James A. "Jim" Watson

Monette Davis concentrates her practice on insurance defense and commercial litigation matters. Monette dedicates time to the legal community by serving in leadership positions with the American Bar Association and the Greater New Orleans Louis A. Martinet Legal Society where she mentors minority young lawyers and law students. She is also responsible for planning award-winning training programs to help law students navigate their journey through law school and then becoming a lawyer. Monette...

Ruddy Ramelli is a partner in the Tax Practice Group. Ruddy has been practicing tax law for more than 30 years and is a board-certified tax specialist as certified by the Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization. He focuses his practice on federal and state income tax issues and the tax structuring and consequences of mergers, acquisitions, and related transactions. Ruddy regularly represents corporations, partnerships, individuals, and other for-profit entities, and has in-depth experience in...

William J. Kolarik II is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation and Controversy - Tax and Tax Law. William J., who practices law in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which William J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Dana Shelton is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Administrative / Regulatory Law, Energy Law, Energy Regulatory Law and Utilities Law. Dana, who practices law in New Orleans, Louisiana, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Dana is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

John Michael “Mike” Parker is a partner at Taylor Porter, practicing law since 1978. Mr. Parker’s practice areas include complex civil litigation, toxic torts class action, insurance, products liability, admiralty, and maritime law. During the past several years, Mr. Parker has acted as lead trial counsel in the defense of federal and state litigation involving environmental claims for remediation of soil and groundwater contamination and claims relating to occupational and ...

Rick Shelby is an experienced attorney who specializes in bankruptcy, restructuring, oil and gas litigation, commercial litigation and corporate governance. His representation includes secured and unsecured creditors, trustees, committees, and debtors. Mr. Shelby has handled virtually all aspects of bankruptcy work from complex chapter 11 cases representing debtors, creditors’ committees and secured creditors to consumer bankruptcy cases in chapter 7 and 13. He has recently represented ...

Dennis Blunt practices in the area of commercial litigation, with a focus on business disputes including business torts and insurance company solvency and regulation. He is an experienced trial litigator having represented plaintiffs, defendants, and regulators across a wide spectrum of industries including education, public utilities, health care, state and municipal government, insurance, and financial institutions on a regional and national basis. He has tried matters involving corporate g...

Ed Harold is the regional managing partner in the New Orleans office and chair of the firm's Retail Industry Practice Group. His practice is primarily devoted to employment litigation in both state and federal courts in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama and counseling employers to avoid litigation. Throughout his career, he has spent significant time and attention assisting employers in managing employee attendance and leave issues. As a result of this work, in 1999, Ed testified before the...

Kim Boyle practices in the areas of labor and employment, civil rights, constitutional law, commercial, tort and general litigation. Her employment practice includes representing employers in employment related claims, such as retaliation and discrimination claims as well as workplace harassment. She also handles EEOC charges and other administrative complaints through the administrative and judicial process. Her practice also includes the representation of public and private clients in a wid...

Amy Scafidel is a partner in the Corporate Practice Group and co-leads the finance team. Amy focuses her practice on commercial lending and financial transactions. Amy has significant experience representing borrowers and commercial banks in connection with a wide variety of commercial lending transactions, including structuring, negotiating, and documenting all types of senior, subordinated, secure, and unsecured syndicated financial and other lending transactions. She also has experience wi...