Thomas M. Benjamin

As a multidisciplinary litigator, Sarah McMillan represents regional, national, and international clients in matters relating to products liability, toxic torts, construction, and insurance defense. Sarah helps clients and their insurers to assess and mitigate risks and vigorously defend them, when necessary. With experience in mass-tort and single-plaintiff matters, she has successfully used many strategies, including motion practice, to resolve disputes. Since 2023, Sarah has been ranked as...

Brian Schaps provides legal guidance to contractors, engineers, architects, and surveyors and represents these clients in all manners and stages of construction litigation. Brian provides attentive, diligent, and cost-effective representation to help his clients manage risks, evaluate potential liability and exposure, and achieve favorable resolutions to construction-related disputes. Brian consults with clients regarding front-end issues related to contracts and risks, assists clients in man...

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

Chris Wootten is Director in the Affordable Housing and Community Development practice in the New Orleans Office. His practice focuses on commercial finance, government incentives, public private partnerships and real estate development. Chris commonly represents commercial lenders, SBA licensed Small Business Investment Companies (SBICs), Community Development Entities (CDEs), tax credit investors, non-profit corporations, business owners and developers. Chris has extensive experience closin...

Brooke Tigchelaar concentrates her practice in family law, including divorce, property partition, custody, and support. She regularly handles high-conflict situations, intricate property partitions, and evolving custody and support agreements for high-net-worth individuals. She is skilled in conflict resolution, delivering sound guidance and service to each client with discretion and compassion. Brooke also has experience in commercial litigation, including general business litigation and pro...

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...

Phil Claverie, Jr. practices in the areas of business and finance and real estate, advising clients on matters related to banking, commercial transactions, real estate, leasing and probate. He represents a number of financial institutions in loan transactions involving real estate acquisitions and construction, vessel acquisitions and construction and working capital. He also represents a number of real estate developers and business owners in connection with development projects, land acquis...

Jennifer Kogos is a partner in the Labor & Employment Practice Group. She advises and defends employers in a broad range of compliance matters and employment disputes. A trusted advisor and dependable advocate, Jennifer focuses on litigation, counsel, and training for large employers in the healthcare, retail, and energy industries. She has particular experience defending Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) collective actions and litigating a broad range of employment claims, including sexual...

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...

Stacey C.S. Cerrone is a principal and office litigation manager of the New Orleans, Louisiana, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. and a core member of the Employee Benefits and the ERISA Complex Litigation practice teams. Her nationwide practice focuses on the defense of complex ERISA class actions filed against public and private single employer ERISA plan sponsors and fiduciaries, as well as multi-employer plans and fiduciaries and ERISA plan services providers. Stacey litigates a wide variety o...