a variety of reasons is encouraged to contact the Berniard Law Firm to speak with an attorney regarding what we can do for you.