Christopher W. "Chris" Swanson

Bryan Reuter concentrates his practice in complex commercial and intellectual-property litigation, including their appeals. Mr. Reuter received his undergraduate degree, a Bachelor’s of Science in Mechanical Engineering, from Tulane University, where he earned the Leon Scherck Award for the highest cumulative average in the School of Engineering. After graduation he undertook various positions with Shell Oil and Shell Chemical Companies, including Operations Manager, for several petroch...

Stacey C.S. Cerrone is a principal and office litigation manager of the New Orleans, Louisiana, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. and a core member of the Employee Benefits and the ERISA Complex Litigation practice teams. Her nationwide practice focuses on the defense of complex ERISA class actions filed against public and private single employer ERISA plan sponsors and fiduciaries, as well as multi-employer plans and fiduciaries and ERISA plan services providers. Stacey litigates a wide variety o...

Frank A. Tessier is a founding member of the firm who practices real estate, banking, corporate and oil and gas law. Banking and Finance: Represent lenders in commercial, construction, bond and equipment financing, and debt enforcement. Corporate: Preparation of organizational documents for corporation, partnerships and limited liability companies and related acquisitions. Real Estate: Representation in sales and exchanges of developed and undeveloped real estate; leases; residential subdivis...

Brian Schaps provides legal guidance to contractors, engineers, architects, and surveyors and represents these clients in all manners and stages of construction litigation. Brian provides attentive, diligent, and cost-effective representation to help his clients manage risks, evaluate potential liability and exposure, and achieve favorable resolutions to construction-related disputes. Brian consults with clients regarding front-end issues related to contracts and risks, assists clients in man...

Mark A. Cunningham is a partner in the Litigation Practice Group and co-team leader of the corporate compliance and white collar defense team. Mark provides strategic advice to clients on competition and trade issues related to the structuring of national and global distribution networks, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, and intellectual property protection. Mark also serves as first-chair trial counsel for companies and individuals under law enforcement scrutiny or facing bet-the-co...

Mr. Whittaker is Chair of the firm's Business Section. He represents clients in a wide variety of transactions, including buying, selling and merging companies; private placements of securities; venture capital and private equity transactions; joint ventures; roll-ups, spin-offs and split-ups; and all phases of real estate acquisitions, development and financing. Mr. Whittaker joined Stone Pigman in 1984.

Susan Santa Cruz is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Banking and Finance Law and Real Estate Law. Susan, who practices law in New Orleans, Louisiana, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Susan is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Dan practices in the area of construction litigation with a focus on construction and surety litigation. He represents general contractors, major subcontractors, sureties, public and private owners, and wireless telecommunications carriers and owners of telecommunications infrastructure. Dan also serves nationwide as a construction mediator and as a construction arbitrator through Perry Dampf, and arbitrations only through the American Arbitration Association. Outside of the courtroom, Dan re...

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...

Noel Darce has more than four decades of experience in utility, regulatory, and energy law. He advises clients on a wide range of energy matters, including regulation under the Federal Power Act, the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act, and related regulations of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. His practice also encompasses legal and strategic issues involving regional transmission organization participation, utility mergers and acquisitions, generation expansion, utility bankrup...