Best Lawyers Near You in New Orleans, Louisiana for Commercial Litigation
Blair Schilling is a partner in Fishman Haygood’s Litigation Section, where she represents clients in a wide range of commercial matters in federal and state court, with a concentration in environmental law. Blair’s environmental practice spans coastal erosion and restoration, land contamination, land use, clean water, asset retirement, brownfield site cleanup and redevelopment, regulatory and permitting matters, and expropriation issues. In doing this work, Blair represents state...
Jennifer L. Thornton is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation and Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs. Jennifer L., who practices law in New Orleans, Louisiana, has been recognized since 2013. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jennifer L. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Mr. Flint is a Shareholder in the New Orleans office with a practice that includes both commercial and civil litigation within the maritime and energy fields. His maritime industry experience includes the representation of drilling and service companies, blue and brown water vessel owners, charterers, and insurers. Particularly related to his maritime practice, Mr. Flint has developed a specialty with DBA cases defending burn pit and PTSD claims. His longevity in the practice area and concern...
Judy Barrasso is a founding member of Barrasso Usdin Kupperman Freeman & Sarver, L.L.C. Her practice focuses on commercial litigation, and includes complex commercial litigation matters and class actions involving complex commercial contracts, director and officer liability, securities fraud, and insurance coverage and bad faith claims. Judy has been ranked by Chambers USA as a top commercial litigator, by Benchmark Litigation as a Litigation Star, and by the Diversity Journal as among 20...
David N. Luder is the firm's managing partner. He maintains a varied arbitration and litigation practice covering a broad spectrum of industries and disputes. A key focus of David’s practice is financial services arbitration and litigation. He regularly represents domestic and international broker-dealers, banks, hedge funds and registered investment advisors in FINRA and AAA arbitrations across the country and institutional clients and individuals before regulatory bodies at all stages...
Scott O’Connor’s practice focuses on oil and gas and complex commercial litigation. He has litigated and arbitrated numerous disputes involving onshore and offshore operating agreements, royalty claims, gas balancing agreements, oil and gas purchase contracts, farmout agreements, preferential purchase rights, and purchase and sale agreements. He has defended national and state class actions involving oil and gas pricing practices including antitrust litigation, and has represented...
David Freedman joined the litigation section of Sher Garner Cahill Richter Klein & Hilbert in 2015. After receiving his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from Washington University in Saint Louis, David served with the United States Peace Corps in Morocco. David obtained his Juris Doctorate from Tulane University Law School, graduating Order of the Coif and Magna Cum Laude. During law school, he received four CALI Excellence for the Future Awards, the David L. Herman Award, and...
Katelyn McGibney is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Trusts and Estates. Katelyn, 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 Katelyn is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Carlos Saravia is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants. Carlos, 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 Carlos is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Zachary T. LaMachio is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law and Trusts and Estates. Zachary T., 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 Zachary T. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Marianna Knister Downer is a civil litigator and trial attorney representing clients in a wide range of industries including energy & environmental, construction, and administrative law. Her practice at Gordon Arata extends to complex litigation, appeals, civil procedure, commercial litigation, and risk management. Marianna obtained both her Juris Doctor and Graduate Diploma in Comparative Law from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University. While at the Law Center, Maria...
Whitney M. Antoine practices in the areas of commercial litigation and insurance coverage and bad faith. Before joining the firm, Whitney served as law clerk to the Honorable Ivan L.R. Lemelle of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Whitney also served as an extern for Magistrate Judge Erin Wilder-Doomes in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana. Whitney received her Juris Doctor magna cum laude from Southern University Law Cen...
Lance W. Waters practices in the areas of commercial litigation, securities litigation, and insurance coverage and bad faith litigation. Before joining the firm, Lance served as a law clerk to the Honorable Yvette Kane of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Lance received his Juris Doctor magna cum laude from Tulane University Law School and his Bachelor of Arts summa cum laude from Tulane University. While in law school, Lance served as a Managing Editor...
Sanders W. Colbert is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Tax Law. Sanders W., 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 Sanders W. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.