News

Liskow is pleased to announce Lawrence Simon has been awarded the Institute of Energy Law’s Lifetime Achievement in Energy Litigation Award. 

At the Annual Energy Litigation Conference each November, this award is made to an energy litigator whose achievements either in the course of his or her career or during a particular piece or series of litigation have won the admiration of peers. 

Lawrence Simon graduated from Tulane Law School in 1972, and has practiced law with Liskow & Lewis in the firm’s Lafayette office for the past 43 years. Litigation matters involving oil, gas and property issues are the focus of Mr. Simon’s practice. For three decades, he has handled a wide variety of general commercial disputes in federal and state courts throughout Louisiana. 

His extensive experience in energy litigation cases covers all of the major substantive areas affecting the oil and gas industry for the past four decades, including broad experience litigating issues involving regulatory rulings and orders of the Department of Conservation. His litigation practice has emphasized oil and gas royalty and other mineral lease issues, energy marketing contract disputes and cases involving the processing of natural gas and the contracts affecting those operations. 

Mr. Simon has been recognized by Chambers USA, Benchmark Litigation, Best Lawyers in America, and Super Lawyers. He is also a fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America. In addition to his active practice, Mr. Simon has served both in the House of Delegates and on the Board of Governors of the Louisiana State Bar Association and was president of the Young Lawyers section of the Louisiana Bar. He also served on the Board of the Young Lawyer Division of the ABA and on the Board of Directors of the American Judicature Society. He likewise was past president of the American Inn of Court of Acadiana. Mr. Simon has been active in the Institute of Energy Law for many years and is currently Senior Vice-Chair of the IEL. 

Liskow has been named “Law Firm of the Year” in the United States for Oil & Gas in the 2016 edition of U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers®, Woodward White, Inc. 

Since Liskow’s inception eighty years ago, the firm has focused on serving the oil and gas industry. Widely recognized as leaders in the development of Louisiana mineral law, today the firm’s nearly 140 attorneys serve clients along the Gulf Coast and across the United States from offices in New Orleans and Lafayette, Louisiana and Houston, Texas. The firm advises, counsels and advocates for global giants, regional leaders and entrepreneurs alike, offering clients deep experience in the matters that inevitably impact business goals. 

One law firm in each of 74 practice areas receives the prestigious 2016 “Law Firm of the Year” recognition. 

About the designation

The U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process that includes the collection of client and lawyer evaluations, peer review from leading attorneys in their field, and review of additional information provided by law firms as part of the formal submission process. Clients and peers were asked to evaluate firms based on the following criteria: responsiveness, understanding of a business and its needs, cost-effectiveness, integrity and civility, as well as whether they would refer a matter to the firm and/or consider the firm a worthy competitor. 

On September 24, following a three week trial, a jury in the 24th Judicial District Court returned a $4.8 million verdict in favor of the firm’s client, Semco LLC. Gene Fendler and Kelly Scalise represented Semco. The case was a bitter dispute between two privately held companies, Semco and The Grand (part of the Laredo Offshore family of companies) arising out of the construction of a very large offshore liftboat by Semco for The Grand. Semco proved that it was entitled to additional costs under the construction contract. The jury found in favor of Semco and awarded $4.8 million. The jury awarded The Grand $680,000 on its reconventional demand, a small portion of what it had sought for alleged unfinished work. The jury also rejected claims brought by The Grand under the Louisiana Unfair Trade Practices Act and for intentional interference with contract.

Liskow is pleased to announce George Arceneaux has become a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, one of the premier legal associations in North America. 

Mr. Arceneaux is a shareholder in the firm’s Lafayette office where he serves as lead trial and litigation counsel in energy and commercial litigation. 

The induction ceremony at which Mr. Arceneaux became a Fellow took place recently before an audience of approximately 900 persons during the recent 2015 Annual Meeting of the College in Chicago, Illinois. 

Founded in 1950, the College is composed of the best of the trial bar from the United States and Canada. Fellowship in the College is extended by invitation only and only after careful investigation, to those experienced trial lawyers who have mastered the art of advocacy and whose professional careers have been marked by the highest standards of ethical conduct, professionalism, civility and collegiality. Lawyers must have a minimum of fifteen years trial experience before they can be considered for Fellowship. 

Membership in the College cannot exceed one percent of the total lawyer population of any state or province. There are currently approximately 5860 members in the United States and Canada, including active Fellows, Emeritus Fellows, Judicial Fellows (those who ascended to the bench after their induction) and Honorary Fellows. The College strives to improve and elevate the standards of trial practice, the administration of justice and the ethics of the trial profession. Qualified lawyers are called to Fellowship in the College from all branches of trial practice. They are carefully selected from among those who customarily represent plaintiffs in civil cases and those who customarily represent defendants, those who prosecute individuals accused of crime and those who defend them. The College is thus able to speak with a balanced voice on important issues affecting the legal profession and the administration of justice. 

New Orleans

Philip Dore is an associate in the firm’s energy litigation and environmental law practices. Mr. Dore graduated from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center in 2012, where he served as a Senior Editor for the Louisiana Law Review and was inducted into the Order of the Coif. Prior to joining Liskow & Lewis, Mr. Dore completed a two-year clerkship with the Honorable Jane Triche Milazzo, followed by a one-year clerkship with the Honorable Susie Morgan.

Carson Haddow is an associate in the firm’s environmental law section. Mr. Haddow received his Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from Louisiana State University’s Paul M. Hebert Law Center in 2015. At LSU, Mr. Haddow served as a member of the Louisiana Law Review and received the Law Center’s Corporate & Business Law Excellence Award. Mr. Haddow earned his Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude, from Washington and Lee University in 2011.

Collin R. Melancon is an associate in the firm’s energy litigation practice. Mr. Melancon received his Juris Doctor from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law, where he graduated summa cum laude. During his time at Loyola, Mr. Melancon was a member of the Loyola Law Review, where he served as Candidate Development & Symposium Editor. Mr. Melancon received the Louisiana State Bar Association Civil Code Award for graduating first in the civil law division. In 2011, Mr. Melancon received his B.A. in International Studies from Louisiana State University.

Catherine Sens Napolitano is an associate in the firm’s energy litigation practice. Ms. Napolitano received her Juris Doctor and Diploma in Civil Law, cum laude, from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center in 2014. While at the Paul M. Hebert Law Center, she served as the Senior Online Articles Editor to the LSU Journal of Energy Law and Resources. Prior to joining Liskow & Lewis, Ms. Napolitano served as a law clerk to the Honorable James J. Brady, United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana. Ms. Napolitano received her B.A. in Political Science from Louisiana State University in 2011.

Patrick B. Reagin is an associate in the firm’s maritime, oilfield and insurance practice. Mr. Reagin is a 2014 graduate of Loyola University New Orleans College of Law, where he graduated summa cum laude, and received the Faculty Award for highest GPA. While at Loyola, Mr. Reagin served as the Articles Editor for the Loyola Law Review and was awarded the Best Comment Award. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Reagin served as a law clerk to Senior U.S. District Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Mr. Reagin received his Bachelor of Science in Music Industry Studies from Loyola University New Orleans.

Lafayette

Edward M. Duhé, Jr. is an associate practicing in the areas of energy and natural resources law, energy litigation and environmental law. Mr. Duhé earned his Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, at Louisiana State University’s Paul M. Hebert Law Center. At LSU, he was elected to the Order of the Coif and received the CALI Excellence Award. Mr. Duhé was a law clerk for the Honorable W. Eugene Davis, United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Michael H. Ishee is an associate in the firm’s energy litigation and maritime, oilfield and insurance practices. Mr. Ishee obtained his Juris Doctor and Diploma in Comparative Law, magna cum laude, from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Louisiana State University in 2015. While in law school, Mr. Ishee was an extern for the Honorable Judge Halil Suleyman Ozerden of the Southern District of Mississippi. Upon graduation from law school, he was elected to the Order of the Coif. Mr. Ishee received his M.B.A. from the Flores M.B.A. Program and his B.S. in Economics, summa cum laude, from Louisiana State University.

Caleb J. Madere is an associate in the firm’s energy and natural resources law and energy litigation practices. Mr. Madere received his Juris Doctor from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center, Louisiana State University, where he graduated magna cum laude, and was a member of the Order of the Coif. During his time in law school, he served as the Louisiana Law Review Senior Editor. Mr. Madere received his B.S. in Biology from Louisiana State University.