J. David "David" Forsyth

Cherie Dessauer Nobles is special counsel in Fishman Haygood’s Litigation Section. She works in the firm’s bankruptcy practice group and concentrates on debtor and creditor rights. Cherie has experience in representing large, complex companies and small companies in bankruptcy. Her experience includes representation of debtors, trustees, unsecured creditors’ committees, and creditors in commercial bankruptcy and workout business cases in chapter 11 and chapter 7 bankruptcy p...

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...

Blair Schilling is a partner in Fishman Haygood’s Litigation Section, where she represents clients in a wide range of commercial matters in federal and state court, with a concentration in environmental law. Blair’s environmental practice spans coastal erosion and restoration, land contamination, land use, clean water, asset retirement, brownfield site cleanup and redevelopment, regulatory and permitting matters, and expropriation issues. In doing this work, Blair represents state...

Rachel M. Scarafia is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Energy Law and Oil and Gas Law. Rachel M., 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 Rachel M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Bryan Reuter concentrates his practice in complex commercial and intellectual-property litigation, including their appeals. Mr. Reuter received his undergraduate degree, a Bachelor’s of Science in Mechanical Engineering, from Tulane University, where he earned the Leon Scherck Award for the highest cumulative average in the School of Engineering. After graduation he undertook various positions with Shell Oil and Shell Chemical Companies, including Operations Manager, for several petroch...

Heather Angelico quickly and efficiently evaluates claims and related legal issues to assist clients in deciding whether matters should be resolved early or taken through trial. She focuses her practice on the Longshore & Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act and Defense Base Act and has extensive experience defending employers and carriers under the Longshore & Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, Non-appropriated Fund Instrumentalities Act, the Louisiana State Workers’ Compensa...

Susan M. Tyler is a partner in the Corporate Practice Group. She has more than thirty years of experience in commercial real estate and development, commercial lending, commercial leasing, and title examination. Susan represents developers, owners, lenders, and other business clients in a diverse range of commercial real estate projects across a broad array of asset categories. She has advised clients in construction projects; mixed-use commercial, hospitality, hotel, multi-family, and condom...

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...

Susan Santa Cruz is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Banking and Finance Law and Real Estate Law. Susan, who practices law in New Orleans, Louisiana, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Susan is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

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...