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Class Notes - Fall 2014

People News

1970s

Clark R. Cosse', III ('72)–Chief Governmental Officer and General Counsel to the Louisiana Hospital Association, was elected to an eighth consecutive one-year term as Chairman of the Louisiana Patient's Compensation Fund Oversight Board. Mr. Cosse' represents hospitals on the LPCF Board which oversees the payment of large medical malpractice claims against private physicians, hospitals and other health care providers.
Michael H. Rubin ('74)–of the Baton Rouge office of McGlinchey Stafford, recently celebrated the national release of his first novel The Cottencrest Curse. The book is published by the award-winning LSU Press. The novel is at the LSU Barnes & Noble, Cottonwood Books, and is also available on the websites of both Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Craig W. Murray ('76)–Enterprise Products Partners L.P. (NYSE:EPD) has announced that the board of directors of its general partner has elected Craig W. Murray as Group Senior Vice President and General Counsel. The appointment will begin January 2015. Most recently, Mr. Murray was a Senior Partner at Vinson & Elkins LLP in Houston where he focused primarily on corporate and energy-related finance, including pipeline financing.
Robert W. Holleyman ('79)–was recently sworn in as Deputy United States Trade Representative by U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman. Mr. Holleyman will hold the title of Ambassador, and will work on a number of important trade issues, including services trade, intellectual property rights and issues impacting the United States' relationship with countries in South and Central Asia as well as China.

1980s

Wilbur J. "Bill" Babin, Jr. ('82)–of the Derbes Law Firm in Metairie, was named Jesuit High School's 2014 Alumnus of the Year. Mr. Babin was a member of the Class of 1974, and has helped couch Jesuit's pre-freshman teams for the past 20 years. Mr. Babin was also recognized with the F. Edward Hebert Award, given annually to an outstanding alumnus for his achievements and distinguished service to Jesuit or the community-at-large.
Eve B. Masinter ('82)–a partner with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the International Association of Defense Counsel. She will serve a three-year term on the Board.
Adrienne Stroble ('83)–Court Administrator for the 22nd Judicial District Court of St. Tammany and Washington Parishes, was awarded it's "2014 Professional of the Year" by the Southern Criminal Justice Association. SCJA is an association serving criminal justice educators, researchers and practitioners of 11 states in the Southeast and U.S. island territories. Within the last year, Ms. Stroble was also awarded "Professional of the Year" by the local Society for Human Resources Management, for designing a nationally acclaimed mentoring program.
Steven Levine ('84)–a partner in the Baton Rouge office of Phelps Dunbar, recently wrote a chapter for the book, Navigating Water Use and Pollution Laws: Leading Lawyers on Federal and State Regulation of Consumption, an Inside the Minds series book published by Thomson Reuters label Astapore Books. Mr. Levine's chapter, "Defending Clients Against Water Pollution Claims," focuses on how lawyers can defend businesses and corporations from claims of water pollution.
Randy Roussell ('84)–a partner in the Baton Rouge office of Phelps Dunbar, was honored at The Emerge Center's 2014 Baton Rouge Area Volunteer Activity Awards. Mr. Roussell was honored for his leadership and service across Greater Baton Rouge.
R. David Wheat, Jr. ('88)–of the Dallas office of Thompson & Knight, was recognized by The Legal 500 2014 U.S. directory published by Legalease as a Leading Lawyer in Finance-Corporate Restructuring.
Michael D. Ferachi ('89)–of the Baton Rouge office of McGlinchey Stafford, was recently awarded the Louisiana State Bar Association's Pro Bono Publico Award for providing exceptional pro bono legal services to the citizens of Louisiana. Mr. Ferachi's primary practice areas are commercial litigation, with a focus on consumer finance litigation, class action litigation, general business litigation, and insurance defense litigation at both the trial and appellate level.

1990s

Brian Colomb ('98)–has been made partner of the Lafayette law firm of Domengeaux, Wright, Roy, Edwards & Colomb, LLC. Mr. Colomb has been with the firm since 2003, and his areas of practice are Maritime Personal Injury, Wrongful Death and Motor Vehicle Accident claims.

2000s

Emily B. Grey ('00)–a partner with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, has been appointed to the position of Vice Chair of Strategic Activities in the American Health Lawyers Association's Hospitals and Health Systems Practice Group.
Blake R. David ('01)–a founding partner of the Lafayette law firm of Broussard & David, has been installed as the Third District Member of the Louisiana State Bar Association's Board of Governors. Mr. David focuses on personal injury and wrongful death litigation with an emphasis on offshore/maritime, trucking accidents, aviation, products liability, industrial accidents, and automobile claims.
Andrew Melsheimer ('02)–of the Dallas office of Thompson & Knight, has been elected Chair of the International Law Section of the State Bar of Texas. He will serve a one-year term. Mr. Melsheimer is a partner in Thompson & Knight's International Energy Practice Group and his primary areas of practice are international and oil and gas-related matters.

 

Ben Huxen ('07) - was named Executive Counsel to the State of Louisiana's Commissioner of Administration.

 

2010s

William H. Priestley, Jr. ('13)–has joined the Shreveport office of Kean Miller, LLP as an associate. Mr. Priestley will practice in the commercial litigation group, primarily in the area of civil and commercial litigation and premises liability.
Andrew J. Baer ('14)–has joined the New Orleans office of Deutsch, Kerrigan and Stiles, LLP., as an associate in their Commercial Litigation and Labor Employment Departments.
Steven Levitt ('14)–has joined the Dallas office of the law firm of Thompson & Knight, and will practice in the Bankruptcy and Restructuring group.
Firm News
Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson

The following attorneys from Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson were named Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers: Paul M. Hebert, Jr. ('70) – Family Law in the Baton Rouge area; B. Troy Villa ('90) – Mergers and Acquisitions Law in the Baton Rouge area.

Chaffe McCall

The following attorneys from Chaffe McCall were recognized in New Orleans Magazine's 2014 Top Lawyers: R. Christopher Martin ('81) – Alternative Dispute Resolution, Health Care Law & Medical Malpractice Law; John F. Olinde ('82) – Health Care Law, Mass Tort Litigation/Class Action & Product Liability Litigation; James C. Young ('86) – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization, Health Care Law & Medical Malpractice Law; Peter J. Rotolo, III ('92) – Product Liability Litigation; Mandy M. Gagliardi ('98) – Tax Law & Venture Capital Law; Charles D. Marshall, III ('01) – Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense White Collar & Intellectual Property Law; Philip B. Sims ('01) – Medical Malpractice Law; Joseph B. Marino, III ('05) – Admiralty & Maritime Law; Ryan C. Toups ('05) – Real Estate Law; G. Wogan Bernard ('06) – Commercial Transactions/LLS Law, Land Use and Zoning Law, Mortgage Banking Foreclosure Law, Real Estate Law & Trusts and Estates.

Domengeaux, Wright, Roy & Edwards, LLS

The Lafayette based law firm has changed its name to Domengeaux, Wright, Roy, Edwards & Colomb, LLC.

Jackson Walker

The following attorneys from Jackson Walker were selected as 2014 "Super Lawyers" by Thomson Reuters, and were published in the October issue of Texas Monthly Magazine: Susan Halsey ('83) and Scott McLaughlin ('94).

The following attorney's from Jackson Walker were selected for inclusion in the 2015 edition of The Best Lawyers in America: Susan Halsey ('83) – Real Estate Law; Colter Harris ('94) – Real Estate Law; Scott McLaughlin ('94)
– Labor Law - Management, Employment Law-Management, Litigation - Labor & Employment.

Taylor Porter

The following attorneys from Taylor Porter were included in the Best Lawyers 21st
edition of The Best Lawyers in America 2015: Gerald L. Walter, Jr. ('62) – Litigation-Environmental; W. Shelby McKenzie ('64) – Insurance Law; W. Arthur Abercrombie ('69) – Personal Injury Litigation-Defense; J. Clayton Johnson ('69) – Oil and Gas Law "Lawyer of the Year"; Eugene R. Groves ('70) – Commercial Litigation, Litigation-Construction, Real Estate and Trusts and Estates; J. Michael Parker ('78) – Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions-Defendants; Nancy C. Dougherty ('79) – Education Law; Vicki M. Crochet ('80)
– Employment Law-Individuals, Employment Law-Management and Labor Law-Management; Anne J. Crochet ('83)
– Environmental Law and Litigation-Environmental; Harry J. "Skip" Philips, Jr. ('83) – Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation and Litigation-Banking and Finance; Brett P. Furr ('86) – Litigation-Real Estate and Real Estate Law; Ann M. Halphen ('86) – Health Care Law; Robert L. Coco ('88) – Environmental Law and Litigation-Environmental; Richard B. Easterling ('90) – Administrative/Regulatory Law and Governmental Relations Practice; Mary C. Hester ('94)
– Trusts and Estates; John Stone Campbell, III ('95) – Commercial Litigation; Bonnie "Jeanne" Davis ('95) – Litigation-Intellectual Property "Lawyer of the Year", Litigation-Patent and Patent Law; Amy C. Lambert ('96) – Commercial Litigation; Amy Groves Lowe ('97)
– Education Law.

Thompson & Knight

The following attorneys were selected for inclusion in Texas Super Lawyers 2014 by Thomson Reuters, and reflects the top five percent of lawyers in Texas: Jane Politz Brandt ('86) – Intellectual Property Litigation; R. David Wheat, Jr. ('88) – Tax; Jessica W. Hammons ('03) – Securities & Corporate Finance.

The following attorneys were recognized in The Best Lawyers in America 2015: Jane Politz Brandt ('86) – Litigation-Intellectual Property, Litigation-Patent; R. David Wheat, Jr. ('88) – Tax Law; Paul E. Comeaux ('91) – Real Estate Law.

In Memory

The LSU Law Center community mourns the passing of the following alumni whose deaths were reported this past year.

Mr. George C. Gibson ('48)

Mr. Harry V. Barton ('49)

Judge Edwin R. McIntyre, Sr. ('49)

Mr. Julian J. Rodrigue, Sr. ('50)

Judge Monty M. Wyche ('50)

Judge Eugene W. McGehee ('51)

Mr. Alex F. Smith, Jr. ('51)

Judge John V. Parker ('52)

Mr. Jack B. Wise ('53)

Maj. Charles W. Chappuis, Sr. ('55)

Mr. Edgar F. Barnett ('58)

Mr. Edward V. Fetzer ('58)

Mr. Llewellyn A. Proctor ('59)

Mr. Frederick S. Haygood ('59)

Mr. Philip E. Henderson ('59)

Mr. Frank M. Edwards, Jr. ('60)

Mr. Roland C. Kizer, Jr. ('63)

Mr. Edmund McCollam ('64)

Mr. John A. Lieux ('68)

Mr. Benjamin R. Miller, Jr. ('68)

Mr. Lennie F. Perez ('68)

Mr. Max G. Labranche, Jr. ('69)

Mr. Glen H. Smith ('71)

Mr. Charles G. Blaize ('73)

Mr. Edward A. Michel ('73)

Mr. David A. Rothell ('73)

Mr. John F. Weeks ('73)

Ms. Frances O. Allen ('74)

Mr. Charles B. Ramsey ('74)

Mr. Paul R. Knight ('76)

Mr. William G. Nadar ('77)

Mr. Donald W. Hebert ('77)

Ms. Susan Halsey ('83)

Mr. David N. Crawford (‘84)

Mr. Jonathan A. James ('87)

Mrs. Diane F. Robinson ('90)

Mrs. Karen E. Godail-Arena ('90)

Mr. Barry L. Domingue ('92)

Mr. Claude S. Mumphrey, II ('96)

Mrs. M. Aminthe Broussard ('04)