Stephen Smith

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...

Jonathan Forester is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Construction Law and Litigation - Construction. Jonathan, 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 Jonathan is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Irving J. Warshauer joined the Gainsburgh Benjamin law firm as an associate in 1980, and he became a partner of the firm in 1984. Prior to joining this firm, he was an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana and a Trial Attorney in the Criminal Division of the United States Department of Justice, from whom he received a Special Commendation in 1979. He served on the Federal Public Defender Panel for the Eastern District of Louisiana from 1981 – 2002. Irvin...

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...

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...

Howard Sinor has extensive trial and appellate experience spanning more than three decades. He has handled hundreds of cases at all levels of the federal and state judicial systems, up to and including the United States and Louisiana Supreme Courts. He is also experienced in alternative dispute resolution including arbitration, mediation, and summary trials. Howard's experience in the practice of commercial litigation is broad and deep, and includes class action, multi-district, and other com...

Kyle W. Siegel maintains a practice focused on complex litigation, with substantial work in products liability and toxic torts cases both in Louisiana and jurisdictions across the country. She has represented clients across a variety of industries, including medical device, pharmaceuticals, oil and gas, and consumer products. Kyle has significant mass tort and multidistrict litigation jury trial experience, playing an integral role in five bellwether trial teams representing major pharmaceuti...

Ashley advises businesses, financial institutions, and individuals concerning bankruptcies, class actions, contracts, construction, environmental issues, fidelity, surety and financial institution bonds, insurance, professional malpractice, real estate, corporate, and estate matters. She also mediates and arbitrates business disputes. Ashley currently serves as a member of the AAA Construction Panel, AAA Commercial Panel and FINRA Panel as an arbitrator and mediator. After Hurricane Katrina, ...

Thear J. Lemoine is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Insurance Law, Litigation - Insurance and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants. Thear J., who practices law in New Orleans, Louisiana, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Thear J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Andy Lee is a partner in the Litigation Practice Group and a member of the corporate compliance group. He maintains an active national appellate and trial practice focused on business and commercial disputes. Andy founded and serves as head of the firm’s privacy and data security team and holds the CIPP/US designation from the International Association of Privacy Professionals. Andy also chairs the firm’s Innovation Committee and co-leads the Technology Industry Team. Litigation. ...