News

Liskow is proud to announce that attorney and lobbyist Neil Abramson has been appointed to the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry’s (“LABI”) 2026 Board of Directors. He joins business leaders from across the state working to support LABl’s mission.

Neil is a registered lobbyist and environmental litigator who represents energy and environmental clients on legal and legislative matters in Louisiana. He advocates on behalf of companies in legislative matters, including policies that promote increased economic growth and industrial development. Neil generally works with energy clients on policies involving renewable matters such as carbon capture projects and solar energy as well as tort reform matters seeking to limit claims against energy companies such as climate change litigation, pipeline erosion cases, and legacy lawsuits.

Drawing on 12 years of experience as a State Representative for Louisiana’s 98th District, Neil brings a deep understanding of the legislative process, having served on the House Ways & Means and Civil Law Committees, as well as the Louisiana Commerce and Industry Board and the Louisiana Law Institute Civil Procedure Committee.

His legal practice focuses on high-stakes environmental and commercial litigation, including toxic torts, class actions, and products liability. He regularly represents chemical manufacturers, petroleum companies, and other industrial clients in complex personal injury, property damage, and insurance-related matters.

Liskow is a proud member and supporter of LABI. Learn more about this appointment and fellow board members here.

In a significant decision for employers facing vicarious liability claims, the Louisiana Supreme Court has ruled in favor of ExxonMobil Corporation, dismissing it from a pending personal injury lawsuit arising out of a 2021 automobile accident.

The case stemmed from a collision involving an ExxonMobil employee who was driving his personal vehicle to work at the time of the accident. Plaintiffs sought to impose liability on ExxonMobil under a theory of respondeat superior, arguing that the employee was acting within the course and scope of his employment. After full briefing, the Louisiana Supreme Court concluded that no genuine issue of material fact existed and that ExxonMobil was entitled to summary judgment as a matter of law.

The Court reaffirmed the long‑standing “coming and going” rule, holding that an employee’s ordinary commute to and from work typically falls outside the course and scope of employment. The Court further found that none of the narrow exceptions to this rule applied, emphasizing that ExxonMobil neither controlled the employee’s commute nor reimbursed him for actual travel expenses related to the daily drive in question. Importantly, the Court clarified that relocation benefits and lump‑sum allowances intended to assist with moving expenses do not transform an employee’s regular commute into work‑related activity. As a result, the Court reversed the lower courts’ rulings and entered judgment dismissing ExxonMobil from the lawsuit with prejudice.

This decision provides meaningful guidance for employers and reinforces clear boundaries on vicarious liability for employee conduct occurring during ordinary commutes. It also underscores the effectiveness of early summary judgment practice in cases where the law and undisputed facts do not support employer liability.

Liskow attorneys Kathryn Gonski, Cherrell Simms Taplin, and Denice Redd-Robinette represented ExxonMobil. A copy of the Louisiana Supreme Court’s decision can be found here. For more information on similar matters Liskow has handled, visit the firm’s Personal Injury Practice page.

58 Liskow attorneys have been named to the 2026 Louisiana Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists. Kelly Becker, James Brown, and Tommy McGoey ranked among the Top 50 attorneys in Louisiana and the Top 50 attorneys in New Orleans. Cheryl Kornick and Kelly Becker also ranked among the Top 25 women attorneys in the state.

Super Lawyers

Lafayette
George Arceneaux, Energy & Resources
Brian Capell, Business Litigation
Julie Chauvin, Business/Corp
Jamie Rhymes, Energy & Resources
April Rolen-Ogden, Energy & Resources
Lawrence Simon, Jr., Business Litigation
Court VanTassell, Environmental Litigation

New Orleans
Marguerite Adams, Estate & Probate
Robert Angelico, Tax
Kelly Becker, Appellate
James Brown, Business Litigation
Lou Buatt, Real Estate
Ryan Christiansen, Real Estate
Thomas Diaz, Transportation/Maritime
Kathryn Gonski, Appellate
Shannon Holtzman, Business Litigation
Keith Jarrett, Transportation/Maritime
Philip Jones, Jr., Business Litigation
Paul Kitziger, Real Estate
Cheryl Kornick, Energy & Resources
Caroline Lafourcade, Tax
David Leefe, Transportation/Maritime
Tommy McGoey, Employment & Labor
Mark McNamara, Energy & Resources
Robert McNeal, Energy & Resources
Devin Reid, Class Action
Carol “LuLu” Reisman, Business Litigation
David Reisman, Transportation/Maritime
Trey Reymond, Mergers & Acquisitions
Leon Rittenberg III, Tax
Kelly Scalise, Transportation/Maritime
Matt Simone, Energy & Resources
Laura Springer Brown, Energy & Resources
Cherrell Taplin, Civil Litigation: Defense
Sean Toomey, Criminal Defense: White Collar
Raymond Waid, Transportation/Maritime
Elizabeth Wheeler, Environmental Litigation
Charles Wilmore, PI General: Defense

Rising Stars

Lafayette
Alexandra Gjertson, Business Litigation
Joe Heaton, Energy & Resources
Michael Ishee, Energy & Resources
Cody “C.J.” Miller, Business/Corporation
John Parker, Energy & Resources

New Orleans
Alec Andrade, Business Litigation
Zachary Berryman, Energy & Resources
Lance Bullock, Transportation/Maritime
Sheri Corales, Business Litigation
Melanie Derefinko, Business Litigation
Ellie George, Business Litigation
Nicolette Kraska, Transportation/Maritime
Hayley Landry, Energy & Resources
Nicholas Mole, PI- Products: Defense
Trinity Morale, Energy & Resources
Jessie Shifalo, Transportation/Maritime
Nicholas Simon, Transportation/Maritime
Christian Soler, Energy & Resources
Emily von Qualen, Environmental Litigation

Baton Rouge
Denice Redd-Robinette, Energy & Resources

Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. This selection process includes independent research, peer nominations, and peer evaluations.

Liskow attorney Raymond Waid was recently quoted in The Wall Street Journal‘s article, “A Focus on Terror Risks, Not War, Is Coming Back to Bite Companies,” by Jean Eaglesham and Benjamin Katz.

Ray is uniquely qualified to address shipping disputes arising from the Iran War. He was a Surface Warfare Officer in the U.S. Navy before becoming a lawyer. He was in Bahrain on September 11th and transited the Straits of Hormuz on a destroyer in a combat posture at 30 knots the next day. He also performed anti-terrorism cargo ship escort operations through the Malacca Strait, leading up to the second Iraq War. These wartime operations are currently daily issues in the Middle East. Today, Ray represents clients in negotiating cargo carriage contracts and litigates court cases and arbitrations. He is also an award-winning adjunct professor of maritime law at Tulane University Law School.

Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/g-bU73rD

Liskow secured a complete victory on behalf of the City of Mandeville in a lawsuit brought by the developer and landowner of the Sucette Harbor development. Woodward Harbor, LLC, et al. v. City of Mandeville, et al., Civil Action No. 23-5824 (E.D. La.).

In September 2023, the Mandeville City Council unanimously voted to reject an ordinance that would have approved the Sucette Harbor development, a mixed-use development proposed for the shores of Lake Pontchartrain. The lawsuit alleged federal and state takings claims, substantive and procedural due process claims, and equal protection claims against the City, in conjunction with various claims for declaratory relief. Liskow obtained the dismissal of all claims by filing two separate Rule 12(b)(6) motions.

The court dismissed all claims with prejudice and denied Plaintiffs leave to amend. The court found Plaintiffs failed to state any takings or due process claims by failing to allege a property interest protected by the federal or state constitutions; specifically, the court found no legally recognized property right in development where development is entirely contingent on a governing body’s approval. With respect to the equal protection claim, the court agreed that Plaintiffs failed to identify similarly situated comparators and failed to overcome the City’s rational basis for denying the development.

Liskow directed the court to numerous concerns expressed by council members in the council minutes attached to the complaint, including concerns over traffic, compatibility with surrounding use, and density, and pointed out that these concerns were all rational grounds upon which to reject the project. The ruling fully resolves the matter in favor of the City of Mandeville.

Paul Adkins and Clare Bienvenu handled this matter for the City of Mandeville. For further information about Liskow’s experience with zoning and land use matters, visit the firm’s Zoning & Land Use practice page.

Liskow achieved a major win for Greenfield Louisiana, LLC at the Louisiana Supreme Court this month in The Descendants Project, et al. v. St. John the Baptist Parish, Case No. 2025-C-00543.

The subject of the lawsuit was a zoning ordinance passed by St. John the Baptist Parish in 1990 that zoned the subject property for industrial use. This ordinance was in place when Greenfield purchased the property more than thirty years later for the purpose of constructing a state-of-the-art grain terminal.

Plaintiffs shortly thereafter filed suit, challenging the decades-old zoning ordinance on numerous grounds. The lower court dismissed all of these grounds except one regarding local government procedure. The court ruled the Parish Council failed to follow proper procedure in 1990 by making an amendment to the zoning ordinance without consulting the Planning Commission, thereby rendering the ordinance null and void. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed.

Throughout the court proceedings, Liskow attorneys argued that the Parish Council’s procedure was proper, based on the authority granted to the Council in the Parish Home Rule Charter. Because the Home Rule Charter is tantamount to a parish’s constitution, it trumped any conflict between the Charter and the parish’s procedural ordinances.

The Louisiana Supreme Court ultimately agreed, reversing the lower courts’ rulings, granting summary judgment to Greenfield, and reinstating the industrial zoning classification on the Greenfield property. A copy of the opinion can be found here.

The Liskow team was led by Paul Adkins, Clare Bienvenu, and Lou Buatt. For more information about Liskow’s significant experience with zoning and land use matters, contact the team or visit the firm’s Zoning & Land Use practice page.

Liskow is pleased to announce that shareholder Kathryn Gonski has been certified as an Appellate Practice Specialist by the Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization, a designation held by only 20 other attorneys in the state.

Kathryn has handled dozens of appeals in the Louisiana Courts of Appeal, Louisiana Supreme Court, and United States Fifth Circuit. Her appellate experience has also included assistance with appeals in the United States Second, Sixth, Ninth, and Federal Circuits. She regularly represents local, national, and global retail, chemical, marine, transportation, and energy companies in a wide array of practice areas, including commercial, energy, environmental, maritime, and tort litigation. In addition to her extensive appellate practice, Kathryn has successfully represented her clients in all phases of litigation, including dispositive motion practice, jury trials, and arbitration. She is also frequently retained to write amicus briefs on behalf of organizations in matters of industry-wide significance.

Kathryn currently serves as the Louisiana State Chair of the American Bar Association Council of Appellate Lawyers and is recognized by Chambers USA in Litigation: Appellate in Louisiana. She is a member of the firm’s Board of Directors and is based in the New Orleans office.

Liskow is proud to announce that attorney Alec Andrade has been selected to serve on the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry’s (LABI) 2026 Emerging Leaders Council. Alec joins a group of 49 professionals with diverse backgrounds who share a commitment to making Louisiana the premier state for business and family life.

Alec is a litigator practicing in the areas of mass tort, products liability, personal injury defense, and commercial litigation. He also has experience in government relations and advises clients on the legislative and business considerations affecting their operations, particularly where regulatory and policy issues intersect with litigation risk.

Learn more about this selection and other council members here.

Liskow attorney Ellie George was recently featured in New Orleans CityBusiness’ Guest Perspective section with her article, “2026 Brings 27-Paycheck Challenge for Employers.” The article examines an uncommon payroll issue employers may face in 2026, when the biweekly payroll calendar results in a 27th paycheck and creates budgeting, compliance, and employee communication considerations.

In the article, Ellie explains how the extra pay period occurs and outlines the practical implications for employers that have budgeted for only 26 pay periods. She discusses the financial impact of issuing an additional paycheck, as well as alternative approaches such as spreading annual salaries across 27 pay periods, noting potential wage-and-hour and overtime exemption risks under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

The article concludes by emphasizing that while a 27-paycheck year can create challenges related to payroll costs, overtime compliance, and benefits administration, the issue is manageable with proactive planning. With that in mind, Ellie highlights the importance of reviewing payroll calendars early, coordinating with benefits administrators and counsel, and clearly communicating with employees to avoid confusion and compliance issues.

To read the entire article, please click here.

The firm is pleased to announce that four attorneys have been selected to participate in The Leadership Council on Legal Diversity’s (LCLD) programs for 2026. CJ Miller and Emily von Qualen were named 2026 LCLD Fellows and Margaret Chavez and Hailey Maldonado were selected to join the 2026 LCLD Pathfinders Program. These programs support the advancement of diverse attorneys through leadership development, career-focused training, and opportunities to build lasting professional relationships.

Now in its fifteenth year, the LCLD Fellows Program is a highly structured, year-long initiative designed for high-potential, mid-career attorneys at LCLD Member organizations. The program provides immersive leadership training and opportunities to engage with senior legal and business leaders from leading corporations and law firms nationwide.

The LCLD Pathfinder Program focuses on high-potential, early-career attorneys and is designed to supplement existing training initiatives at LCLD Member corporations and law firms. Founded in 2009 by leading general counsel and law firm managing partners, LCLD is committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion within the legal profession. The organization includes more than 400 corporate chief legal officers and law firm managing partners and has impacted more than 25,000 legal careers through its talent development initiatives.