Melanie Derefinko

From our New Orleans office, Benjamin focuses on several practice areas including bankruptcy, restructuring, and creditors’ rights; corporate and commercial law, mergers and acquisitions; litigation; and asset-based finance. After graduating from Louisiana State University in 2002, Benjamin earned his law degree from Tulane University Law School in 2005. During law school, he served as a judicial clerk for the Honorable Magistrate Judge Alma Chasez, United States District Court for the ...

Based in New Orleans, Louisiana, Tod Everage advises Fortune 500 corporations, established energy companies, and emerging alternative energy enterprises on the transactional, regulatory, and litigation issues they encounter in daily operations. His practice includes Admiralty and Maritime Law, as well as offshore, midstream , and environmental matters arising under federal statutes such as the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, Natural Gas Act, NEPA, Deepwater Port Act, Clean Air Act, Clean W...

Theodore Owers is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trademark Law. Theodore, 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 Theodore is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Wayne practices within Butler Snow's Public Finance, Tax Incentives and Credit Markets group. His work has been concentrated in all roles of Public Finance since 1984, with a particular emphasis in affordable housing finance.

David focuses on marine insurance coverage; marine finance and vessel documentation; bankruptcy, restructuring, and creditors’ rights; admiralty and maritime; and international and cross-border law. He represents clients that own, operate, charter, or employ vessels, and helps them understand and manage their risks in the United States, Gulf of Mexico, and worldwide offshore maritime oilfield and alternative-energy markets. Originally from Bethesda, Maryland, David attended Tulane Unive...

Demarcus Gordon is a partner in the Oil and Gas/Energy and Environmental Litigation sections and specializes in litigation involving the oil and gas industry. He has experience representing clients in cases involving premises liability and personal injury, particularly in cases involving chemical exposures such as asbestos, benzene, or naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM). Mr. Gordon also defends oil and gas exploration and production companies in legacy litigation by landowners a...

Ms. Johnson is active in the defense of complex environmental, toxic tort, chemical exposure, carbon monoxide, insurance coverage, medical monitoring, naturally occurring radioactive material (“NORM”) occupational injury cases, oyster, oil spill, pesticide, personal injury, property damage, and class action litigation. She also has an active mediation and appellate practice in the same areas. Ms. Johnson has particular abilities in defending premises owners, employers and their executive offi...

Katherine Karam is a partner in the firm’s insurance and reinsurance practice. For over two decades, she has served as local, regional (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas), and national coverage counsel for both foreign and domestic insurance companies. She counsels clients, resolves coverage disputes and manages litigation involving insurance issues under state laws in all regions of the United Stat...

Nichole Mart Gray is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Environmental and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants. Nichole Mart, 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 Nichole Mart is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

McCann LeFeve is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants. McCann, 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 McCann is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.