Matthew J. Averill

Andrea Albert brings a keen attention to detail and an eye toward long-term strategy to every investigation. A member of Galloway’s Emergency Response Team, she assists clients from the time of an accident through investigation and litigation. Her practice focuses on defense litigation—from trial through appeal—and includes transportation and trucking (including cargo claims), insurance coverage, property damage, premises liability, contractual liability, and personal injury...

Benjamin P. Bucy has significant experience in complex litigation and has focused his practice on representing whistleblowers in qui tam cases under federal and state False Claims Acts. Ben has been involved in all phases of False Claims Act (FCA) cases, including case development, drafting FCA complaints, assisting the Government in sealed FCA investigations, litigating FCA cases and has secured millions of dollars in False Claims Act settlements. Most of Ben’s FCA experience has invol...

Bryan C. Shartle is one of the two managing partners of the Firm and assists in the management of the Firm’s 10 offices. Bryan specializes in representing collection agencies, debt buyers, student loan servicers, banks, credit issuers, financial institutions, and telemarketers. He has extensive experience in consumer litigation, including claims under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and the myriad of state con...

John T. Balhoff, II, a member of the firm, was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 1971. He attended college at the University of Notre Dame and graduated from there, cum laude, in 1993, receiving a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in finance. Mr. Balhoff received his Juris Doctor degree from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University in 1996. Mr. Balhoff presently is admitted to the Louisiana Bar and he also is admitted to practice before all United States District C...

Mr. Holmes has more than 25 years of experience as a business lawyer, representing clients in arbitration and litigation as well as handling transactional matters. He also represents franchisors with respect to disclosure, relationship and termination issues. Mr. Holmes also helps clients in the matters of business organization, contracts, directors’ and officers’ liability, bankruptcy and intellectual property as well as trusts and estates. Mr. Holmes is an Eagle Scout and remain...

Kara Hadican Samuels is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Kara Hadican, who practices law in New Orleans, Louisiana, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kara Hadican is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Ben Woodruff is a partner in the Corporate Practice Group, a member of the Finance team, and chair of the firm’s Mentoring and Training Committee. Ben represents borrowers and leading financial institutions with the arrangement and syndication of senior credit facilities, including acquisition, bridge, refinancings, and other corporate finance transactions. He also has significant experience with cash flow and asset-based lending, debtor-in-possession financing, loan restructurings and ...

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...

Of Counsel

Mr. Sher is a business lawyer whose practice is concentrated in commercial real estate and business and finance law. He also practices in the areas of: commercial litigation, creditors' rights, workouts and foreclosures, commercial bankruptcy, disaster recovery, arbitration and mediation, secured finance and asset based lending. Along with his practice, Mr. Sher is actively involved with many professional and trade organizations, including the American College of Real Estate Lawyers, where he...