Environmental and Toxic Tort

We bring our trial, appellate, negotiating, and counseling skills and experience to bear with a particular expertise in environmental and toxic tort matters.  We take pride in our track record of taking on complex environmental litigation and regulatory matters, including claims for natural resources damages, claims by governmental entities and landowners for property contamination from historic oil and gas operations, claims of coastal erosion and other litigation and regulatory matters involving environmental damage to property.  We have handled almost every type of toxic tort case involving claims of personal injury and property damage, including claims arising out of oil spills, benzene, silica, PCBs and other chemical exposures, radioactive contamination and industrial explosions and fires.  We also represent insurers in coverage matters relating to large-scale environmental liabilities. 

Our notable representations include:

• Successfully represented a major oil company in cases arising out of the second largest onshore oil spill in United States history, including the first-ever Clean Water Act civil penalty enforcement action brought by the U.S. Department of Justice under the Oil Pollution Act to go to trial.
• Representing a major oil company in numerous cases involving alleged exposure to benzene and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
• Representing a chemical company in numerous cases involving alleged exposure to benzene.
• Trial counsel for international power management company is asbestos lawsuits throughout the country.
• Represented a private property management company against claims for lead paint related injuries brought by a class of public housing residents in New Orleans consisting of more than 18,000 members.
• Represent pipeline company in environmental litigation relating to pipeline development and operations throughout extensive land holdings in southern Louisiana.
• Defending an oil and gas operator and a pipeline operator in a dispute brought by 28 oyster leaseholders in Plaquemines Parish, alleging widespread oyster die-off in the region.