Lee M. Peacocke

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...

Greg Guidry is a Shareholder in the firm’s Lafayette, Louisiana office, a satellite location for the New Orleans office. He is licensed in Louisiana and Texas and has successfully represented management throughout the United States in all aspects of labor and employment law, including advice, training, prevention tactics and litigation for over 35 years. His practice includes traditional labor law (union issues), employment litigation, wrongful termination, wage and hour, and developing...

John Werner is the Managing Partner of Fishman Haygood. John works in the firm’s Business Section, primarily on financings, including mergers and acquisitions, private equity transactions, and general corporate advice. In private equity, John represents Black Bay Energy Capital, Jefferson Capital Partners, and Enhanced Capital Partners in their investments in various portfolio companies. He also represents numerous private equity funded portfolio companies in their ongoing corporate nee...

Benjamin B. Saunders is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Railroad Law. Benjamin B., who practices law in Mandeville, Louisiana, has been recognized since 1997. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Benjamin B. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

John B. Esnard III is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, Litigation - Construction and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants. John B., who practices law in New Orleans, Louisiana, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which John B. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Andy Mendez concentrates his practice in the areas of commercial litigation, complex litigation, family law, and bankruptcy. He has represented individuals, privately-held companies, and publicly-traded corporations in a wide variety of disputes as plaintiffs, defendants, debtors, and creditors. Andy began his career at the main office of a multi-national law firm before joining Stone Pigman. He has substantial experience defending product liability and toxic tort personal injury claims, incl...

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.

Susan Santa Cruz is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Banking and Finance Law and Real Estate Law. Susan, who practices law in New Orleans, Louisiana, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Susan is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

David Groome represents corporate clients, insurance companies and their insureds in litigation matters involving professional liability, product liability, property loss, and personal injury. When faced with pending litigation, David’s clients look to his industry specific knowledge to help reach an end result quickly and efficiently. For more intransigent matters, he focuses on quickly understanding the industry specific issues pertinent to the pending litigation and providing his cli...

René E. Thorne is the Managing Shareholder and Litigation Manager of the New Orleans, Louisiana office of Jackson Lewis P.C. Her practice covers the full range of employee benefit litigation matters, including representation of employers, plans, plan fiduciaries, and trustees. In that regard, she has handled numerous ERISA class actions for clients such as Nortel Networks, Target, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Owens Healthcare, United Airlines ESOP Committee, Dunbar Armored, United Companies...