Pierce C. Azuma

Stephen Brooks joined Pugh Accardo as a Special Partner. He has been practicing law since 1994 in Louisiana. He is an experienced insurance casualty and workers’ compensation defense attorney. He is trial counsel for multiple insurance companies, risk retention groups, self-insurers’ funds, insurance agencies and agents and corporate employers involved in litigation throughout the Southeast Region of the United States. Mr. Brooks has also been extensively employed by the insurance...

Fishman Haygood’s Jason Burge represents victims of financial misconduct in single plaintiff, mass action, and class action cases against banks, loan servicers, stockbrokers, and investment firms. Jason is also an Appellate Practice Specialist, certified by the Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization. With a background in economics, Jason can distill complex financial transactions into terms that judges, arbitrators, and jurors can understand; Chambers and Partners has described him as ...

Glen R. Galbraith is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Real Estate. Glen R., who practices law in Hammond, Louisiana, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Glen R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Bill Hines is managing partner of Jones Walker and a member of the Corporate Practice Group. Passionate about economic and cultural development in New Orleans, across Louisiana, and throughout the Gulf South, Bill has been a legal, business, and civic leader for more than 35 years. Since 2006, he has led Jones Walker through a period of significant growth. During this time, the firm’s client base has expanded to include leading regional, national, and international corporations, banks a...

Mary Ellen Roy practices in the area of commercial litigation. She represents media and advertising companies in pre-publication and pre-broadcast review, defamation defense, privacy law, courtroom access, public records and open meetings, reporter’s privilege, negligent misrepresentation, and other First Amendment issues. She also handles intellectual property law matters, including copyright and trademark counseling, litigation, registration, prosecution and proceedings before the U.S...

Curt Hearn is a partner in the Corporate Practice Group. Curt served as co-leader of the Corporate Practice Group for more than 20 years, stepping down at the end of 2022. Drawing on his extensive experience and knowledge of what works — and what doesn’t — he works with firm clients to solve their most challenging, complex business and legal challenges. Curt advises private equity and venture capital firms, as well as publicly traded and privately held companies, working wit...

Prior to entering law school, Andrew Vicknair worked as a software engineer for a major medical manufacturer and as an electrical engineer for a major chemical manufacturer. Andrew regularly uses his prior work experience as a part of his legal practice. He is now a partner in D’Arcy| Vicknair. Andrew has over 18 years of litigation experience. His primary practice areas include all phases of intellectual property including litigation, prosecution, and transactional matters. Andrew hand...

Melissa Lessell partners with her clients faced with professional liability and complex commercial litigation matters. She helps professionals navigate through disciplinary actions, ethics investigations, malpractice, negligence and breach of fiduciary duty claims and lawsuits. Forming partnerships with her clients, Melissa Lessell tirelessly defends them in professional liability and complex commercial litigation matters. She helps professionals navigate through disciplinary actions, license...

David K. Smith is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Admiralty and Maritime Law. David K., 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 David K. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

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.