News

Liskow attorneys Caroline Lafourcade and Cheryl Kornick secured a major win for Kellogg Brown & Root, LLC (KBR) at the Louisiana Board of Tax Appeals (BTA) earlier this year in a dispute with a local tax collector regarding the scope of the manufacturing machinery and equipment (MM&E) exclusion from sales tax on materials and equipment used to construct an ammonia manufacturing facility. The case is important as it is only the second time that a Louisiana court has opined on the scope of the MM&E exclusion in Louisiana.

Read more about this win here.

Liskow has been ranked nationally in eight practice areas and regionally in 55 practice areas in the 2026 Best Lawyers® (BL Rankings) “Best Law Firms” list in the United States. Firms named to this year’s list are recognized for their professional excellence and consistently strong feedback from clients and peers. Tier rankings are awarded to firms that demonstrate both exceptional quality in their practice and a wide range of legal expertise.

National Rankings For Liskow Include:

• Admiralty and Maritime Law
• Energy Law
• Oil and Gas Law
• Banking and Finance Law
• Commercial Litigation
• Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
• Real Estate Law
• Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law

Regional Rankings For Liskow Include:

Baton Rouge

• Commercial Litigation
• Energy Law
• Litigation – Environmental
• Oil and Gas Law

Houston

• Admiralty and Maritime Law
• Banking and Finance Law
• Energy Law
• Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
• Oil and Gas Law
• Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• Real Estate Law
• Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Commercial Litigation
• Litigation – Labor and Employment

Lafayette

• Corporate Law
• Energy Law
• Energy Regulatory Law
• Environmental Law
• Litigation – Environmental
• Natural Resources Law
• Oil and Gas Law

New Orleans

• Admiralty and Maritime Law
• Appellate Practice
• Banking and Finance Law
• Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Bet-the-Company Litigation
• Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
• Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law
• Commercial Litigation
• Corporate Law
• Elder Law
• Employment Law – Management
• Energy Law
• Environmental Law
• Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants
• Litigation – Antitrust
• Litigation – Bankruptcy
• Litigation – Environmental
• Litigation – Real Estate
• Litigation – Trusts and Estates
• Litigation and Controversy – Tax
• Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
• Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Nonprofit / Charities Law
• Oil and Gas Law
• Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants
• Real Estate Law
• Tax Law
• Trusts and Estates
• Labor Law – Management
• Litigation – Construction
• Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Litigation – Securities

In addition, 107 Liskow lawyers are recognized in the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®.

The Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process that includes client and lawyer feedback, peer review from leading attorneys, and analysis of additional information provided by law firms as part of the formal submission process. For more information, visit https://www.bestlawfirms.com/firms/liskow-lewis/10714/US#rankings. 

Liskow is proud to announce that Shareholder Jana Grauberger has been honored with the Women’s Energy Network (WEN) Karyl White Founder’s Award, a recognition celebrating a member whose long-standing leadership and contributions have advanced the mission and growth of WEN.

Jana’s involvement with WEN spans more than two decades and reflects her deep commitment to empowering women in the energy industry. A past president of WEN Global in 2020 and of WEN Houston chapter in 2010, Jana has played an instrumental role in shaping the organization’s vision and expanding its geographic location beyond Houston to include chapters across the United States and internationally and its expansion to include all sectors of the energy industry.

“It is wonderful to see WEN recognize Jana’s hard work and dedication through this honor,” said Kelly Becker, who co-leads Liskow’s Energy Litigation Practice Group with Jana. “Jana’s leadership, commitment, and generosity have inspired so many within the Industry and in, particular, at WEN. I am grateful to work alongside such a driven and thoughtful leader.”

As an energy lawyer with more than 25 years of experience, Jana negotiates contracts, provides day-to-day regulatory advice and assistance, and handles administrative appeals, litigation, and arbitration matters concerning oil and gas and other energy matters. Her experience includes drafting and negotiating purchase and sale agreements, participation agreements, joint operating agreements, production handling agreements, gathering agreements, transportation agreements and other upstream and midstream contracts. She also helps clients navigate the complex legal and regulatory framework applicable to federal offshore leasing, development, and operations. Jana’s litigation and arbitration experience is wide-ranging and includes contract disputes, royalty litigation, offshore construction and installation claims, indemnity litigation, and decommissioning disputes. She also handles administrative appeals of orders issued by the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, and Office of Natural Resources Revenue. Jana is Co-Chair of Liskow’s Energy Litigation Section.

Since its founding in 1994, WEN has served as a cornerstone for women in the energy industry—fostering connection, professional growth, and leadership development. As WEN celebrates more than 6,000 members nationwide, the organization continues to build on the foundation laid by leaders like Jana, whose dedication has shaped both its growth and its legacy.

Liskow is proud to announce Shareholders Leon Rittenberg III and Joe Wilson were recently elected Fellows of The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) joining Liskow attorneys Peggy Adams, John Rouchell, and Jerome Reso. With only 30 Fellows in Louisiana, the firm is proud to have five attorneys in this distinguished group. 

The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) is a professional association of distinguished trust and estate lawyers and law professors across the United States and beyond. The organization’s peer-elected Fellows represent the highest standards of integrity and expertise in the field, working to advance the practice of trust and estate law through scholarship, collaboration, and professional excellence. ACTEC members bring deep experience in estate planning, probate, and the administration of trusts and estates—helping ensure the sound management and transfer of wealth for individuals, families, and organizations.

In addition to being a Fellow of ACTEC, Leon is also a Fellow of The American College of Tax Counsel (ACTC). As a Board Certified Tax Specialist and Board Certified Estate Planning & Administration Specialist, he advises businesses, investors, and families on a wide range of legal and financial matters, including taxation, finance, private equity, mergers and acquisitions, real estate, philanthropy, and non-profit law. Leon’s practice focuses on the unique needs of privately held companies and their owners, with a client base spanning family offices, marine transportation companies, physician groups, and private investors. Beyond his practice, Leon is active in the community and serves on numerous nonprofit boards. His leadership and service have been recognized through multiple professional honors and community awards.

Joe focuses his practice on business and trusts and estates law, advising business owners, fiduciaries, and high-net-worth individuals on issues at the intersection of corporate operations and private wealth. He represents clients in real estate, finance, and corporate matters, handling everything from acquisitions and development projects to governance, regulatory compliance, and title work. In his estate planning practice, Joe develops comprehensive strategies for succession planning, tax minimization, and wealth preservation. Known for his ability to simplify complex legal issues, Joe frequently speaks on trusts and estates topics and is recognized as a go-to resource for clients seeking clarity and confidence in managing both their businesses and personal estates.

Liskow is proud to announce that Associate Hayley Landry has been named a recipient of The Pro Bono Project’s 2025 Distinguished Service Award. This annual recognition honors lawyers, law firms, students, businesses, and members of the judiciary who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to improving access to justice and delivering high-quality volunteer legal services across the Greater New Orleans community.

The Pro Bono Project provides free civil legal assistance to low-income individuals, families, and seniors across Southeast Louisiana. The organization connects volunteer attorneys with clients facing a wide range of legal challenges—from family law and custody matters to estate planning, property issues, and consumer disputes—helping ensure that all members of the community have access to fair representation and a voice in the legal system.

For the past four years, Hayley has led the firm’s participation in The Pro Bono Project’s CDC Helpdesk Adopt-A-Month Program. In 2025, she coordinated the firm’s efforts in June and September, spending mornings providing notary services and legal resources to pro se domestic litigants while organizing other firm attorneys to take part in this hands-on community initiative.

In addition, Hayley regularly volunteers with the Southeast Louisiana Legal Services (SLLS) in forma pauperis clinic, assisting domestic litigants in completing court filings and navigating the necessary paperwork to pursue their cases.

Hayley’s pro bono leadership has been recognized throughout the legal community. In 2023, she received the Louisiana State Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division Pro Bono Award for her outstanding contributions. She has also served on the Advisory Board of SLLS and as Public Service Co-Chair of the New Orleans Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Section.

Hayley was honored at The Pro Bono Project’s Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon & Awards Ceremony on October 23, 2025, where the organization celebrated her contributions and the impact of all award recipients in advancing access to justice

Liskow attorneys Kirk Jones and Kelly Scalise secured a victory for two charitable trusts in the United States Supreme Court. After argument at the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, the Fifth Circuit affirmed the grant of summary judgment by the district court, removing a co-trustee and awarding over $10 million in damages to the foundations. The co-trustee then sought a writ of certiorari from the Supreme Court based on a jurisdictional issue of whether the citizenship of unnamed co-trustees should be considered for diversity of citizenship.  The Supreme Court denied the petition, leaving in place the Fifth Circuit’s determination that only the citizenship of the named co-trustee who was the party litigant is considered for diversity purposes.  As was argued by the two foundations, this decision is in accord with Supreme Court precedent regarding trusts as well as decisions of the Seventh and Tenth Circuits.

Read the full update from Liskow attorney Will Yost here. 

 Read the full update from Liskow attorneys Caroline Lafourcade and Kevin Naccari here. 

Read the full update from Liskow attorneys Greg Johnson, Clare Bienvenu, Emily von Qualen, and Colin North here.

Liskow attorney Laura Alaniz was recently featured in a Law360 article. Laura joins the firm as of counsel in Houston, bringing decades of experience advising employers on labor and employment matters and representing them in disputes involving wrongful termination, retaliation, harassment, discrimination, and compliance with state and federal statutes.

In her interview, Laura shared that she was drawn to Liskow’s strong presence in the energy sector and its collaborative culture. “This is an opportunity for me to merge my employment experience with that depth of knowledge Liskow has and allow me to provide more targeted support to clients navigating the workplace challenges in that area,” Alaniz told Law360.

In addition to her litigation experience, Laura has represented clients before the U.S. Department of Labor, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the Texas Workforce Commission. She is board certified in labor and employment law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

Read the full article here.