Thomas M. Benjamin

Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America for Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions-Defendants since 2012 Practice Concentration & Experience Summary: Mr. Mollere is able to combine the legal experience and acumen acquired from working in a large firm, the insight acquired in positions in business, and the discipline acquired in the military to provide full solutions to his clients' cases. Since he began practicing in 1999, Mr. Mollere has handled a wide range of civil litigati...

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...

The founding member of the firm, Larry Pugh has been practicing law in New Orleans since 1986. A skilled trial lawyer, he has defended businesses and individuals in complex civil matters and class actions. He is trial counsel for clients involved in nationwide litigation and has tried cases in multiple jurisdictions, including Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and Tennessee. He is a leading litigator in the areas of asbestos litigation, other toxic tort litigation, products liability and environm...

Richard Bertram is a partner in the Maritime Practice Group. Richard has more than 30 years of experience in admiralty and maritime law. He handles a wide range of domestic and international admiralty and maritime matters, including transactions, litigation, arbitration, appellate, regulatory, and administrative law, marine casualty investigations, regulatory compliance, and marine pollution and environmental matters.

Stephen W. Rider is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation. Stephen W., who practices law in New Orleans, Louisiana, has been recognized since 2018. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Stephen W. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

P.J. Kee is a partner in the Labor & Employment Practice Group and a member of the trade secrets and fair competition team. He focuses on advising clients in disputes and potential threats concerning trade secret theft, computer fraud and abuse, unfair competition, civil conspiracies, and non-competition obligations. P.J. regularly represents clients in federal and state courts. He has been on trial teams that have not only successfully obtained and fended off injunctions relating to trad...

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...

Richard G. Duplantier, Jr. is a senior partner at Galloway, a respected trial lawyer, and accomplished business consultant known for his critical and innovative approach to litigation and case handling. He focuses his commercial litigation practice on products liability, construction, environmental, professional liability, and insurance defense and coverage, with extensive trial experience and a success rate of over eighty percent. Rick also represents entertainment industry clients in litiga...

David S. Landry is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Banking and Finance Law, Commercial Litigation, Energy Law and Trusts and Estates. David S., 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 David S. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

David J. Topping is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Environmental Law. David J., 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 David J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.