Representative Experience
- Counsel to the Creative Casinos, LLC and its successor in interest, Ameristar Casinos, Inc., in reference to the negotiation and acquisition of a 243 acre leasehold for a new $500 million casino, golf course and 700 room hotel resort complex, addressing title, zoning, development and construction issues, as well as the negotiation of development and tax-sharing agreements with local authorities, and agreements with a neighboring competitor and other landowners.
- Lead counsel overseeing the issuance of title policies for more than 750,000 acres of timberland and four timber mills at a value in excess of $1billion. The resulting timberland sale is reported to be among the largest, if not the largest, in the history of the United States. The firm coordinated the ten parish (county) title research and issued title commitments in less than four months with the use of its own copyrighted, web-based database. Although the database was created specifically for the project, it was designed to handle any other project of larger or smaller proportions
- Successful representation at trial and through settlement negotiations of an offshore supply boat company in brown water maritime litigation
- Successful representation at trial and through settlement negotiations of architects and designers throughout the State of Louisiana
- Successful representation at trial and through settlement negotiations of an industrial equipment manufacturer (drilling and work-over rigs; compressors, etc.) throughout the State of Louisiana
- Successful defense of major oil companies in various lawsuits involving claims of millions of dollars in damages to coastal wetlands in Terrebonne and Cameron Parishes
- Lead counsel to a national timber company in the acquisition of several thousand acres of timberland in North Louisiana
- Counsel to national, regional and local commercial developers of hotels, retail centers, retail stores, restaurants, theaters, apartment complexes, residential and office park subdivisions.
Areas of Practice
- General and commercial litigation and transactions
- Litigation strategy in construction, industry and business matters
Bar Admissions
- Louisiana, 1984
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Louisiana
- U.S. District Court Middle District of Louisiana
- U.S. District Court Western District of Louisiana
- U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit
Education
- Tulane Law School, New Orleans, Louisiana
- J.D. – 1984
- Honors: cum laude
- Honors: BNA Award for Academic Excellence
- McNeese State University, Lake Charles
- B.A. – 1981
- Université de Paul Valèry, Certificat, Montpellier
- Honors: CODOFIL Scholarship
Classes and Seminars
- Past Lecturer, McNeese State University Paralegal Studies Program
Honors and Awards
- Acadiana Profile magazine Top Lawyer in the fields of Commercial Litigation and Construction Law
- Named in Best Lawyers in America for Real Estate Law and Real Estate Litigation, Naifeh and Smith
- AV Rated as a Pre-eminent Attorney in Martindale-Hubbell
- Named in Top Rated Lawyers for Business & Commercial Litigation by ALM (The National Law Journal, The American Lawyer, Corporate Counsel)
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Louisiana State Bar Association
- American Bar Association
- Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel – Member, Past Board Member
- Defense Research Institute
- Louisiana Bar Foundation
- Louisiana Land Title Association
- Young Lawyers Section, Louisiana Bar Association – Delegate and Committee Member, 1985 to 1986
- Louisiana Attorneys Disciplinary Board, Tier 2 Hearing Committee Member, 2009 – 2010, Tier 1 Hearing Committee Chairman, 2010 – 2016
- Chamber of Commerce/Southwest Louisiana – Executive Committee member
- Legal Counsel, 2011 – 2015, Vice Chairperson 2015, Chairperson 2016
Pro Bono Activities
- St Louis Catholic High School Capital Campaign Finance Committee – Chairman
- St Louis Catholic High School Foundation Board – Member 1995 – Present, Past Vice Chairman
- St Louis Catholic High School Finance Committee, 2001 to 2003
- St Louis Catholic High School Curriculum Committee, 1999
- Immaculate Conception Catholic School Board – Member 1985 – 1988 and 2007 – 2009, Past Chairman
- Immaculate Conception Catholic School Curriculum Committee, 2007 to 2009
- Volunteer Instructor, Area Notarial Courses
- Lake Charles Soccer Association – Coach
- Numerous Local Charities – Member, Sponsor
- Lector – Immaculate Conception Cathedral Church
- Our Lady Queen of Heaven Family Life Center – Past Board Member
- Lake Area Runners – Member, Past Board Member
- Lake Charles Triathletes – Founding Member, Board Member
- Jolly Roger Cycling Club
Contact Details