Matthew A. "Matt" Woolf

Rodger focuses on maritime and oilfield transactions and litigation. This includes insurance coverage, marine finance and vessel documentation, litigation, corporate and commercial law, and international transaction primarily in Latin America. Rodger was born in Durham, North Carolina. His educational background includes: Phillips Academy (Andover), 1968; an undergraduate degree from Stanford University, 1972; a Masters in Business Administration from Columbia University, 1977; and a Juris Do...

Brandon T. Darden is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Oil and Gas Law. Brandon T., 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 Brandon T. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Tyler Rench is a partner in the Litigation Practice Group. He focuses on fiduciary, insurance, and banking disputes. Tyler has broad-based experience representing clients in federal and state courts, as well as in administrative proceedings and alternative dispute resolution. He represents and advises clients in connection with succession and trust litigation; disputes over life, health, and disability insurance; banking and commercial issues; and class action and civil RICO litigation. Befor...

Kerry Miller is a partner in Fishman Haygood’s Litigation Section. Kerry has the distinction of trying both the longest civil and criminal trials in the history of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. As jury trials resumed following pandemic related delays, Kerry tried the first civil jury trial in federal court in Louisiana and in Miami-Dade County in state court. Since June 2021, Kerry has tried several jury trials and participated in a large arbitr...

David D. Haynes is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Health Care Law. David D., 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 David D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Pamela G. Michiels is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Insurance Law. Pamela G., 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 Pamela G. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Tim Brechtel is a partner in the Tax Practice Group. He counsels employers on tax and ERISA compliance issues relating to employee retirement, health, welfare, compensation, and other plans. Tim advises clients ranging from sole proprietorships to large, multinational corporations on establishing, administering, merging, and terminating qualified defined-contribution and defined-benefit retirement plans — such as 401(k) plans and employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) — and nonqua...

Rick Shelby is an experienced attorney who specializes in bankruptcy, restructuring, oil and gas litigation, commercial litigation and corporate governance. His representation includes secured and unsecured creditors, trustees, committees, and debtors. Mr. Shelby has handled virtually all aspects of bankruptcy work from complex chapter 11 cases representing debtors, creditors’ committees and secured creditors to consumer bankruptcy cases in chapter 7 and 13. He has recently represented ...

Fishman Haygood co-founding partner Louis Fishman is counsel to the firm and a member of our Business Section. His transactional practice includes corporation law, securities, and mergers and acquisitions. He also counsels clients on resolving disputes within family and other closely held businesses. Louis was a founder and has served since 1988 on the planning committee of Tulane’s Corporate Law Institute, and as a member of the Advisory Board of Editors for the Tulane Law Review since...

Bill Backstrom is a partner and leader of the firm’s Tax Practice Group. For more than 35 years, he has focused on state and local tax matters in Louisiana and on a multistate basis. Bill provides comprehensive, practical, and solution-focused tax guidance to a broad range of business enterprises. Known for the quality of his counsel, his commitment to client service, and his ability to explain sophisticated issues in clear terms — particularly with respect to Louisiana’s hi...