Joel A. Mendler

Walter Maestri is a maritime attorney working in the offshore fields representing companies that have contracts with oil and gas interests in the Gulf of Mexico. Whether representing the actual platform owner or the service industries that provide support to the oil and gas industry, he defends those companies against personal injury actions, property damage loss, lost oil and gas revenues, or other claims that may arise from operations in the Gulf. Working in partnerships with his clients, W...

Frank P. Tranchina, Jr., is a partner in the law firm of Tranchina & Mansfield, L.L.C. He received his law degree from Loyola University School of Law in 1979. He is Board Certified in Family Law by the Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization and is also licensed in the State of California. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. He is a past chairman of the Family Law sections of the Louisiana State and Jefferson Bar Associations as well as co-chair of the board ce...

Kent Morrison practices in all areas of marine and energy law, including tort defense, monitoring and insurance coverage analysis. He has handled cases involving cargo disputes, collisions, personal injuries, deaths, collisions, allisions, wake/wave wash, groundings, products liability, property damage, indemnity and insurance coverage disputes, representing maritime employers, vessel owners, longshore employers, energy companies, dock and terminal owners and their underwriters. He also provi...

Stevan C. Dittman, born Hampshire, Illinois, December 7, 1949; admitted to bar, 1985, Louisiana; also admitted to practice before U.S. Supreme Court; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; U.S. District Court, Eastern, Western and Middle Districts of Louisiana. Preparatory education, University of Wisconsin (B.A., 1971); University of Michigan (M.A., 1973; Ph.D. Candidate 1976); legal education, Tulane University of Louisiana (J.D., 1985). Honor Societies: Phi Kappa Phi; Order of the Coif. Edi...

Scott Willis practices primarily in the areas of commercial transactions, negotiated acquisitions, banking, and commercial real estate acquisitions, development, and financing. Across his career, Scott has consistently held leadership roles in major professional organizations focused on real estate, banking, and transactional law. He is a fellow of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers (ACREL) and serves as secretary of its 2026 Board of Governors . He is also a member of the American C...

Francis “Rasch” H. Brown is an experienced trial lawyer who advises clients throughout the United States on tort litigation and commercial disputes, with an emphasis on product liability defense. In the products liability field, he has tried more than 35 cases to conclusion obtaining defense verdicts in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas. Rasch is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. Highly regarded for his ability to communicate scie...

McCann LeFeve is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants. McCann practices law in New Orleans, Louisiana Best Lawyers has recognized McCann LeFeve since 2025. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which McCann LeFeve is held by other lawyers.

Richard Cortizas is a partner in the Corporate Practice Group and a member of the Jones Walker board of directors. He focuses on transactional matters, representing clients in complex land use and zoning matters, public finance, and economic development projects. Richard has extensive experience representing corporate clients, developers and individuals before local planning commissions, boards of zoning adjustments, and governing authorities of political subdivisions throughout the state. Ri...

David K. Smith is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Admiralty and Maritime Law. David K. practices law in New Orleans, Louisiana Best Lawyers has recognized David K. Smith since 2026. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which David K. Smith is held by other lawyers.

Joe Lavigne is a partner in the Labor & Employment Practice Group and an experienced litigator in trade secret and non-compete disputes. As a lead attorney on Jones Walker’s trade secret and non-compete team, Joe focuses his practice on prosecuting and defending claims of employee misconduct involving trade secret violations, unfair trade practices, non-compete violations, invasion of privacy, Computer Fraud and Abuse Act issues, theft, and related disputes. He also advises clients ...