Kathleen L. Doody

Richard Cozad is a partner in SBSB’s New Orleans office with more than 45 years of experience in private law practice. A member of the firm since August 2018, he has focused his years of practice primarily on admiralty, marine insurance and environmental law. Richard received his bachelor’s degree from Loyola University before going on to earn his law degree from Tulane University. Following graduation, he served as a law clerk for the Honorable Nauman Scott, former Chief Judge of...

Rebecca Wilmore joined Blue Williams in 2017 and is a partner in the Metairie office. Her practice focuses primarily on medical malpractice defense and healthcare law. Ms. Wilmore earned a Bachelor of Journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia, minoring in political science and graduating cum laude in 2001. She obtained her Juris Doctorate and Bachelor of Civil Law degree in 2004 from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University, where she served as a member of the Moo...

Senior Counsel Will Bland, III, one of the founding members of the firm, has more than 49 years of experience as a litigator. Will’s practice focuses on maritime personal injury defense, maritime collision and property damage insurance coverage, contractual indemnity, longshore matters, transportation defense, and general litigation. His clients have included both Fortune 500 and local one-boat companies, and he regularly represents vessel operators, shipyards, both brown water and offs...

Raymond C. Lewis' practice centers primarily in the areas of complex commercial and business litigation, insurance defense, and appellate work. He has successfully litigated complex commercial disputes for local and national clients involving multi-million dollar claims for breach of contract, product liability, oil and gas disputes, and transportation casualty. Ray also maintains a regular appellate practice. In his appellate practice, Ray has handled numerous appeals before the Louisiana Su...

Mr. Alford represents public utilities and other clients in a variety of matters, including commercial and tort litigation, regulatory proceedings, and contract and property issues. Representative cases include construction disputes, securities actions, antitrust and unfair trade practice claims, medical licensing, and consumer litigation. Mr. Alford also counsels clients concerning regulatory compliance, employment, and general business issues. Mr. Alford graduated from Louisiana State Unive...

Melissa Lessell partners with her clients faced with professional liability and complex commercial litigation matters. She helps professionals navigate through disciplinary actions, ethics investigations, malpractice, negligence and breach of fiduciary duty claims and lawsuits. Forming partnerships with her clients, Melissa Lessell tirelessly defends them in professional liability and complex commercial litigation matters. She helps professionals navigate through disciplinary actions, license...

Joanne Rinardo defends clients in employment and constitutional claims and is best known for litigation involving Title VII, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, and Family Medical Leave Act, as well as general employment claims. Ms. Rinardo has defended 60 EEOC and/or comparable state agency charges in a tri-state area over a two-year period with no findings of “cause” issued against the client. She also advises clients ...

John Jerry Glas is the Chair of the Civil Litigation Department at Deutsch Kerrigan and a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. He has tried 114 civil or criminal trials, including 76 jury trials and 38 judge trials. Jerry has been admitted pro hac vice in 11 different states and had success on both sides of the aisle. In 2021, as lead trial counsel for the plaintiff (Lindale Pipeline, LLC), Jerry obtained a $26 million verdict in Houston. In 2012, as lead trial counsel for the def...

Devin Ricci represents businesses of all sizes in the ownership, monetization, and protection of intellectual property . His practice includes Copyright Law, Trademark Law, Trade Secrets Law, and intellectual property litigation, including Litigation – Patent and Litigation – Intellectual Property matters in federal courts. He works with clients to secure IP rights and to resolve disputes involving patent, trademark, and copyright infringement, as well as trade secret misappropria...

Neal J. Kling, a Member of the firm, received his undergraduate degree in Business and Public Administration from Louisiana State University and his law degree from Louisiana State University Law Center where he graduated Order of the Coif and was a member of the Louisiana Law Review. He represents clients in the areas of secured financing transactions, real estate transactions, real property and personal property leasing, maritime construction and finance and other commercial transactions. M...