News

Forty-one Liskow & Lewis lawyers have been named to the 2021 edition of Louisiana Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters. Marguerite L. Adams, James A. Brown, and Thomas J. McGoey, II were named among the top 50 attorneys in the state of Louisiana. Additionally, Marguerite Adams was recognized as one of the top 10 attorneys in the state of Louisiana and as one of the top 25 women attorneys in the state.

Super Lawyers

Charles B. Wilmore

Cheryl M. Kornick

David W. Leefe

Donald R. Abaunza

George Arceneaux III

George Denegre, Jr.

Greg L. Johnson

James A. Brown

Jamie D. Rhymes

John C. Anjier

Kelly T. Scalise

Lawrence P. Simon, Jr.

Marguerite L. Adams

Mark L. McNamara

Philip K. Jones, Jr.

R. Keith Jarrett

Robert B. McNeal

Robert S. Angelico

Shannon S. Holtzman

Thomas J. McGoey, II

Tiffany Delery Davis

William "Blake" Bennett

Rising Stars 

Alexander J. "Alex" Baynham

April L. Rolen-Ogden

Brian W. Capell

Brittan J. Bush

Cody J. "C.J." Miller

Court C. VanTassell

Devin C. Reid

Emily C. Borgen

Erin Bambrick

Hunter A. Chauvin

Jeffrey Birdsong

Jonathan J. Fox

Laura Springer Brown

Mark R. Deethardt

Matthew Simone

Raymond T. Waid

Ryan T. Christiansen

Stephen W. Wiegand

Tyler D. Trew

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 has been ranked in the 2021 “Best Law Firms” list by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers®, BL Rankings, LLC. Firms included in the “Best Law Firms” list are recognized for professional excellence with consistently impressive ratings from clients and peers.  Firms receive tiered rankings if they have a unique combination of quality law practice and breadth of legal expertise.

The firm received National Tier 1 ranking in Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants and National Tier 2 rankings in the areas of Admiralty & Maritime Law, Banking and Finance Law, Commercial Litigation, Energy Law, and Real Estate Law. Additionally, sixty-two lawyers were recognized in The Best Lawyers in America 2021 edition.

Through Best Lawyers research, several companies commented on their experience with Liskow & Lewis, including Shell, Schlumberger, Enterprise Transfer Partners, Tokai Carbon, Capital One, and many more. You can read all of the comments made about the firm by visiting Liskow’s Best Law Firms Profile.

S. Gene Fendler passed away suddenly on October 21, 2020, doing something he had loved to do for the better part of his life – flying his airplane.  We are shaken and already miss him.  For forty-five years, Gene was a pillar of Liskow & Lewis and of the Louisiana legal community.  He worked as a trial and appellate lawyer in both casualty and business matters, taking many lawsuits to verdict or judgment in state and federal courts throughout Louisiana as well as Texas, Illinois, and Massachusetts.  His success as a trial lawyer resulted in his induction into the American College of Trial Lawyers and the American Board of Trial Advocates. 

Gene’s legal career began when he graduated first in his law class at LSU Law in 1973 after serving as editor-in-chief of the Louisiana Law Review.  He completed a federal judicial clerkship with Judge Alvin B. Rubin of the federal courts before starting with Liskow & Lewis in 1974.  Gene then spent his entire legal career with our firm, serving in virtually every leadership capacity, including several terms on the firm’s Board of Directors and Compensation Committee, and mostly memorably as President and Managing Partner.  Under his leadership as President, Liskow & Lewis opened its office in Houston, Texas, and emerged from the Hurricane Katrina catastrophe stronger than ever. 

Over the years, Gene remained in close contact with LSU’s Paul M. Hebert Law Center, having been selected as a member of the Law Center Hall of Fame, teaching trial advocacy there for several years, and appearing as a guest lecturer to law students in the fields of tort law, maritime law, and the art of cross-examination.  Since its founding, he served on the Planning Committee for the annual Alvin B. Rubin Seminar on Maritime Personal Injury at the Law Center.  Gene delivered numerous lectures at the seminars on torts, civil procedure, and professionalism.  He also served as a member of the Law Center Alumni Board of Trustees for 14 years and as its President for 10 of those years.  In 2019, Gene was named a Distinguished Alumnus of the Year by the Law Center.  Recipients of this award are recognized for rare distinction in professional achievement, high ethical standards, and loyalty to the LSU Law Center. 

Gene’s service to the wider community included duty as Captain in the Louisiana Army National Guard, as President of his synagogue, and as President of the University of Virginia Alumni Club of Louisiana.   

Gene leaves behind his mother Rae Kaplan Lilienthal, his wife Linda, his daughters Julia (Nico) and Abby (Billy), and two granddaughters.  He was preceded in death by his son, Benjamin.  

In addition, multiple generations of his friends and partners at Liskow & Lewis grieve as each of us is better for experiencing his kindness, humility, wisdom, and mentorship.  

Gene, you were the best of us, and we will never forget you.  

Liskow & Lewis is pleased to announce six new attorneys have joined the firm.

Alec Andrade is a member of the firm’s Commercial Litigation practice group in the firm’s New Orleans office. He received his Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law in 2019. Prior to joining the firm, Alec served as a federal judicial law clerk to the Honorable Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle of the Eastern District of Louisiana. He also served as a student practitioner in the Stuart H. Smith Law Clinic, where he practiced with the New Orleans District Attorney’s Office under the supervision of an experienced attorney.

Taylor Ashworth is an energy litigator practicing in the firm’s Lafayette office. Taylor is a graduate of the Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center where she received her Juris Doctor and Diploma of Comparative Law, cum laude. During law school, Taylor was a member of the Louisiana Law Review and was elected to The Order of the Barristers. She also participated in several Moot Court and Trial Advocacy Competitions where she won many accolades including a national best oralist award and the Delia Cobb Moot Court Award.

Sheri Corales is a commercial litigator practicing in the firm’s New Orleans office.  Prior to joining the firm, Sheri served as a federal judicial law clerk to the Honorable Kurt D. Engelhardt of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Sheri received her Juris Doctor from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law where she served as a member of Loyola Law Review, Moot Court, and Vice President of the Association of Women Law Students.

Joe Heaton is an energy litigator practicing in the firm’s Lafayette office. Joe received his Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Louisiana State University, where he served on the SBA Committee on Safety, Sensitivity, and Sustainability and as the SBA Ethics Committee Chair.  He also received his master’s degree in Psychology from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga where he completed his thesis, “Exploring relationships between stress and olfaction as mediated by neuropeptide y.”

Andrew Mahtook is a business lawyer practicing in the firm’s New Orleans office. Andrew received his Juris Doctor with a Certificate in Civil Law Studies from Tulane University Law School where he served as the Tulane Law Review Senior Associate Editor. He also received his Master of Business Administration from the A.B. Freeman School of Business, Tulane University where he completed a Finance Concentration. While at Tulane, Andrew completed two international consulting trips for clients based in Bologna, Italy and Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Nick Simon is a litigator practicing in the firm’s New Orleans office. Nick earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law, where he served on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Law and Politics and received the Ford C. O’Connell Public Service Fellowship. He trained at the National Trial Advocacy College and completed academic research on the Louisiana Constitution. Nick clerked on the United States Senate Judiciary Committee, where he worked on nominations to the Supreme Court and federal appellate and district courts.

Liskow & Lewis is pleased to welcome Clare Bienvenu to the firm’s environmental group in New Orleans.

Clare is an experienced environmental regulatory and litigation attorney, who has practiced in both Louisiana and California. Clare counsels clients regarding regulatory problems spanning the major federal environmental statutes, including the Clean Air Act, CERCLA, RCRA, the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and NEPA, and advises clients concerning various state environmental statutes and regulations.  Her regulatory and transactional experience includes assisting energy, petrochemical, and industrial clients in compliance matters concerning air quality, water quality, hazardous waste, land remediation, and renewable energy projects.  She has significant litigation experience, including CERCLA cost recovery and tort actions for land contamination, tort actions associated with storm water damage, environmental products liability actions, and environmental insurance coverage disputes.

Clare has assisted clients in several substantial site clean-up matters. Her experience includes the representation of clients as part of potentially responsible party groups formed to negotiate cleanup orders and response actions with state and federal environmental regulatory agencies.  In connection with these sites, she has worked with consultants regarding site evaluations and remedial alternatives to implement clean-up goals. 

Clare represents clients in connection with administrative proceedings and agency enforcement actions. She has participated in consent decree negotiations with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Justice, as well as settlement negotiations with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality and the California Air Resources Board.

Clare has counseled several non-California companies distributing or selling products in California regarding California Proposition 65 and the environmental aspects of California’s consumer products regulations.

Clare received her Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from Tulane University Law School, where she served as senior notes and comments editor on the board of the Tulane Environmental Law Journal.  She also holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, magna cum laude, from Texas A&M University.  She has practiced environmental law at firms in San Francisco and Los Angeles, in addition to New Orleans. 

Liskow & Lewis is pleased to congratulate Cherrell Simms Taplin for being selected to New Orleans CityBusiness’ Women of the Year Class of 2020. 

For the past eighteen years, Cherrell has served the legal industry and community alike. Her experiences in all facets of litigation have shaped her career and motivate her to encourage young professionals to strive to make a difference in their careers and community. 

Cherrell is a litigator who assists commercial clients, non-profit organizations, and major oil and gas companies in all areas of litigation, including mass tort and environmental actions. As a member of the firm’s diversity and recruiting committees, Cherrell is devoted to increasing diversity & inclusion in the legal profession. She is also the diversity partner for one of the firm’s national oil and gas clients, and in this role, she identifies opportunities for the firm to partner with its clients on diversity and inclusion initiatives. Prior to joining the firm, Cherrell was the first African-American woman partner at a major law firm in New Orleans, served as judge pro tempore in state court, and served as the Senior Chief Deputy City Attorney for the City of New Orleans. 

Cherrell contributes to the community in a variety of ways including her service to professional organizations, and she is dedicated to her volunteer work. Always eager to volunteer her time to talk to students, she organized a program for minority high-school students to engage with alumni lawyers and judges from their schools as a part of the National Bar Association’s effort to enhance the pipeline of diverse students for opportunities in the legal profession. She is an advocate for increased diversity within businesses and law firms and has been instrumental in introducing various firm diversity initiatives and seeing them through. She recently spoke to women from the Greater New Orleans area at the firm’s Annual Ladies’ Luncheon on the pros and cons of using social media in business. 

Among her many accolades, Cherrell was recently selected to join The National Black Lawyers’ Top 100, an organization dedicated to recognizing African American legal excellence including both plaintiff and defense attorneys in all practice areas. She has also been recognized for her practice by Super Lawyers Magazine and her alma mater, Loyola University as she was recognized as the 2009 Black Law Students Association Distinguished Alumni Award. 

Started in 1999, Women of the Year recognizes 50 women from the area whose successes in business and contributions to the community have made them movers and shakers in the region. Honorees are innovative leaders who are making waves with their energy, ideas, achievements and commitment to excellence in the area. Honorees are selected based on business and community involvement and achievement that have set the pace for the overall community.

Liskow & Lewis is pleased to announce sixty-two lawyers are listed in the 2021 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America, BL Rankings, LLC.
Eight Liskow & Lewis lawyers are listed as the “Lawyer of the Year” in their respective area of practice. Only a single attorney in each practice area and designated metropolitan area receives this recognition.  Those recognized as the “Lawyer of the Year” include:

Robert S. Angelico – Tax Law
George Arceneaux III – Litigation – Environmental
Cheryl M. Kornick – Litigation and Controversy – Tax
James N. Mansfield III – Energy Law
Thomas J. McGoey II – Employment Law – Management
Robert B. McNeal –  Environmental Law
Lawrence P. Simon, Jr. – Natural Resources Law
John M. Wilson – Litigation – Environmental

The sixty-two lawyers listed in the 2021 Best Lawyers Edition include:

Donald R. Abaunza – Admiralty and Maritime Law

Neil C. Abramson – Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants

Marguerite L. Adams – Real Estate Law; Trusts and Estates

Paul M. Adkins – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Environmental, Oil and Gas Law

Robert S. Angelico – Tax Law

John C. Anjier – Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Securities; Securities / Capital Markets Law

George Arceneaux III – Litigation – Environmental; Oil and Gas Law

Kelly Becker – Appellate Practice, Energy Law

Wm. Blake Bennett – Banking and Finance Law; Gaming Law

James L. Breaux – Real Estate Law

James A. Brown – Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation; Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants; Litigation – Antitrust; Litigation – Trusts and Estates; Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants

Louis E. Buatt – Environmental Law

Brian W. Capell – Energy Law

Michael P. Cash – Commercial Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants

Julie Chauvin – Commercial Finance Law

Ryan T. Christiansen – Banking and Finance Law; Real Estate Law

George Denegre, Jr. – Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Securities

Thomas P. Diaz – Admiralty and Maritime Law

Billy J. Domingue – Banking and Finance Law; Commercial Finance Law; Corporate Law; Real Estate Law

James C. Exnicios – Tax Law

S. Gene Fendler – Admiralty and Maritime Law; Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants

Joseph C. Giglio, Jr. – Corporate Law; Real Estate Law

Michael A. Golemi – Admiralty and Maritime Law

Joseph P. Hebert – Energy Regulatory Law

Shannon Skelton Holtzman – Commercial Litigation

R. Keith Jarrett – Admiralty and Maritime Law

Greg L. Johnson – Environmental Law; Litigation – Environmental

Matt Jones – Energy Law

Philip K. Jones, Jr. – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Litigation – Bankruptcy

Paul C. Kitziger – Real Estate Law

Cheryl Mollere Kornick – Commercial Litigation; Energy Law; Litigation and Controversy – Tax; Tax Law

James Lapeze – Energy Law; Litigation – Environmental; Oil & Gas Law

Mark Latham – Admiralty and Maritime Law; Environmental Law

David W. Leefe – Admiralty and Maritime Law; Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants

Jeff Lieberman – Energy Law

Marilyn C. Maloney – Banking and Finance Law, Energy Law, Real Estate Law, Trademark Law

James N. Mansfield III – Energy Law; Mining Law; Natural Resources Law; Oil and Gas Law

Anthony Marino – Oil and Gas Law

Thomas J. McGoey II – Employment Law – Management; Labor Law – Management; Litigation – Labor and Employment

Mark L. McNamara – Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants

Robert B. McNeal – Environmental Law; Litigation – Environmental; Oil and Gas Law

Carey L. Menasco – Commercial Litigation

Joe B. Norman – Commercial Litigation; Energy Law; Oil and Gas Law

William W. Pugh – Admiralty and Maritime Law

Devin C. Reid – Admiralty and Maritime Law

Carol W. Reisman – Commercial Litigation

David L. Reisman – Admiralty and Maritime Law; Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants

Leon J. Reymond III – Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Leon J. Reymond, Jr. – Banking and Finance Law; Corporate Law; Real Estate Law

Jamie D. Rhymes – Litigation – Environmental; Oil and Gas Law

April Rolen-Ogden – Energy Law; Oil and Gas Law

Michael D. Rubenstein – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Criminal Defense: White-Collar

Kelly T. Scalise – Admiralty and Maritime Law

Scott C. Seiler – Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants; Product Liability Litigation – Defendants

Lawrence P. Simon, Jr. – Natural Resources Law; Oil and Gas Law

Randye C. Snyder – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law

Raymond T. Waid – Admiralty and Maritime Law

David J. Weiner – Real Estate Law

Charles B. Wilmore – Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants; Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants

John M. Wilson – Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation; Litigation – Environmental

Brett D. Wise – Admiralty and Maritime Law

John D. Wogan – Banking and Finance Law; Corporate Law; Trusts and Estates

Six lawyers listed as "Ones to Watch" in the 2021 Best Lawyers Edition include:

Jillian Marullo – Energy Law
Chauntelle R. Wood – Commercial Litigation
Brittan J. Bush – Energy Law
Erin Bambrick – Energy Law
Lauren R. Bridges – Environmental Law
Joseph T. Wilson – Banking and Finance Law; Real Estate Law; Trusts and Estates

Liskow & Lewis is pleased to announce its ranking in the 2020 edition of Chambers USA – High Net Worth Guide, a guide that ranks the top lawyers and law firms for private wealth law.  

Rankings are decided following extensive market research and interviews with clients and peer attorneys. Chambers received the following feedback about the firm’s High Net Worth Practice:  Liskow & Lewis is an “absolutely good value“, and the interviewee continues on to say: “I go to them because I have a lot of trust in them.” The team advises high net worth individuals and families, and closely held businesses, on the full range of trust and estate matters, including disputes. The group’s non-contentious work includes assisting with business succession plans and representing clients with real estate and mineral interests.

Marguerite “Peggy” Adams  was ranked in the top-tier for Private Wealth Law in the High Net Worth Guide.  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 an incredible base of knowledge and is a wonderful resource. I know I can ask her any questions or ask for advice. I cannot tell you just how wonderful she is; she is amazing and one of the best lawyers I have ever worked with.” Another concurs, saying Peggy is “the best attorney I have ever met – and I have worked with a lot of attorneys.”

Within the firm’s comprehensive estate planning practice, Liskow represents individuals with respect to their estate planning, including wills, gift giving, charitable donations, trusts, tax planning and other matters related to estate planning.  The firm also counsels owners of closely held businesses on future ownership and management matters, corporate executives on the handling of pension funds and other retirement benefits, and nonprofit and nonresident owners of Louisiana real estate and mineral rights on estate and trust issues. The firm’s litigators routinely represent executors, trustees, individual beneficiaries and large trust departments in disputes involving will contests, breach of fiduciary duties and claims for accounting.

Liskow & Lewis is pleased to congratulate Chauntelle Wood for her selection to the Institute for Energy Law’s 2020 – 2021 Leadership Class. Forty-two energy professionals from 10 different states and India were selected to join this class. 

Chauntelle Wood is a litigator in the firm’s Houston office. She defends global exploration and production companies in mass tort litigation, legacy litigation, environmental and operational matters, and oil & gas royalty and pipeline disputes, and she has managed multiple aspects of litigation both pre-trial and during trial. Chauntelle is currently the lead trial attorney on a mass tort case involving a refinery fire in Louisiana, and she diversifies her work with a variety of general litigation, insurance disputes, labor and employment matters, and multiple pro bono matters. Chauntelle was recently selected to join The National Black Lawyers’ organization as a National Black Lawyer Top 40 Under 40 for African American attorneys, and she is also  an Adjunct Professor at Texas Southern Thurgood Marshall School of Law where she teaches Trial Simulation to second-year law students. Prior to her legal career, Chauntelle served the United States Air Force Reserves for 8 years.