H. Minor Pipes III

Clint Smith is a partner in the Corporate Practice Group and co-leader of the firm’s corporate, securities, and executive compensation team. He represents public and private company clients, both large and small, in a range of industries, including energy, healthcare, banking, and construction. Clint counsels clients in all areas of corporate securities and capital markets law, including initial public offerings, registered debt and equity offerings, exempt offerings under Regulation D,...

Thomas Hubert is a partner in the Labor & Employment Practice Group and a lead trial attorney for the trade secret non-compete team. Thomas is also a formally trained and qualified mediator. Since 1989, Thomas has practiced primarily in the area of labor and employment law, as well as in areas that fall under more traditional commercial claims. Specifically, he has focused on business and commercial litigation, and labor and employment (including commercial contracts, Unfair Trade Practic...

Ms. Johnson is active in the defense of complex environmental, toxic tort, chemical exposure, carbon monoxide, insurance coverage, medical monitoring, naturally occurring radioactive material (“NORM”) occupational injury cases, oyster, oil spill, pesticide, personal injury, property damage, and class action litigation. She also has an active mediation and appellate practice in the same areas. Ms. Johnson has particular abilities in defending premises owners, employers and their executive offi...

Kara Hadican Samuels is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Kara Hadican, 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 Kara Hadican is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Gerald E. Meunier was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on November 20, 1948, and admitted to the Louisiana Bar in 1974. He received his college education at Georgetown University and graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in 1970. Mr. Meunier attended Georgetown University Law Center while working in the United States Senate as an assistant to the Secretary for the Majority. He was a contributing Editor of the Georgetown Law Journal and received his J.D. in 1974. He also served in the D.C. Natio...

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...

Melissa Lessell partners with her clients faced with professional liability and complex commercial litigation matters. She helps professionals navigate through disciplinary actions, ethics investigations, malpractice, negligence and breach of fiduciary duty claims and lawsuits. Forming partnerships with her clients, Melissa Lessell tirelessly defends them in professional liability and complex commercial litigation matters. She helps professionals navigate through disciplinary actions, license...

Alicia Bendana focuses her national practice on complex bankruptcy and commercial litigation, representing trustees, debtors, creditors, creditors’ committees, receivers, and liquidators in high-stakes matters involving officer and director liability, professional negligence, fraud, RICO, fraudulent transfers, and business dissolutions. A Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), Alicia is also board certified in business bankruptcy law by both the American Board of Certification and by the Louis...

Tina L. Kappen is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Insurance Law. Tina L., who practices law in New Orleans, Louisiana, has been recognized since 2027. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Tina L. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

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...