News

Liskow is proud to announce the firm has been named by CityBusiness Empowering Women as an organization that supports, elevates, and empowers women in the New Orleans area.

The CityBusiness Empowering Women program, launched this year, recognizes companies and organizations that have long shown a solid commitment to supporting and elevating women in the New Orleans area. The program was designed to showcase organizations’ tangible and innovative efforts to advance women in the workplace and community. Liskow, along with other deserving companies, will be recognized in the CityBusiness August 25th issue.

“We are thrilled to be recognized by CityBusiness Empowering Women as a firm that not only aggressively recruits and hires women and other diverse employees, but also goes the extra mile to develop, promote, and retain them,” said Liskow managing partner Mark Latham. “With women representing 60 percent of our employee base, cultivating an equitable and inclusive environment is a pillar of our strategic plan, represents our core values, and is essential to our culture.”

Liskow boasts an impressive track record of hiring, mentoring, and promoting women:

• The firm’s 2023 Summer Attorney Clerkship Program is 70% female and 90% diverse.
• The firm’s Board of Directors includes three women lawyers and is 43% diverse.
• The firm’s C-Suite includes four women and is 67% diverse.
• The firm’s total company leadership is 50% female.

“At Liskow, our dedication to attracting and retaining women goes beyond statistics – it’s about unleashing their potential and empowering them to shape the direction of the firm,” said Cherrell Simms Taplin, Liskow’s Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer. “This Women’s Equality Day, we want to celebrate the incredibly talented women of Liskow and renew our commitment to supporting and elevating women at all levels in the firm.”

The firm is consistently recognized by its clients for its diversity efforts, receiving Chevron’s Law Function’s Law Firm Diversity Award in 2019 and the inaugural BP Legal Diversity and Inclusion Award in 2017. The firm works tirelessly to combat inequality through a wide range of philanthropic and pro bono efforts, supporting dozens of organizations including:

• Louisiana State Bar Association’s Annual Conclave on Diversity in the Legal Profession
• National LGBTQ+ Bar Out & Proud Corporate Counsel Award Program
• United Negro College Fund Sponsorship Walk for Education
• Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association Events
• Women’s Energy Network’s Mentorship Program and Events
• University of Texas Women’s Power Summit on Law & Leadership
• The Greater New Orleans Louis A. Martinet Legal Society Pathways and Pipelines Program and Annual Law Student Scholarship Gala
• Houston Bar Association’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee’s Summer Clerkship and Mentoring Program

Liskow and the firm’s women lawyers regularly receive recognition in publications such as New Orleans CityBusiness, Best Lawyers, Acadiana Profile, and Chambers & Partners. Its female attorneys also have gone on to serve in impressive roles, such as former Liskow lawyer Dana M. Douglas becoming the first Black Woman to be confirmed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Learn more about how Liskow empowers women by watching the video below or clicking here.

Liskow is pleased to announce that 12 lawyers have been recognized in the 2023 Inside New Orleans “Elite Lawyers” Edition.

Kelly Becker – Oil & Gas Law

James Brown – Legal Malpractice Law

Laura Brown – Environmental Law, and Oil & Gas Law

Lance Bullock – Admiralty & Maritime Law

Ryan Christiansen – Real Estate Law

Melanie Derefinko – Commercial Litigator

Kathryn Gonski – Oil & Gas Law

Shannon Holtzman – Commercial Litigator, and Construction Law

Carey Menasco – Commercial Litigator

David Reisman – Admiralty & Maritime Law

Ray Waid – Admiralty & Maritime Law

Cecilia Vazquez Wilson – Admiralty & Maritime Law

Inside New Orleans asks readers to nominate and vote for their top picks in several law categories. For more information, click here and visit page 32.

Liskow is pleased to announce that 114 lawyers are included in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America^® (BL Rankings). Nine of these lawyers are listed as the “Lawyer of the Year” in their respective practice areas. Only one attorney in each practice area and designated metropolitan area receives this recognition.

Those recognized as the “Lawyer of the Year” include:

• Bob Angelico – Tax Law (New Orleans)
• George Arceneaux – Oil and Gas Law (Lafayette)
• Cheryl Kornick – Litigation and Controversy – Tax (New Orleans)
• Amy Lee – Litigation – Environmental (Lafayette)
• Tommy McGoey – Litigation – Labor and Employment (New Orleans)
• Robert McNeal – Environmental Law and Litigation – Environmental (New Orleans)
• Trey Reymond – Mergers and Acquisitions Law (New Orleans)
• Leon Rittenberg – Nonprofit / Charities Law (New Orleans)
• Larry Simon – Natural Resources Law (Lafayette)

Those recognized as Best Lawyers^® Award Recipients include:

• Donald Abaunza — Admiralty and Maritime Law, Commercial Litigation, and Energy Law
• Neil Abramson — Litigation – Environmental, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Peggy Adams — Real Estate Law, Trusts and Estates
• Paul Adkins — Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Environmental, and Oil and Gas Law
• Alec Andrade — Commercial Litigation
• Bob Angelico — Tax Law
• John Anjier — Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Securities, Securities / Capital Markets Law
• Vanessa Waguespack Anseman — Energy Law
• George Arceneaux — Litigation – Environmental, and Oil and Gas Law
• Erin Bambrick — Energy Law
• Kelly Becker — Appellate Practice, Energy Law, Litigation – Environmental, and Oil and Gas Law
• Clare Bienvenu — Environmental Law
• Nora Bilbro — Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
• James Breaux — Real Estate Law
• Lauren Bridges — Environmental Law
• James Brown — Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants, Litigation – Antitrust, Litigation – Trusts and Estates, and Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants
• Laura Brown — Litigation – Environmental
• Lou Buatt —Environmental Law
• Brian Capell — Energy Law
• Michael Cash — Commercial Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, and Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• Hunter Chauvin — Energy Law
• Julie Chauvin — Commercial Finance Law, and Commercial Transactions / UCC Law
• Ryan Christiansen — Banking and Finance Law, and Real Estate Law
• Sheri Corales — Commercial Litigation
• George Denegre — Commercial Litigation, and Litigation – Securities
• Melanie Derefinko — Commercial Litigation
• Tommy Diaz — Admiralty and Maritime Law
• Billy Domingue — Banking and Finance Law, Commercial Finance Law, Corporate Law, and Real Estate Law
• Kathleen Doody — Banking and Finance Law, Energy Law, and Oil and Gas Law
• Jonathan Fox — Energy Law, and Litigation – Environmental
• Joe Giglio — Corporate Law, Real Estate Law
• Michael Golemi ­— Admiralty and Maritime Law
• Kathryn Gonski — Energy Law
• Jana Grauberger — Energy Law
• J.P. Hebert — Energy Regulatory Law
• Shannon Holtzman — Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Construction
• Keith Jarrett — Admiralty and Maritime Law
• Brian Johnson — Real Estate Law
• Greg Johnson — Environmental Law, and Litigation – Environmental
• Matt Jones — Energy Law
• Kirk Jones — Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, and Litigation – Bankruptcy
• Paul Kitziger — Real Estate Law
• Cheryl Kornick — Commercial Litigation, Energy Law, Litigation and Controversy – Tax, and Tax Law
• James Lapeze — Energy Law, Litigation – Environmental, and Oil and Gas Law
• Mark Latham — Admiralty and Maritime Law, and Environmental Law
• Amy Lee —Litigation – Environmental
• David Leefe — Admiralty and Maritime Law, and Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• Jeffrey Lieberman — Energy Law, and Energy Regulatory Law
• Marilyn Maloney — Banking and Finance Law, Energy Law, and Real Estate Law
• James Mansfield — Energy Law, Mining Law, Natural Resources Law, and Oil and Gas Law
• Anthony Marino — Energy Law, and Oil and Gas Law
• Tommy McGoey — Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, and Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Mark McNamara — Energy Law, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, and Oil and Gas Law
• Robert McNeal — Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental, and Oil and Gas Law
• Carey Menasco — Commercial Litigation, and Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants
• Bill Pugh — Admiralty and Maritime Law, Energy Law, and Oil and Gas Law
• Devin Reid — Admiralty and Maritime Law
• LuLu Reisman — Commercial Litigation
• David Reisman — Admiralty and Maritime Law, and Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
• Jerome Reso — Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Nonprofit / Charities Law, Tax Law, and Trusts and Estates
• Trey Reymond — Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Jamie Rhymes — Energy Law, Litigation – Environmental, and Oil and Gas Law
• Shawn Rhymes ­— Energy Law
• Leon Rittenberg — Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Nonprofit / Charities Law, Tax Law, and Trusts and Estates
• April Rolen-Ogden — Energy Law, and Oil and Gas Law
• John Rouchell — Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Corporate Law, Elder Law, Tax Law, and Trusts and Estates
• Michael Rubenstein — Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Kelly Scalise — Admiralty and Maritime Law
• Stephen Schott — Litigation – Real Estate, and Real Estate Law
• Bill Schwartz — Admiralty and Maritime Law, and Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• Scott Seiler — Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Alma Shields — Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Larry Simon — Natural Resources Law, and Oil and Gas Law
• Matt Simone — Energy Law
• Randye Snyder — Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
• Tyler Trew — Commercial Litigation
• Raymond Waid — Admiralty and Maritime Law
• David Weiner — Real Estate Law
• Elizabeth Wheeler — Energy Law
• Steve Wiegand — Energy Law, Environmental Law, and Oil and Gas Law
• Jill Willhoft — Admiralty and Maritime Law, and Commercial Litigation
• Charles Wilmore — Commercial Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, and Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• John Wilson — Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, and Litigation – Environmental
• Joe Wilson — Trusts and Estates
• Brett Wise — Admiralty and Maritime Law

Those named to 2024 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch^® in America include:

• Alex Baynham — Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• Lance Bullock — Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• Hunter Curtis — Energy Law, and Litigation – Environmental
• Mark Deethardt — Energy Law
• Nena Eddy — Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• Rebecca Guidry — Energy Law
• Joe Heaton — Energy Law
• Jackie Hickman — Commercial Litigation, Energy Law, and Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Randee Iles — Energy Law
• Michael Ishee — Energy Law
• Hayley Landry — Energy Law
• Caleb Madere — Energy Law
• Libby McIntosh — Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• Kendra Haley Merchant — Tax Law
• C.J. Miller — Banking and Finance Law
• Michael Mims — Commercial Litigation, and Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
• Trinity Morale — Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Jared Nelson — Energy Law, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
• John Parker — Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Ben Parks — Energy Law
• Jonas Patzwall — Energy Law
• Michael Schimpf — Energy Law
• Jody Schisel-Meslin — Transportation Law
• Jessie Shifalo — Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• Cristian Soler — Energy Law
• Amy Tomlinson — Energy Law
• John Troutman — Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Emily von Qualen — Energy Law
• Cecilia Vazquez Wilson — Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, and Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants

Liskow is pleased to announce the firm is listed in the latest edition of Chambers USA – High Net Worth Guide. This guide recognizes the top professional advisers for private wealth, ranking law firms, lawyers, and other advisers. We are proud to have achieved a first-band (first-tier) ranking for Private Wealth Law, a distinction that only three firms in Louisiana received.

Additionally, Marguerite “Peggy” Adams was ranked as a Senior Statespeople for Private Wealth Law. Peggy, a board-certified estate planning and administration specialist, is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. She advises clients about wills, trusts and estate planning, including the disposition of closely held businesses, taxation of estates and other estate planning needs. In addition, she handles probate matters and represents trustees and corporate fiduciaries.

Peggy’s peers described her as a well-respected member of the Louisiana estate planning community in feedback given to Chambers. One client says “She has been a dedicated and thoughtful planner for decades. She has been terrific on real estate issues over the years and understands corporate and business planning issues. She always gets along with her clients really well.”

Liskow has a comprehensive estate planning practice. The firm represents individuals and families in estate planning, individual and corporate trustees on trust matters, succession administrators in succession administration, and individual heirs and legatees on various succession matters.

Liskow is pleased to congratulate Denice Redd-Robinette and Cristian Soler for their selection to the Institute for Energy Law’s 6th Leadership Class. Only forty energy professionals were selected to join this class.

Denice Redd-Robinette is an environmental lawyer focusing on litigating complex oil and gas matters. She has experience representing clients in legacy lawsuits, tort claims, contract disputes, land contamination, and personal injury claims. She was recognized in this year’s edition of Louisiana Super Lawyers as a “Rising Star” and serves as a Pathfinder for the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity.

Cristian Soler is a litigator who handles various matters that affect the energy industry including legacy litigation, coastal land loss, land contamination matters, and complex downhole operations suits. He regularly keeps up with and writes on developments related to the renewable energy sphere, including wind and solar energy. Cristian was recognized in this year’s edition of Louisiana Super Lawyers as a “Rising Star” and serves on the Editorial Board for IEL’s Young Energy Professionals Committee’s Energy Dispatch.

This program is for energy professionals who have been practicing in the energy field between three and thirteen years. Several class members work in oil and gas litigation and transactions. Others have experience in tax, CCUS, hydrogen, nuclear, solar, wind, ESG, regulatory, and more. Class members will increase their knowledge of leadership, communication, diversity, and the energy industry through participation.

Liskow is pleased to announce that the firm has been recommended in the 2023 Legal 500 United States guide for Industry focus – Transport: Shipping – Litigation and Regulation. Only 14 law firms were ranked in this area in the United States.

“Liskow‘s ‘outstanding admiralty lawyers‘ stand out for oil and gas-related maritime matters. The firm’s maritime practice also extends beyond the offshore sector to include inland and ocean carriers, along with maritime litigation and business law throughout the US, and the firm fields an experienced casualty response team. Recent disputes work encompassed offshore collisions, maritime liens, vessel construction work, and international sales and delivery of steel products, as well as toxic tort class actions, and personal injury claims arising from cargo loading and commercial dive operations. The team is co-led by New Orleans-based ‘strong trial advocate‘ Thomas Diaz and Michael Golemi, a go-to maritime lawyer in Houston. Other key New Orleans practitioners are Keith Jarrett, who is sought out by oil majors for Gulf of Mexico maritime cases; salvage and wreck removal specialist David Reisman; maritime defense expert Jill Willhoft; and Raymond Waid, whose experience includes acting as first chair trial counsel in maritime litigation,” says The Legal 500.

Elizabeth “Libby” McIntosh in New Orleans and Jody Schisel-Meslin in Houston were also listed as key lawyers on the maritime team.

“A strong collegiate approach means the right people and expertise are deployed as required. Real strength and depth in numbers.”

Client Testimonial

“Fields a strong team in both shipping (wet and dry) and environmental issues.“

Client Testimonial

“Liskow’s maritime section is unmatched for its experience and capabilities.“

Client Testimonial

About The Legal 500

The Legal 500 analyzes the capabilities of law firms across the world, with a comprehensive research programm revised and updated every year to bring the most up-to-date vision of the global legal market. The Legal 500 assesses the strengths of law firms in over 150 jurisdictions highlighting the practice area teams who are providing the most cutting edge and innovative advice to corporate counsel. The research is based on feedback from 300,000 clients worldwide, submissions from law firms and interviews with leading private practice lawyers, and a team of experienced researchers.

June 1 marked the beginning of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex (LGBTQI+) Pride Month in the United States, which is celebrated annually in June to honor of the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan.  In June 1969, patrons and supporters of the Stonewall Inn in New York City staged an uprising against the frequent police harassment and persecution of LGBTQI+ individuals.  While the gay rights movement in the United States dated back to at least the 1920s, the Stonewall Uprising was a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement, sparking a new generation of activists to fight against laws and practices that discriminated against LGBTQI+ Americans.  The nation’s first Gay Pride marches were held a year after the Stonewall Uprising.  In 2016, the area around the Stonewall Inn was designated a national monument.

Today, Pride Month events in the United States attract millions of participants from around the world; celebrations take many forms, including parades, parties, workshops, symposia, and concerts.  Additionally, memorials for members of the LGBTQI+ community lost to HIV/AIDS and hate crimes often occur during Pride Month.

In a June 1, 2023 blog post on Pride Month, Kelley Robinson, President of the Human Rights Campaign, wrote: “There is no doubt that the month of June is about centering our defiant joy.  It’s about marching and dancing and singing in the streets—despite those who are trying to silence us.  It’s about celebrating all of the beautiful identities that make our movement stronger.”

For additional information on Pride Month and local Pride celebrations, please see the resources below:

• Library of Congress Resources on Pride Month
• NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project – Stonewall Inn: More information on the Stonewall Uprising
• New Orleans Pride
• Pride Houston 365

The firm proudly announces that Hayley Landry is the 2023 recipient of the Louisiana Bar Association’s Young Lawyer Divisions Pro Bono Award. This award is presented to young lawyers for their commitment and dedication to providing pro bono services in their community or within the state.

Hayley serves on the firm’s pro bono committee, is an advisory board member of the Southeast Louisiana Legal Services (“SLLS”), and serves as Public Service Co-Chair of the New Orleans Bar Association’s Young Lawyer Section. Hayley serves as a frequent volunteer of the SLLS’ in forma pauperis clinic. The clinic helps litigants overcome the all too common barrier of initial costs that many unfortunately face.  Hayley provided post-conviction representation to a criminal defendant for who incarceration would have been life-threatening. She secured an amendment of her client’s sentence to avoid jail. Additionally, Hayley organized the firm’s involvement in The Pro Bono Project’s CDC Helpdesk Adopt-A-Month Program for the third year in a row.

When she was asked about her passion for pro bono work, Hayley said, “As lawyers, we have a professional and moral duty to represent the underrepresented and provide them access to the one branch of government devoted completely to fairness. Also, pro bono endeavors allow me to pay homage to those who helped me – and I’m thankful to be at a firm that supports and encourages pro bono efforts.”

Liskow is pleased to announce the following Lafayette-based attorneys have been selected to the 2023 list of Acadiana Profile’s Top Lawyers:

George Arceneaux — Oil & Gas Law 

Britt Bush — Oil & Gas Law 

Brian Capell — Energy Law

Hunter Chauvin — Energy Law

Joseph Giglio — Corporate Law

Amy Lee — Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions

Jared Nelson — General Service

Jamie Rhymes — Energy Law, Oil & Gas Law

April Rolen-Ogden — Energy Law, Oil & Gas Law

Larry Simon — Appellate Practice

Court VanTassell — Oil & Gas Law 

Each year, Acadiana Profile publishes its Top Lawyers list. The voting to determine the 2023 top attorneys for Acadiana Profile magazine was open to all licensed attorneys in the Acadiana, Louisiana market area.