News

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.

Liskow is pleased to announce the following Houston-based attorneys have been selected to the 2015 edition of Texas Super Lawyers list: 

Michael Cash, Civil Litigation, Defense 

Marilyn Maloney, Real Estate 

Michael Rubenstein, Creditor Debtor Rights 

Robert Theriot, Energy & Resources 

Super Lawyers list outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Texas Super Lawyers includes a statewide nomination process, a peer-review survey by practice area, and independent research on candidates. The process results in a list of the top five percent of attorneys in each state, as nominated by their peers, which is then reviewed by an independent research team that focuses on professional accomplishments, peer recognition, and community involvement. 

Liskow is pleased to announce forty firm attorneys are among New Orleans Magazine’s “Top Lawyers” 2015. 

The voting to determine the top New Orleans attorneys was open to all licensed attorneys in New Orleans, Louisiana. Voters were asked which attorney, other than themselves, should appear on the New Orleans list. The list includes: 

• Neil C. Abramson, Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions 
• Marguerite L. Adams, Real Estate Law, Trusts and Estates 
• Robert S. Angelico, Tax Law 
• John C. Anjier, Commercial Litigation, Securities/Capital Markets Law
• Kelly B. Becker, Appellate Practice 
• William B. Bennett, Banking and Finance Law, Gaming Law, Labor and Employment Law 
• James A. Brown, Bet-the-Company Litigations, Commercial Litigation, Legal Malpractice Law 
• Louis E. Buatt, Environmental Law 
• George Denegre, Jr., Bet-the-Company Litigations, Commercial Litigation 
• James C. Exnicios, Tax Law 
• Sherman G. Fendler, Admiralty & Maritime Law 
• Don K. Haycraft, Admiralty & Maritime Law 
• Robert E. Holden, Administrative/Regulatory Law, Environmental Law 
• Shannon S. Holtzman, Commercial Litigation 
• Jonathan A. Hunter, Energy Law, Oil and Gas Law 
• R. Keith Jarrett, Admiralty & Maritime Law 
• Greg L. Johnson, Environmental Law 
• Philip K Jones, Jr., Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law 
• Paul C. Kitziger, Real Estate Law 
• Cheryl M. Kornick, Energy Law 
• Gene W. Lafitte, Appellate Practice 
• Mark D. Latham, Personal Injury Litigation, Workers Compensation Law 
• David W. Leefe, Admiralty & Maritime Law, Personal Injury Litigation 
• Thomas B. Lemann, Non-Profit/Charities Law, Trusts and Estates 
• Thomas J. McGoey, II, Labor and Employment Law 
• Robert B. McNeal, Energy Law, Oil and Gas Law 
• Carey L. Menasco, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law 
• Joe B. Norman, Appellate Practice, Energy Law, Oil and Gas Law 
• Dena L. Olivier, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law 
• Leon J. Reymond, III, Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law 
• Brianne S. Rome, Tax Law 
• Scott C. Seiler, Personal Injury Litigation, Product Liability Litigation 
• Randye C. Snyder, Employee Benefits Law 
• Dorothy M. Taylor, Criminal Defense White Collar 
• K. Todd Wallace, Antitrust Law 
• Stephen W. Wiegand, Environmental Law 
• Charles B. Wilmore, Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions 
• John M. Wilson, Bet-the-Company Litigations, Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law 
• John D. Wogan, Trusts and Estates 

Liskow is pleased to announce that Michael S. Williams has joined the firm as a shareholder. Mr. Williams practices in the firm’s New Orleans office where he will focus on representing companies in the areas of Employee Benefits, Executive Compensation and ERISA Compliance.

Mr. Williams advises clients on all aspects of employee benefits programs, including the design, implementation and compliance of retirement plans, health and welfare plans, and executive and incentive compensation arrangements. He regularly performs due diligence review and analysis for mergers and acquisitions and conducts employee benefits training for legal and non-legal audiences. 

In addition, Mike provides counsel to clients in tax controversies, individuals and businesses with respect to transactional matters, and nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations regarding all aspects of their enterprise.

Mr. Williams received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Cincinnati College of Law and his Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Business Management from Samford University. Prior to joining Liskow & Lewis, Mr. Williams practiced at Proskauer Rose LLP and Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP. He is licensed to practice law in Louisiana and Ohio.