Top Natural Resources Lawyers Near Me in New Orleans Area

With 15 years of in-house counsel experience, Director and Trading Counsel, Nicole Russell has proven expertise in crafting pragmatic and commercial legal solutions for clients.  Ms. Russell has represented in-house clients including energy trading companies, utility holding companies, supply trading organizations, an international conglomerate trading business and an investment bank.  With this experience has come a deep understanding of the differing commercial and legal needs of many different commodity market participants.  Ms. Russell was the divisional General Counsel and Global Compliance Officer for an international trading company and brings an integrated company-wide approach to her advisement taking into account financing and corporate governance considerations.. Ms. Russell has been an active participant in industry working groups including ISDA, LEAP, EEI and NAESB.  She is an active participant on International Energy Credit Association working groups and committees.  Ms. Russell was a founding member of the Women’s Network for Energy, Environment and Transportation and a founding board member of the Chicago Chapter of the Women’s Energy Network.  Ms. Russell is the annual co-chair of the American Conference Institute’s Women Leaders in Energy and Environmental Law Conference.. An active speaker, Ms. Russell has provided training to the industry on Dodd Frank, practical compliance solutions for in-house counsel, FERC natural gas capacity release rules and master agreement negotiation.  She is a member of the New York, Georgia and Louisiana Bars.

Wesley Barr brings more than 15 years of litigation experience to his clients, offering skilled counsel in a range of high-stakes disputes. Serving individuals, businesses, pension systems, and charitable organizations, Mr. Barr is known for his effective advocacy in both federal and state courts, as well as arbitration forums nationwide. Notably, he has achieved seven- and eight-figure settlements by pursuing claims against major financial institutions following the 2008 crisis. Mr. Barr also represents clients in complex insurance litigation, including bad faith and underpayment claims related to hurricane, flood, and fire damages. His trial experience—including numerous jury verdicts—demonstrates both creativity and dedication to his clients’ best interests. Wesley holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Florida and an LL.M. from Tulane University Law School. Licensed in Louisiana, Florida, and Hawaii, he is active in professional organizations such as the Louisiana Association of Justice and has been recognized by Super Lawyers.

Stephen is an experienced transactional attorney who strives to provide his clients with practical and cost-efficient resolutions to their complicated legal issues. His practice is predominantly focused on real estate and M&A transactions, commercial lending and financial transactions, and business organizations. Stephen also advises clients with respect to renewable/green energy projects, oil and gas law, property law, estate planning, and succession law.

Stephen Hébert’s career reflects his lifelong dedication to discipline and advocacy. A former amateur boxer, Stephen competed in the lightweight, light-welterweight, and welterweight divisions from 1993 to 1999 before pursuing law. He earned his Juris Doctorate from Loyola University-New Orleans, graduating with honors, and was admitted to the Louisiana bar in 2002. His legal career began as a law clerk for the Honorable Marc T. Amy at the Louisiana Third Circuit Court of Appeal, followed by a role as an Assistant District Attorney in Orleans Parish, where he gained invaluable trial experience and worked on policy reforms.. Stephen expanded his expertise in civil litigation at King, LeBlanc & Bland, P.L.L.C., handling complex commercial and maritime disputes. Since establishing his private practice in 2010, he has built a reputation as a skilled criminal defense and personal injury attorney, earning accolades such as AV-Preeminent ratings from Martindale-Hubbell and recognition in Super Lawyers Magazine and New Orleans Magazine.. In addition to his legal practice, Stephen is an adjunct faculty member at Loyola University-New Orleans and an active martial artist. He earned his black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in 2024 and continues to compete in grappling tournaments while giving back to the boxing community through sponsorships.

Patrick Talley practices primarily in the area of commercial litigation, with a focus on transportation, energy and environmental law. Mr. Talley has worked extensively within the railroad industry, and is well-known both regionally and nationwide in that area. He has successfully represented railroads, including three Class I and two Short Line railroads, in matters involving cargo and freight claims, derailments, crossing litigation, and employee personal injury and death (F.E.L.A.). He also represents the Association of American Railroads (AAR) in Louisiana and the Louisiana Railroad Association, and has served as a member of the executive committee of the National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel for more than a decade.  In the realm of energy and environmental law, Mr. Talley represents companies in toxic tort exposure claims, and in litigation related to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (N.O.R.M.), benzene and other chemical exposures, and environmental compliance matters. He also handles claims related to oilfield personal injury and death (Jones Act and Longshoremen's Claims). Before joining Phelps Dunbar, Mr. Talley practiced at Frilot L.L.C.

Lauren's practice primarily consists of environmental litigation, particularly oil and gas matters and NORM litigation. She is licensed in Texas, Louisiana and California and regularly practices in both state and federal court. Lauren is active in the ABA Section of Litigation and Section of Environmental, Energy, and Resources, as well as the Louisiana State Bar Association. She is a frequent volunteer for the Pro Bono Project of New Orleans. She is a member of the Krewe of Muses and the Down Syndrome Association of Greater New Orleans.

Jim Stuckey practices in the areas of commercial finance, real estate, business, project financing, and leasing. His commercial experience includes complex loan transactions in real estate, construction, project finance, oil and gas, line of credit and asset based loans, as well as leveraged lease and utility securitization financings, and real estate and commercial transactions. His lending practice includes representing lenders and borrowers in oil and gas loans, real estate and construction financings, leveraged leases, and secured working capital loans. He advises clients in negotiations of a wide variety of contracts, including major purchase, lease, and project development and financing agreements. He has represented clients from many industries, including banks and other financial institutions, public utilities, oil companies, chemical and product manufacturers, governmental entities, and universities. He serves as the practice coordinator of the business group in New Orleans.

Helping clients with their problems has always been my passion.  I wanted to be a lawyer ever since I can remember.  I am still having fun at what I do.. I am actively involved in my community and church.. I have been a  Greater New Orleans Metropolitan United Way (now known as United Way Southeast Louisiana (UWSELA) volunteer for the past 25 years. I presently sit as the volunteer legal advisor to the Community Impact Coordinating Committee (formerly Council).   I was the former Co-Chair of the Children and Families Goal Area and was responsible for funding children and family programs from 2000-2012.  I served as Chair of the Professional Section for the United Way fundraising campaign in the 1995-1996 campaign year.  My section was acknowledged for its turnaround in campaign donations from the professional community. Donations from the professional community had been declining prior to my tenure.. I was a volunteer for the Preservation Resource Center and served as a program fundraising chair in 2005.  I previously chaired rebuild teams in the Rebuild Together (formerly known elsewhere as Christmas in April)  program refurbishing homes of the elderly and the disabled around New Orleans from 1993 to 2003.

Andrew Jacoby has spent the last ten years working with people and communities impacted by environmental and public health threats. Whether it is from landowners whose land is contaminated from oil and gas waste, or water contamination from a nearby gas station, or community groups who feel that the local or state government just isn’t doing its job to protect them, Mr. Jacoby has stepped up to help enforce rights built into the law. This includes oilfield contamination, leaking gas station storage tanks, hazardous contamination from dry cleaners. But it also includes where lawsuits to enforce the Public Records Requests to state agencies, and fights to require local governments to follow their own laws with respect to zoning and land use issues.. Mr. Jacoby has quickly become known as “rescue counsel” often being brought into existing litigation to minimize past defeats and provide clients with a fresh, aggressive, and skilled approach to their matter. Mr. Jacoby’s strengths include thorough research and plainly worded legal advice to the client. Mr. Jacoby serves as a volunteer board member of the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, and volunteers with the GreenARMY. He writes legislation aimed to protect Louisiana’s most vulnerable communities, including those along the state’s “Cancer Alley,” the small towns along the Mississippi River which are burdened by industrial operations that often don’t comply with public health safeguard rules.. While in law school, and as a member of Tulane Law School’s “Katrina Class,” Mr. Jacoby won the Brian P. McSherry Award for the student demonstrating the greatest dedication to community service. He worked as a student attorney for Tulane’s Environmental Law Clinic, where he fought against landfill expansions, among other work. Mr. Jacoby occasionally testifies at hearings in Baton Rouge on problems related to abandoned oilfields, air pollution, water pollution, and other topics. He recently received the Profile in Courage Award from Concerned Citizens of St. Tammany Parish. Mr. Jacoby’s hobbies include softball playing and football watching.