Patrick Jody "Jody" Lavergne

Mr. Whittaker is Chair of the firm's Business Section. He represents clients in a wide variety of transactions, including buying, selling and merging companies; private placements of securities; venture capital and private equity transactions; joint ventures; roll-ups, spin-offs and split-ups; and all phases of real estate acquisitions, development and financing. Mr. Whittaker joined Stone Pigman in 1984.

Roy E. Blossman is a founding partner of the firm. Mr. Blossman handles a variety of matters in banking and finance, including commercial financings, trouble debt restructurings, workouts, preparation of standard banking forms, general banking and lending advices and regulatory work. He also represents sellers and purchasers in sales and exchanges of developed and undeveloped real estate, preparation and negotiation of leases on improved and unimproved property, and all other kinds of transac...

Louis L. Gertler is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs, Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs and Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs. Louis L., who practices law in New Orleans, Louisiana, has been recognized since 2012. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Louis L. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

A member of the Taylor Porter Executive Committee, Partner Brett P. Furr is engaged primarily in a real estate and commercial litigation practice. In the last several years, his work has been related to commercial bank workout and litigation, including foreclosures, bankruptcies, defense of lender liability suits, and oil and gas cases and related matters. Mr. Furr is the former chairman of the Banking Law Section of the National Lawyers Association. On behalf of the Louisiana Bankers Associa...

John “Trip” McCormick protects clients’ legal interests while supporting their business growth. He focuses on commercial and construction litigation, aggressively defending contractual claims, pursuing unpaid debts, and helping clients manage risk and resolve conflicts. Trip represents architects, engineers, contractors, and suppliers in state and federal courts and arbitrations involving public works, commercial projects, and catastrophic structural failures. His practice a...

Ian Atkinson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Tax Law. Ian, 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 Ian is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Calling on over 35 years of experience, Mr. Stout's practice includes insurance defense and general litigation in the areas of products liability and toxic torts. Mr. Stout mainly defends clients in toxic tort cases involving long-term latent disease, personal injury, and death claims involving silicosis or asbestosis and also has experience with asbestos property damage and building abatement claims. Mr. Stout also defends clients in products liability and maritime personal injury claims def...

Lee H. Ayres is principally a trial lawyer. He has extensive experience in civil litigation, including business and commercial disputes, oil and gas litigation, property disputes, natural resources litigation, products liability claims, professional malpractice defense, trucking defense, personal injury claims, fraud claims, insurance coverage, and insurance bad faith defense. Lee received his undergraduate and law degrees at Louisiana State University Law Center, where he was a member of the...

Hirschel Abbott concentrates his practice in estate planning, closely held businesses and entity selection, fiduciary litigation, charitable planning, and tax-exempt organizations. He currently serves as a co-chair of the firm’s Tax, Trusts and Estates Practice Group. As a Board-Certified Tax Law Specialist and a Certified Public Accountant, Hirschel counsels businesses and other high net worth individuals and families on matters related to property, tax, and estate planning. He also ad...

William H. Patrick, III concentrates his practice in corporate bankruptcy, corporate workouts, and financial restructuring, representing debtors, committees, trustees, equity investors, and other parties in interest. Billy has played major roles in the restructuring of casinos, utility companies, restaurant and fast food chains, hotels, television broadcast companies, orthodontic management companies, and resolving claims arising from asbestos, breast implants, nuclear radiation, and other ha...