David J. Messina

Walter Maestri is a maritime attorney working in the offshore fields representing companies that have contracts with oil and gas interests in the Gulf of Mexico. Whether representing the actual platform owner or the service industries that provide support to the oil and gas industry, he defends those companies against personal injury actions, property damage loss, lost oil and gas revenues, or other claims that may arise from operations in the Gulf. Working in partnerships with his clients, W...

Andre Burvant is a partner in the Tax Practice Group. Andre counsels clients on state and local tax planning, audit defense, tax refunds and credits, and represents businesses and individuals in tax controversy work before the Louisiana Department of Revenue and local parish taxing agencies. Andre also represents clients in tax controversies before the Louisiana Board of Tax Appeals and in state and federal courts. Andre is a contributor for Cooking with SALT, a legal blog committed to provid...

Pat Veters is a partner in the Labor & Employment Practice Group. He concentrates on OSHA compliance and litigation. Pat has extensive experience representing clients in a wide array of industries in governmental investigations and administrative proceedings brought before the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) and the Mine Safety Health Act (MSHA). Drawing on his decades of experience defending clients in state and federal courts and administrative agencies, Pat and t...

Jane Heidingsfelder is a partner in the Labor & Employment Practice Group. In addition to her traditional employment practice, she has extensive experience representing clients in a wide array of industries before the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), Mine Safety & Health Administration (MSHA), and the Chemical Safety Board (CSB). Jane is also experienced in leading confidential, internal investigations relating to alleged workplace misconduct, sexual harassment,...

Jay Sever is a partner in the Insurance and Reinsurance group of Phelps Dunbar. He is the Regional Practice Coordinator for the firm's insurance practice group and is also head of the insurance and reinsurance practice group in the New Orleans office. He serves as local, regional and national coverage counsel for both foreign and domestic insurance companies. He counsels clients, manages disputes and tries cases involving a wide variety of insurance coverage issues, including matters arising ...

Jay Adams is a partner in the Tax Practice Group and leader of the state and local tax team. Through partnering with his clients, Jay has developed a broad knowledge of the energy, manufacturing, healthcare, transportation, and retail industries that allows him to provide comprehensive and cost-effective advice in those areas. For more than 25 years, Jay has represented clients in matters involving virtually every type of state and local tax and in numerous jurisdictions. He has successfully ...

Miriam Wogan Henry is a partner in the Tax Practice Group and a member of the firm’s board of directors. She focuses on estate planning, including family wealth transfer plans, charitable planning, and business succession planning, along with advising clients regarding fiduciary litigation and transfer tax controversy matters. Miriam advises on trust and estate planning matters such as drafting wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and marital property agreements. Advising clients in conne...

Tim Brechtel is a partner in the Tax Practice Group. He counsels employers on tax and ERISA compliance issues relating to employee retirement, health, welfare, compensation, and other plans. Tim advises clients ranging from sole proprietorships to large, multinational corporations on establishing, administering, merging, and terminating qualified defined-contribution and defined-benefit retirement plans — such as 401(k) plans and employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) — and nonqua...

Brett Venn is a partner in the Litigation Practice Group. He focuses on business and commercial disputes. Brett represents energy clients in litigation concerning energy infrastructure, including pipelines and LNG facilities. He currently represents energy companies in tort actions, challenges to contracts, actions enforcing right of way and servitude agreements, and appeals of severance tax assessments. He has also represented energy-industry clients in contract disputes, shareholder dispute...

Thear J. Lemoine is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Insurance Law, Litigation - Insurance and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants. Thear J. practices law in New Orleans, Louisiana Best Lawyers has recognized Thear J. Lemoine since 2021. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Thear J. Lemoine is held by other lawyers.