Jones Walker LLP > New Orleans, United States > Firm Profile

Jones Walker LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings

M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: middle-market (sub-$500m) Tier 1

Praised for its ‘incredible commercial knowledge of the market’, Jones Walker LLP is sought out by acquiring companies and target companies from a wide range of sectors for assistance with transactions such as negotiated stock purchases, mergers, and tender offers. The team handles domestic and international acquisitions and is a key port of call for private equity firms and their portfolio companies. New Orleans-based partners Marshall Page, Kelly Simoneaux and Britton Seal co-lead the practice alongside Beau Grenier, a master of the details’ who works from the firm’s Birmingham office. Also in New Orleans, Curtis Hearn is described as a lawyer who ‘goes deep for his clients’, and is well positioned to handle transactional matters with a maritime dimension, while Brett Beter stands out for his experience handling transactions in the sports, gaming, and entertainment sectors. In the firm’s Baton Rouge office, Dionne Rousseau frequently assists equity firms with portfolio company disposals.

Transport > Shipping: finance Tier 1

Jones Walker LLP fields transactional experts in blue water, offshore and inland marine matters, while the group is additionally active in relation to offshore wind. In the maritime finance space, the practice consistently  represents marine lenders and borrowers in financings (including Title XI matters), restructurings, loans, and revolving credit facilities. The group additionally assists with maritime lien enforcements, foreclosures, ship seizures, and maritime bankruptcies (involving vessels flagged in the US, the Marshall Islands, the Republics of Liberia, and Vanuatu). Experienced in representing borrowers, lenders, and agents in marine finance deals, co-leader of the firm’s maritime industry sector, William C. Baldwin, also jointly heads the firm’s offshore wind initiative alongside Houston office leader Cindy Matherne Muller. The practice further features Kelly Duncan, a longstanding specialist in admiralty, maritime, and international and customs law; and DC-based maritime deal expert James Kearns, who advises on the financing of vessels engaged in the US’ foreign and coastwise trades. Promoted to partner at the start of 2023, Christopher Ulfers also has extensive experience in complex marine financings. All aforementioned attorneys are based in the firm’s New Orleans office unless otherwise stated.

Transport > Shipping: litigation and regulation Tier 1

From offices in Houston, Mobile, New Orleans, and Miami, Jones Walker LLP‘s sizeable maritime litigation and dispute resolution group acts in state, federal, and administrative proceedings throughout the US, including emergency response, maritime litigation, regulatory, and transactional disputes. Advising on every aspect of the maritime industry, the firm is home to experts in the brown water, blue water, cruise line and offshore energy sectors. Among the practice’s several active practitioners, Grady Hurley is first vice president of the US’ Maritime Law Association; Jefferson Tillery tries cases in state and federal courts throughout the Gulf Coast; Scott Jenkins assists with both regulatory issues and maritime disputes; and Richard Bertram heads the maritime regulatory team. The department further includes Etienne Balart, who represents terminals, shipyards, and vessel operators in litigation; George Fowler III, whose track record includes trying hundreds of cases to juries and judges; Wayne Zeringue Jr, a specialist in admiralty and maritime litigation; and Sara Kuebel, who is also an active maritime litigator. Over in Miami, Luis Llamas‘ practice encompasses admiralty disputes and cruise line claims, while former partner Lara DiCristina is an August 2023 departee. All practitioners named are based in the firm’s New Orleans office unless otherwise mentioned.

Real estate > Construction (including construction litigation) Tier 3

Noted for its expertise in representing EPC contractors, the construction team at Jones Walker LLP has demonstrable experience in handling contentious mandates, regularly arbitrating before the ICC, in addition to litigation and delay claims. Based in Atlanta, Chad Theriot leads the team alongside New Orleans-based Michael Drew, whose expertise includes compliance with federal and state regulation and advising large companies on brownfield and greenfield developments. Cross-border renewable energy matters are another key strength of the the team, with Neal Sweeney and Tiffany Raush, based in Atlanta and Huston respectively, representing renewable energy clients in international offshore projects and greenfield-related disputes. Texas-based Stephen Miller is another key member of the team, leading on major construction developments, in addition to representing owners in contract drafting and negotiations, serving as project counsel on LNG projects and blue hydrogen facilities.

Energy > Energy litigation: oil and gas Tier 4

In addition to its expertise in carbon sequestration cases, New Orleans-based Jones Walker LLP‘s energy, environment and natural resources team is actively involved in a variety of regulatory enforcement proceedings and energy development and financing projects. Jonathan Hunter handles complex litigation proceedings, particularly on behalf of offshore oil and gas companies, as well as government investigations and transactions. The team is jointly led by carbon capture and sequestration expert Marjorie McKeithen and Grady Hurley, known for his specialization in toxic torts, explosions, and multi-party commercial litigation in state and federal courts.

Energy > Energy regulation: oil and gas Tier 4

The New Orleans-based practice at Jones Walker LLP is ideally situated to handle major projects in Louisiana, most notably those pertaining to carbon sequestration and underground storage, though the firm is also routinely involved in matters relating to the petrochemical and LNG spaces. Grady Hurley, whose portfolio combines energy and maritime law, leads the practice jointly with Marjorie McKeithen, a carbon capture and sequestration specialist with in-depth experience in the development and operation of energy infrastructure projects including hydrogen facilities, pipelines, and LNG projects. Jonathan Hunter focuses on various matters within the offshore oil and gas industry.

Energy > Energy transactions: oil and gas Tier 4

Based in New Orleans, Jones Walker LLP fields a robust team of practitioners fully equipped to advise on a range of transactions in the oil and gas space. In addition to regularly handling oil and gas exploration and production, as well as carbon capture and sequestration matters, the team is noted for its expertise in LNG and for recently advising on the development of a range of multi-billion dollar energy and petrochemical facilities in Louisiana and Texas. Grady Hurley jointly leads the team with Marjorie McKeithen, a leader in carbon capture and sequestration, while offshore oil and gas specialist Jonathan Hunter is recognized for representing leading offshore operators in highly complex litigation, government investigations, and transactions. The team also includes David Hunter, who notably focuses his capabilities on infrastructure and clean energy projects and on oil and gas offshore development.

Environment > Environment: transactional Tier 4

Jones Walker LLP provides counsel on a diverse array of environmental regulatory matters and transactions, spanning mergers and acquisitions, environmental permitting and litigation, defense against agency enforcement actions, and addressing wetlands issues. In New Orleans, the firm’s environmental practice group is jointly led by Meghan Smith, who routinely assists oil and gas companies, chemical manufacturers, and engineering firms, in state and federal litigation and private arbitrations, and Robert Holden, whose extensive practice encompasses regulatory compliance, enforcement actions, responses to spills and other industrial accidents, and involvement in commercial litigation. Another key contact is Lafayette’s Alex Prochaska, who regularly assists buyers and sellers of industrial facilities and commercial properties with environmental due diligence, pre- and post-closing remediation activities, and drafting and negotiating indemnities, releases and warranties in purchase agreements.

Labor and employment > Workplace and employment counseling Tier 4

With offices across New Orleans, Jackson, and Birmingham, Jones Walker LLP advises US clients in a variety of employment situations, including due diligence from M&A transactions, employment agreements and covenants, contentious matters, and handbooks and policies. The practice is led by Sidney Lewis, who handles internal investigations, policy reviews, and early litigation negotiations, among other matters. Mark Adams routinely counsels employers in developing effective HR policies and to comply with state and federal employment laws. Jennifer Kogos is experienced in providing compliance training, general counselling, as well as litigation for large employers. All individuals mentioned are based in New Orleans.

Real estate Tier 5

Jones Walker LLP’s real estate practice is led by experienced transactional attorney Henry O’Connor in Alabama, with other key offices located across the Gulf South in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, as well as Texas, Florida, Arizona, and New York. In doing so, the practice covers a broad span of sectors that encompass hotel and hospitality as well as real estate and infrastructure aspects for clients in the energy, medical and healthcare sectors, as well as more traditional asset classes such as multifamily residential, industrial, and office. The firm also stands out for its subsidiary, Baronne Title Co., Inc, a title insurance company for real estate transactions. In addition, the practice also has experience on a range of lender side tax credit work. In Baton Rouge, Keith Colvin and Jeffry Gray are noted for their transactional experience for domestic and foreign clients. In the same office, Robert Scheffy, a licensed title agent, is another key contact; he is also noted as a member of the firm’s environmental and natural resources industry team. Outside of Louisiana, other key names include Mark Davis and Ann Corso Taylor in Jackson.

Tax > US taxes: non-contentious Tier 7

Jones Walker LLP, a strong presence in the Gulf South region, stands out for its SALT expertise. William Backstrom, specializing in Louisiana and multistate SALT matters, oversees the whole tax department. Jonathan Katz handles new markets tax credit and historic rehabilitation tax credit transactions. Jesse Adams, with notable experience in the energy, manufacturing, healthcare, transport, and retail sectors, leads the SALT team. David Edwards focuses on estate planning and administration. Birmingham’s Kelly Rushin Lewis chairs the tax credit finance group. John Fletcher  in Jackson often handles state tax matters in Mississippi and Louisiana. All lawyers mentioned are based in New Orleans unless otherwise stated.