Frank Accardo is a founding member of the firm. He has been engaged in trial and appellate product liability litigation for over 30 years. His primary practice responsibilities include serving as managing counsel for the defense of asbestos personal injury litigation pending nationwide. Mr. Accardo was a licensed engineer engaged in the design and construction of offshore oil and gas platforms before starting his legal career.

Stephen Brooks joined Pugh Accardo as a Special Partner. He has been practicing law since 1994 in Louisiana. He is an experienced insurance casualty and workers’ compensation defense attorney. He is trial counsel for multiple insurance companies, risk retention groups, self-insurers’ funds, insurance agencies and agents and corporate employers involved in litigation throughout the Southeast Region of the United States. Mr. Brooks has also been extensively employed by the insurance...

As a multidisciplinary litigator, Sarah McMillan represents regional, national, and international clients in matters relating to products liability, toxic torts, construction, and insurance defense. Sarah helps clients and their insurers to assess and mitigate risks and vigorously defend them, when necessary. With experience in mass-tort and single-plaintiff matters, she has successfully used many strategies, including motion practice, to resolve disputes. Since 2023, Sarah has been ranked as...

Maura Z. Pelleteri is a Special Partner with the firm engaged primarily in commercial litigation since 1985. Ms. Pelleteri’s practice areas include Surety and Fidelity Law; Insurance Coverage Litigation; Life, Health & Disability Insurance; Labor and Employment Litigation; Class and Mass Action Litigation; ERISA Litigation; Securities Litigation; Construction Litigation; Errors and Omissions Litigation and Directors & Officers Litigation. Ms. Pelleteri represents clients, mainly...

The founding member of the firm, Larry Pugh has been practicing law in New Orleans since 1986. A skilled trial lawyer, he has defended businesses and individuals in complex civil matters and class actions. He is trial counsel for clients involved in nationwide litigation and has tried cases in multiple jurisdictions, including Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and Tennessee. He is a leading litigator in the areas of asbestos litigation, other toxic tort litigation, products liability and environm...

McGready Richeson joined the firm in 2017 and is a Member of the Firm; he is primarily engaged in environmental litigation, toxic torts, products liability, and business litigation. A skilled litigator, McGready has tried numerous cases throughout the States of Louisiana and Texas for nearly 25 years, and he is admitted to practice before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, United States District Courts for the Eastern, Middle and Western District of Louisiana, and all c...

John's experience includes the trial of environmental, toxic tort, insurance and construction claims, along with the representation of architects, engineers, doctors and lawyers in the defense of malpractice claims. Prior to his practice, John was the manager of the New Orleans District of the Associated General Contractors of Louisiana.

Milele St. Julien is a Special Partner at Pugh Accardo. Her practice primarily focuses on toxic tort litigation, premises liability, product liability, collections and sequestrations, and general civil litigation. Milele began her legal career as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Lloyd J. Medley, Jr. (retired) of the Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans. Subsequently, she concentrated her practice in the areas of toxic tort, environmental litigation, premises liability, and prod...