Donald R. "Don" Abaunza

Martin Landrieu's practice includes complex corporate litigation, class action defense, state and local tax litigation, telecommunications, zoning, real estate, property rights, and general commercial litigation. He has drafted and negotiated leases, purchase and sale agreements, cooperative endeavor agreements, contracts, rights of way acquisitions and fiber optic capacity use and service agreements for local and national business clients. He has extensive litigation experience in Louisiana'...

Sharonda Williams is special counsel in Fishman Haygood's Litigation Section. She also serves as Vice-President, General Counsel and Director of Government Affairs at Loyola University New Orleans, a position she has held since 2021. Sharonda’s distinguished career spans more than twenty years in public service and private practice. Notably, she served as City Attorney for the City of New Orleans from May 2013 to November 2015 and as Chief Deputy City Attorney from October 2011 until Ma...

Ben Woodruff is a partner in the Corporate Practice Group, a member of the Finance team, and chair of the firm’s Mentoring and Training Committee. Ben represents borrowers and leading financial institutions with the arrangement and syndication of senior credit facilities, including acquisition, bridge, refinancings, and other corporate finance transactions. He also has significant experience with cash flow and asset-based lending, debtor-in-possession financing, loan restructurings and ...

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...

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 ...

Mr. Holmes has more than 25 years of experience as a business lawyer, representing clients in arbitration and litigation as well as handling transactional matters. He also represents franchisors with respect to disclosure, relationship and termination issues. Mr. Holmes also helps clients in the matters of business organization, contracts, directors’ and officers’ liability, bankruptcy and intellectual property as well as trusts and estates. Mr. Holmes is an Eagle Scout and remain...

Colin Cambre practices in the area of admiralty law. He specializes in the areas of maritime personal injury defense and litigation, Jones Act and Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act claims, and maritime collision and property damage defense and litigation. He has experience conducting shipboard investigations for vessel collisions, personal injury and cargo damage. Colin has represented clients in state and federal courts in all aspects of litigation. He has handled numerous...

Russell L. Foster, a member with the firm, has litigated and argued a wide variety of matters in both federal and state courts. He also has extensive experience in mediation and arbitration proceedings involving labor and employment issues, oil and gas matters, commercial disputes, and personal injury. Mr. Foster has given and contributed to speeches and presentations concerning topics such as workplace torts, the impact of the National Labor Relations Act in the non-union workplace, and inve...

John Werner is the Managing Partner of Fishman Haygood. John works in the firm’s Business Section, primarily on financings, including mergers and acquisitions, private equity transactions, and general corporate advice. In private equity, John represents Black Bay Energy Capital, Jefferson Capital Partners, and Enhanced Capital Partners in their investments in various portfolio companies. He also represents numerous private equity funded portfolio companies in their ongoing corporate nee...

Gary Hemphill practices in the areas of admiralty litigation. His practice involves matters in personal injury, cargo, oil and energy, finance and FD&D. Prior to joining Phelps Dunbar, Mr. Hemphill was with the Terriberry, Carroll, & Yancey, L.L.P. law firm in New Orleans.