Jay Russell Sever

Jay Russell Sever

recognized lawyers icon Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2018
Awarded Practice Areas
Litigation - Insurance Insurance Law
*Named the "Lawyer of the Year" in this practice area in the 2026 edition in New Orleans.
Awarded Practice Areas
Litigation - Insurance Insurance Law
*Named the "Lawyer of the Year" in this practice area in the 2026 edition in New Orleans.
Jay Russell Sever
Jay Russell Sever
New Orleans, LA
Works at
Phelps Dunbar LLP

202 Best Lawyers awards

Phelps Dunbar LLP logo

Biography

Jay Sever is a partner in the Insurance and Reinsurance group of Phelps Dunbar. He is the Regional Practice Coordinator for the firm's insurance practice group and is also head of the insurance and reinsurance practice group in the New Orleans office. He serves as local, regional and national coverage counsel for both foreign and domestic insurance companies. He counsels clients, manages disputes and tries cases involving a wide variety of insurance coverage issues, including matters arising from bad faith, construction defects claims, third-party liability claims, first-party claims, professional liability claims, crane and rigging claims, racing and competitive sport claims, entertainment claims, transportation claims, environmental claims, general and toxic tort claims, advertising, copyright and trademark claims, media liability claims, multiple-year trigger and allocation issues, marine liability claims, Louisiana direct action claims and numerous others.

In addition to handling cases in Louisiana and California courts in which he is admitted, Jay also has acted as lead counsel in cases pending in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Washington. Jay's practice, both litigation and counseling, involves attorneys from all of Phelps Dunbar's offices in the Gulf South and, where necessary, local counsel in states throughout the United States.

Works at
Phelps Dunbar LLP

202 Best Lawyers awards

Phelps Dunbar LLP logo

Locations

Education

  • Tulane University, J.D., graduated 1991
  • University of Maryland, B.S., graduated 1986

Bar Admissions

  • Louisiana, Louisiana
  • California, California

Court Admissions

  • U.S. District Court, Middle District of Louisiana
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Louisiana
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of California
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Tennessee
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. District Court, Central District of California
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of California

Affiliations

  • American Bar Association - Member
  • American College of Coverage and Extracontractual Counsel (ACCEC) - Member
  • Bar Association of the Fifth Federal Circuit - Member
  • Claims and Litigation Management Alliance - Member
  • Defense Research Institute (DRI, The Voice of the Defense Bar) - Member
  • Federal Bar Association - Member
  • Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel (FDCC) - Member
  • Louisiana State Bar Association - Member
  • State Bar of California - Member

Client Testimonials

Awards & Focus

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2026 - Litigation - Insurance
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
  • Litigation - Insurance, New Orleans (2026)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
  • Insurance Law
  • Litigation - Insurance
Awards:
  • AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
  • Insurance Law (2018-2021), Litigation - Insurance (2018-2021), The Best Lawyers in America
  • Louisiana Super Lawyers, Super Lawyers (2013-2020)
  • Top Lawyers: Insurance Law, New Orleans Magazine

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