David Kurtz

Ethan Zubic serves as Assistant Chair of the Admiralty & Maritime Section of the Firm and focuses his practice on commercial litigation in a wide range of practice areas, from cooperative purchasing enterprises to property damage to legacy litigation, as well as admiralty and maritime law, insurance coverage and defense, real estate litigation and commercial transactions. He has handled cases involving property insurance, ocean marine insurance coverage disputes, subrogation claims, marin...

David K. Smith is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Admiralty and Maritime Law. David K., who practices law in New Orleans, Louisiana, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which David K. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Mark Dodart is a partner in the litigation group of Phelps Dunbar who practices primarily in the areas of general litigation, insurance coverage and tort litigation. He counsels clients, manages disputes and tries cases involving personal injury, products liability, class actions, toxic tort exposure, premises liability, and property damage. Mr. Dodart also serves as local, regional and national coverage counsel for domestic insurance companies in matters arising from bad faith, construction ...

Jeff Tillery is a partner in the Maritime Practice Group and co-leader of the maritime litigation, arbitration, and dispute resolution team. He helps maritime and marine industry clients prevent and resolve a broad range of disputes. For more than 35 years, Jeff has advised and represented clients in maritime personal injury and collision matters, commercial litigation, longshore matters, and marine insurance coverage disputes, and has tried, as lead counsel, complex marine multi-party casual...

Emily Lippold Gummer is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Intellectual Property. Emily Lippold, who practices law in New Orleans, Louisiana, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Emily Lippold is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Ryan joined Sher Garner Cahill Richter Klein & Hilbert, L.L.C. in 2007 after practicing nearly two years in Jackson, Mississippi with Brunini, Grantham, Grower & Hewes, PLLC. He received his Bachelor's degree magna cum laude in Political Science from the University of New Orleans where he received honors for graduating with the highest GPA in his graduation class. He also received his Juris Doctorate and Bachelor of Civil Law degree from Louisiana State University. Ryan is admitted to...

Richard Richter is a Member of the Sher Garner Cahill Richter Klein & Hilbert law firm in New Orleans, Louisiana. His practice primarily includes real estate law, construction and development, zoning and regulatory matters, governmental relations, commercial finance and business transactions. Mr. Richter has an educational background in engineering and in law. He attended Tulane University and received a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering Degree (BSCE) in 1968. He pursued graduate E...

Greg Grimsal practices in the area of commercial litigation (for which he was named a “Best Lawyer” in 2012), with some concentration in the areas of general contract disputes, commercial real estate, commercial leases, risk management and casualty matters (including coverage questions and lost policy issues), and complex products liability litigation. He has litigated maritime lien ranking disputes, oil and gas royalty suits and environmental cleanup cases, as well as several hig...

Bill Backstrom is a partner and leader of the firm’s Tax Practice Group. For more than 35 years, he has focused on state and local tax matters in Louisiana and on a multistate basis. Bill provides comprehensive, practical, and solution-focused tax guidance to a broad range of business enterprises. Known for the quality of his counsel, his commitment to client service, and his ability to explain sophisticated issues in clear terms — particularly with respect to Louisiana’s hi...

Benjamin B. Saunders is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Railroad Law. Benjamin B., who practices law in Mandeville, Louisiana, has been recognized since 1997. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Benjamin B. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.