Franklin D. Beahm

Jane Jackson focuses her practice in the areas of environmental litigation, oil and gas, and commercial litigation. She handles the defense of environmental claims by landowners alleging environmental damage arising from oil and gas exploration and production operations. Ms. Jackson has represented public entities in land use cases involving the appropriation of property for constructing and maintaining hurricane protection levees, and she also has experience handling cases involving land los...

Richard Aguilar is resident in the firm's New Orleans office. His multi-state practice focuses on bringing his extensive business experience to bear for clients dealing with issues in areas involving creditor's rights, foreclosure, bankruptcy, reorganization, and high-consequence business and commercial litigation.

Bill Riviere practices in the areas of collision, maritime personal injury, terminal/installation damage, pollution, fire, salvage, maritime lien matters, oilfield indemnity and insurance coverage disputes, and appellate matters. He represents maritime employers, vessel owners, energy interests and their underwriters in personal injury defense litigation, including Jones Act and Longshore and Harbor Worker’s Compensation Act claims, and represents vessel owners, operators, dock and term...

McCann LeFeve is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants. McCann, 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 McCann is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Avery Pardee is a partner in the Litigation Practice Group. She is a career defense attorney and represents clients in white collar criminal matters, internal and government investigations, and commercial litigation. Avery has significant experience defending and advising individuals as well as publicly traded companies, private businesses, and other entities with respect to internal investigations, government and grand jury investigations, criminal prosecutions, parallel proceedings, regulat...

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 ...

Calling on over 35 years of experience, Mr. Stout's practice includes insurance defense and general litigation in the areas of products liability and toxic torts. Mr. Stout mainly defends clients in toxic tort cases involving long-term latent disease, personal injury, and death claims involving silicosis or asbestosis and also has experience with asbestos property damage and building abatement claims. Mr. Stout also defends clients in products liability and maritime personal injury claims def...

Mr. Grace joined Blue Williams as an associate in 2002. In 2006, he was elected partner at the firm. His practice primarily consists of motor vehicle and trucking litigation, environmental and toxic tort litigation, including asbestos and benzene litigation, personal/commercial property and casualty litigation, and products liability. Mr. Grace earned a bachelor of arts degree in history from the University of North Carolina, Charlotte. He was awarded a juris doctorate from Loyola University ...

M. Taylor Darden is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Oil and Gas Law. M. Taylor, who practices law in New Orleans, Louisiana, has been recognized since 2009. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which M. Taylor is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

René E. Thorne is the Managing Shareholder and Litigation Manager of the New Orleans, Louisiana office of Jackson Lewis P.C. Her practice covers the full range of employee benefit litigation matters, including representation of employers, plans, plan fiduciaries, and trustees. In that regard, she has handled numerous ERISA class actions for clients such as Nortel Networks, Target, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Owens Healthcare, United Airlines ESOP Committee, Dunbar Armored, United Companies...