Matthew A. Sherman

Fishman Haygood Special Counsel Alicia Bendana maintains a national practice focused on complex bankruptcy and commercial litigation. She represents trustees, debtors, creditors, creditors’ committees, receivers and liquidators in high-stakes matters involving officer and director liability, professional negligence, fraud, RICO, fraudulent transfers, and business dissolutions. A Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), Alicia is also board certified in business bankruptcy law by both the America...

Johanna Lambert is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation. Johanna, who practices law in New Orleans, Louisiana, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Johanna 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.

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 ...

Kevin LaVie practices in the area of admiralty and tort. He has a very broad-based practice involving nearly all aspects of maritime law including personal injury and death claims; cargo damage claims; dock damage and collision claims; Limitation of Liability matters; charter party and related commercial disputes (including ship arrests and Rule B attachments); insurance coverage disputes; oilfield indemnity actions; pollution matters; and various Coast Guard and immigration matters. His prac...

Richard Aguilar is resident in the firm's New Orleans office. His multi-state practice focuses on bringing his extensive business experience to bear for clients dealing with issues in areas involving creditor's rights, foreclosure, bankruptcy, reorganization, and high-consequence business and commercial litigation.

Susan M. Tyler is a partner in the Corporate Practice Group. She has more than thirty years of experience in commercial real estate and development, commercial lending, commercial leasing, and title examination. Susan represents developers, owners, lenders, and other business clients in a diverse range of commercial real estate projects across a broad array of asset categories. She has advised clients in construction projects; mixed-use commercial, hospitality, hotel, multi-family, and condom...

Steve Herman is special counsel in Fishman Haygood’s Litigation Section. With thirty years of experience, Steve’s primary practice has lately focused on representing both plaintiffs and defendants in commercial, class action, and professional liability cases, and he is often asked to provide expert testimony in such matters. He recently, for example, submitted a series of declarations in support of class counsel’s successful fee petition in the multi-billion dollar Aqueous F...

Mr. Bullock Chairs the firm's Intellectual Property Practice Group. In addition to litigating commercial matters, he renders arbitration and mediation services and has experience in litigating products liability claims. Mr. Bullock joined Stone Pigman in 1978.

Lewis McHenry is a partner in the Corporate Practice Group. He represents a wide range of parties in real estate transactions. Lewis advises clients on real estate acquisitions and divestitures, workouts, commercial bankruptcy, development, and finance. He handles matters in connection with multi-family residential developments throughout the southeastern and southwestern United States, office buildings, hotels, and medical facilities. He also advises forest products companies on timber inves...