James E. Lapeze

I am a founding partner of JJC Law LLC, where I focus on maritime, products liability, environmental, and personal injury litigation. I was born in Patterson, Louisiana, in St. Mary Parish, and grew up along the Bayou Teche. My journey eventually led me to New Orleans, where I attended Tulane University and Tulane Law School. My background in physics, mathematics, and computer science, combined with my lifelong experience around the offshore and inland oil and gas industries, gives me a uniqu...

Roy E. Blossman is a founding partner of the firm. Mr. Blossman handles a variety of matters in banking and finance, including commercial financings, trouble debt restructurings, workouts, preparation of standard banking forms, general banking and lending advices and regulatory work. He also represents sellers and purchasers in sales and exchanges of developed and undeveloped real estate, preparation and negotiation of leases on improved and unimproved property, and all other kinds of transac...

Stewart Spielman is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Banking and Finance Law. Stewart, who practices law in New Orleans, Louisiana, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Stewart is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

David Halpern is an attorney with Kean Miller in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he practices in the business, real estate, and commercial litigation groups. He brings more than 30 years of combined legal and business experience to his work with clients on a wide range of corporate, real estate, and land use matters. His practice focuses on Land Use and Zoning Law, including zoning ordinances, land use approvals, and regulatory compliance, as well as mergers and acquisitions and complex busines...

Clients value Keith Grady ’s practical, forward-looking counsel and extensive experience in Commercial Litigation , Litigation - Intellectual Property, and Litigation - Patent matters . Based in New Orleans, Louisiana, Keith is a shareholder at Kean Miller and has served as first chair through all phases of intellectual property litigation. His experience includes representing clients in hundreds of cases nationwide, handling preliminary injunction hearings, claim construction proceedin...

Craig Isenberg is a trial and appellate lawyer focusing on complex litigation matters, including commercial disputes, mass and toxic torts, environmental, product liability and securities matters. Craig has extensive trial experience in high-stakes litigation—trying jury and bench trials in Louisiana and across the country. He has tried a significant Clean Water Act case against the Department of Justice, dozens of toxic tort trials involving hundreds of plaintiffs, and a variety of com...

Melissa Harris is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation. Melissa, 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 Melissa is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Michael L. Eckstein is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Commercial Transactions / UCC Law and Tax Law. Michael L., 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 Michael L. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic...

David K. Smith is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Admiralty and Maritime Law. David K., 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 David K. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Richard Tyler is a partner on the Construction Team. He regularly serves as lead counsel in complex, high-stakes construction disputes. Rich joined Jones Walker in 1982 and is a former practice leader of the firm’s Construction Practice Group. Widely acknowledged as one of the nation’s top construction attorneys, over the past decade Rich has served as lead counsel in disputes involving more than $500 million in aggregate claim value across the country. He has received top ratings...