William K. "Billy" Wright IV

Marc Yellin represented Pan American World Airways and the United States Government in multi-district litigation of approximately 200 wrongful death, personal injury, psychic injury and property damage suits arising out of the crash of Pan Am Flight 759. In his practice, Mr. Yellin defends insurers, businesses, private and commercial transportation carriers. He represents trucking companies, airlines, and trucking and product manufacturers. In addition to his transportation-related claims, Mr...

Bert M. Cass Jr., is a jury trial litigator concentrating in the defense of bodily injury and death cases particularly in marine and offshore litigation claims. His practice focuses on representing vessel owners, oil and gas producers, exploration and drilling companies, facility operators, distributors, and offshore service contractors and their insurers against personal injury, wrongful death and survival claims. He is also experienced in energy-related claims, including interpretation of i...

Ms. Johnson is active in the defense of complex environmental, toxic tort, chemical exposure, carbon monoxide, insurance coverage, medical monitoring, naturally occurring radioactive material (“NORM”) occupational injury cases, oyster, oil spill, pesticide, personal injury, property damage, and class action litigation. She also has an active mediation and appellate practice in the same areas. Ms. Johnson has particular abilities in defending premises owners, employers and their executive offi...

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...

Joe Lowenthal is a partner in the Litigation Practice Group. He has extensive experience in the fields of healthcare, insurance coverage, contracts, and environmental and toxic torts. Joe provides broad-based advice and focused litigation counsel for a variety of clients. Leader of the firm’s healthcare team, his representative matters include litigation on behalf of a managed service organization in multiple federal and state district courts across the United States, with responsibilit...

Kelly Theard is a construction lawyer representing general contractors, subcontractors, architects, engineers, program managers and material suppliers in a variety of construction related litigation including construction defect, design and professional liability, and third-party injury claims. She also assists her clients in contract negotiations and pre-claim disputes. Ms. Theard currently serves as the firm's Managing Partner as well as Head of the Construction Practice Group. While Ms. Th...

Brett Venn is a partner in the Litigation Practice Group. He focuses on business and commercial disputes. Brett represents energy clients in litigation concerning energy infrastructure, including pipelines and LNG facilities. He currently represents energy companies in tort actions, challenges to contracts, actions enforcing right of way and servitude agreements, and appeals of severance tax assessments. He has also represented energy-industry clients in contract disputes, shareholder dispute...

Peirce A. Hammond II is an attorney with Hammond Law Firm LLC in New Orleans, Louisiana. Born and raised in New Orleans, Mr. Hammond has practiced law in Louisiana for more than 30 years, representing individuals and businesses in complex litigation matters involving insurance law, personal injury, commercial disputes, and maritime claims. After graduating from Tulane Law School in 1987, Mr. Hammond joined the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office, where he served as Head of the Whi...

Tim Brechtel is a partner in the Tax Practice Group. He counsels employers on tax and ERISA compliance issues relating to employee retirement, health, welfare, compensation, and other plans. Tim advises clients ranging from sole proprietorships to large, multinational corporations on establishing, administering, merging, and terminating qualified defined-contribution and defined-benefit retirement plans — such as 401(k) plans and employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) — and nonqua...

Alicia Bendana focuses her national practice on complex bankruptcy and commercial litigation, representing 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 American Board of Certification and by the Louis...