News

Liskow attorney Jana Grauberger was recently featured on the Houston Bar Association’s Behind the Lines podcast. As co-leader of the firm’s Energy Practice Group, Jana shared her perspective on key issues affecting the energy sector, including the impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on Gulf oil and gas leasing and emerging legal considerations for the endangered Rice’s whale. Listen to the full episode here.

Liskow is proud to announce that 107 of our attorneys have been recognized in the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®. Six of these attorneys earned the distinction of “Lawyer of the Year” in their respective practice areas, an honor awarded to only one lawyer per practice area in each metropolitan region.

In addition, Liskow is honored to be “Top-Listed in the United States” in two key practice areas: Energy Law, with 28 recognized lawyers, and Oil and Gas Law, with 19 recognized lawyers. This distinction reflects that no other firm in the country has more lawyers recognized in these categories.

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

• Matt Jones – Energy Law, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
• Jamie D. Rhymes – Litigation – Environmental, Lafayette, Louisiana
• Robert S. Angelico – Tax Law, New Orleans, Louisiana
• Cheryl M. Kornick – Litigation and Controversy – Tax, New Orleans, Louisiana
• Thomas McGoey – Litigation – Labor and Employment, New Orleans, Louisiana
• Robert B. McNeal – Environmental Law, New Orleans, Louisiana

Those recognized as Best Lawyers^® Award Recipients include:

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

• Paul M. Adkins – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Environmental, Oil and Gas Law
• Matt Jones – Energy Law

Lafayette, Louisiana

• Vanessa Waguespack Anseman – Energy Law
• George Arceneaux III – Litigation – Environmental, Oil and Gas Law
• Brittan J. Bush – Energy Law, Oil and Gas Law
• Brian W. Capell – Energy Law, Energy Regulatory Law
• Don Capretz – Trusts and Estates
• Julie Chauvin – Commercial Finance Law, Commercial Transactions / UCC Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Hunter Chauvin – Energy Law
• Joseph C. Giglio, Jr. – Corporate Law, Real Estate Law
• Joseph P. Hebert – Energy Regulatory Law
• Michael H. Ishee – Energy Law, Oil and Gas Law
• Amy Allums Lee – Litigation – Environmental, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Energy Law, Environmental Law
• Jeffrey Lieberman – Energy Law, Energy Regulatory Law, Litigation – Environmental
• Jamie D. Rhymes – Energy Law, Energy Regulatory Law, Litigation – Environmental
• April Rolen-Ogden – Energy Law, Oil and Gas Law
• Lawrence P. Simon, Jr. – Natural Resources Law, Oil and Gas Law
• John S. Troutman – Energy Law
• Court VanTassell – Environmental Law, Energy Law

New Orleans, Louisiana

• Donald R. Abaunza – Admiralty and Maritime Law, Commercial Litigation, Energy Law
• Neil C. Abramson – Litigation – Environmental, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Product Liability – Defendants
• Marguerite L. Adams – Real Estate Law, Trusts and Estates
• Alec Andrade – Commercial Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Robert Angelico – Tax Law
• Erin Bambrick – Energy Law, Oil and Gas Law
• Kelly Brechtel Becker – Appellate Practice, Energy Law, Litigation – Environmental, Oil and Gas Law
• Clare M. Bienvenu – Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental
• Nora B. Bilbro – Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
• James A. Brown – Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants, Litigation – Antitrust, Litigation – Trusts and Estates, Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants
• Laura S. Brown – Energy Law, Litigation – Environmental, Oil and Gas Law
• Louis E. Buatt – Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental, Water Law
• Ryan T. Christiansen – Banking and Finance Law, Real Estate Law
• Sheri Corales – Commercial Litigation
• George Denegre, Jr. – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Securities
• Melanie Derefinko – Commercial Litigation
• Thomas P. Diaz – Admiralty and Maritime Law
• Kathleen L. Doody – Banking and Finance Law, Energy Law, Oil and Gas Law
• Jonathan Fox – Energy Law, Litigation – Environmental
• Kathryn Gonski – Energy Law, Oil and Gas Law
• Shannon Skelton Holtzman – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Construction
• R. Keith Jarrett – Admiralty and Maritime Law
• Greg L. Johnson – Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental
• Brian R. Johnson – Real Estate Law
• Philip K. Jones, Jr. – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy
• Paul C. Kitziger – Real Estate Law
• Cheryl M. Kornick – Commercial Litigation, Energy Law, Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Tax Law, Appellate Practice, Oil and Gas Law
• Caroline D. Lafourcade – Litigation – Trusts and Estates, Litigation and Controversy – Tax, Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
• James E. Lapeze – Energy Law, Litigation – Environmental, Oil and Gas Law, Environmental Law
• Mark D. Latham – Admiralty and Maritime Law, Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• David W. Leefe – Admiralty and Maritime Law, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• Thomas J. McGoey II – Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Mark L. McNamara – Energy Law, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Oil and Gas Law
• Robert B. McNeal – Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental, Oil and Gas Law
• Carey L. Menasco – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Commercial Litigation, Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants
• Michael C. Mims – Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• Devin C. Reid – Admiralty and Maritime Law
• David L. Reisman – Admiralty and Maritime Law, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
• Carol W. Reisman – Commercial Litigation
• Jerome J. Reso, Jr. – Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Nonprofit / Charities Law, Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
• Leon J. Reymond III – Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law
• Leon H. Rittenberg III – Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Nonprofit / Charities Law, Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
• John A. Rouchell – Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Corporate Law, Elder Law, Tax Law, Trusts and Estates, Nonprofits / Charities Law
• Kelly T. Scalise – Admiralty and Maritime Law, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Stephen P. Schott – Litigation – Real Estate, Real Estate Law
• Scott C. Seiler – Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Matthew Simone – Energy Law, Oil and Gas Law
• Cherrell Simms Taplin – Energy Law
• Tyler Trew – Commercial Litigation
• Raymond T. Waid – Admiralty and Maritime Law
• Elizabeth Wheeler – Energy Law
• Jill S. Willhoft – Admiralty and Maritime Law, Commercial Litigation
• Charles B. Wilmore – Commercial Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• John M. Wilson – Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Environmental
• Joseph T. Wilson – Real Estate Law, Trusts and Estates
• Brett D. Wise – Admiralty and Maritime Law

Houston, Texas

• John Almy – Admiralty and Maritime Law
• Michael P. Cash – Commercial Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• Michael A. Golemi – Admiralty and Maritime Law, Insurance Law, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• Jana L. Grauberger – Energy Law
• Marilyn C. Maloney – Banking and Finance Law, Energy Law, Real Estate Law, Oil and Gas Law
• William W. Pugh – Admiralty and Maritime Law, Energy Law, Oil and Gas Law
• Michael D. Rubenstein – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Alma F. Shields – Litigation – Labor and Employment
• David J. Weiner – Real Estate Law

Those named to 2026 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch^® in America include:

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

• Denice Robinette – Environmental Law
• Alexandra L. Gjertson – Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law
• Joe Heaton – Energy Law, Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental, Oil and Gas Law
• Randee V. Iles – Energy Law
• John M. Parker – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Energy Law

New Orleans, Louisiana

• Zachary Berryman – Energy Law, Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental
• Lance C. Bullock – Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Transportation Law
• J. Hunter Curtis – Energy Law, Litigation – Environmental, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Ellen George – Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Brady Hadden – Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
• Nicolette Kraska – Transportation Law
• Hayley M. Landry – Energy Law
• Nicholas Mole – Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
• Colin North – Administrative / Regulatory Law, Energy Law, Environmental Law
• Michael C. Schimpf – Energy Law
• Jessie Elizabeth Shifalo – Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Transportation Law
• Nicholas D. Simon – Energy Law, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants Transportation Law
• Cristian M. Soler – Energy Law, Litigation – Environmental, Oil and Gas Law

New York, New York

• William H. Yost – Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants

Houston, Texas

• Margaret Chavez – Energy Law, Natural Resources Law, Oil and Gas Law
• Melanie Cruthirds – Commercial Litigation, Energy Law, Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Jonas Patzwall – Energy Law, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, Transportation Law
• Elizabeth Strunk – Transportation Law

Only about 5% of practicing U.S. attorneys earn a Best Lawyer distinction. Nearly 30,000 lawyers participated in the voting process, providing more than 3.4 million confidential evaluations to assess roughly 130,000 vetted nominees.

Liskow shareholder Jana Grauberger was recently interviewed by MarineLog to unpack the key legal and regulatory issues impacting federal offshore leasing, permitting, decommissioning, and compliance for both traditional and renewable energy sectors.

Read the full article on MarineLog here.

Liskow is proud to announce that Jana Grauberger has been elected Vice President of the Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law (the “Foundation”), a respected global organization dedicated to advancing education and understanding in natural resources and energy law. Jana will become President next year, with her term beginning at the Annual Institute in Seattle in July 2026. Joining her in leadership, Jackie Hickman has been elected to serve as a Trustee for the Foundation and appointed as Chair of the Foundation’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. The Foundation is known worldwide for providing comprehensive resources and programs that equip legal professionals, industry leaders, and policymakers to navigate the complex challenges of these critical sectors.

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 admistrative 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.

As an experienced trial lawyer, Jackie Hickman advocates for global energy companies in high-stakes litigation involving business disputes, environmental claims, personal injury, and property damage. Over the past three years, she has served as first- and second-chair trial counsel in multiple complex cases involving multi-million-dollar damages models. Before entering the legal profession, Jackie taught middle school science for six years—a foundation that sharpened her ability to command and engage an audience and translate complex scientific concepts into coherent narratives for judges and juries. Jurors in a recent trial described her as “engaging, relatable, and effective.” Beyond the courtroom, Jackie serves as Liskow’s Co-Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer and is deeply engaged in local and national organizations dedicated to advancing DEI in the legal profession.

Liskow is proud to congratulate Matt Simone on being named to New Orleans CityBusiness’ Leadership in Law Class of 2025. Matt is recognized for his strong litigation practice, dedication to clients, and meaningful contributions to the energy industry, legal profession, and community.

Matt is an experienced trial and appellate litigator focused primarily on pipeline-related matters, including servitude acquisition, expropriation, and regulatory compliance. He has represented clients in nearly 100 eminent domain proceedings and has extensive experience before agencies such as the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, the Louisiana Public Service Commission, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. His work has helped advance pipeline and underground storage projects throughout the Gulf South.

Beyond litigation and regulatory issues, Matt advises clients on complex real estate, environmental, and transactional matters, including high-stakes toxic tort cases, mass environmental claims, and major infrastructure projects. His leadership extends outside the courtroom, serving on the Board of the Professional Landmen’s Association of New Orleans, where he was President from 2023 to 2024, as well as on committees for the Louisiana State Law Institute and Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association, among others. Matt will be celebrated among other honorees Monday, October 6, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the New Orleans Museum of Art. Profiles of the honorees will appear in the October 17 issue of CityBusiness.

Matt Jones was quoted in Law360’s “Top 5 Energy Decisions of 2025: A Midyear Report.” Matt shared insights on the $666 million verdict against Greenpeace. Read the article here.

Liskow is pleased to announce that Sam Allen has been selected for the Institute for Energy Law’s 8th Leadership Class, a program recognizing rising professionals in the energy industry.

Sam represents clients in a range of litigation matters. His work includes disputes involving oil and gas leases—such as royalty issues, lease interpretation, and conflicts between surface and mineral owners. He also handles cases involving joint operating agreements, purchase and sale agreements, mechanic’s and mineral liens, and title disputes. Outside of energy law, Sam works on litigation related to non-competition and non-solicitation agreements, trade secrets, fraud, property damage, defamation, and breach of contract.

This year’s Leadership Class curriculum covers important skills for energy professionals, including effective communication, leading teams in fast-paced settings, building trust, professional networking, making tough decisions under pressure, and business development. Participants will complete training designed to improve their leadership skills and industry knowledge.

Liskow is proud to announce that Marilyn Maloney received the Distinguished Real Estate Attorney Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the Real Estate, Probate, and Trust Law Section of the State Bar of Texas. The award recognizes distinguished Texas real estate attorneys who have made significant and sustained contributions to the Texas real estate law bar throughout their careers.

Marilyn has been at Liskow for fifty years, serving clients across Texas, Louisiana, and the U.S. Her experience spans commercial lending, energy and real estate transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and other complex commercial matters. Her practice includes representing borrowers and lenders in energy, real estate, and other commercial loans, handling industrial and commercial real estate developments, acquisitions and divestitures, and financings, and representing energy companies and lenders in acquisitions and divestitures of oil and gas-producing properties and midstream assets and construction of pipelines, platforms, and other facilities affecting properties onshore and on the Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf. A Fellow of both the American College of Real Estate Lawyers (ACREL) and the American College of Commercial Finance Lawyers (ACCFL). Marilyn served as President of ACREL in 2020 and remains actively involved in shaping the future of real estate law. She contributes extensively to the State Bar of Texas and the Louisiana Law Institute, participating in committees focused on the Uniform Commercial Code and business law reforms.

Her contributions have helped shape real estate law across jurisdictions and earned the respect of peers throughout the legal and business communities.

David Weiner, a real estate lawyer in the firm’s Houston office, was proud to present Marilyn with the award at the Real Estate, Probate, and Trust Law Section’s Advanced Real Estate Law Course on July 10, 2025, in San Antonio.

Liskow is pleased to be recognized in the 2025 edition of Chambers USA, a respected legal directory that has been publishing rankings for more than 30 years. Chambers conducts over 285,000 interviews and surveys annually to assess law firms and attorneys across the country.

Firms and individuals are ranked in bands from 1 (highest) to 6, and inclusion in any band reflects recognition by clients and peers.

In the 2025 guide, Liskow received national rankings in Offshore Energy and Transportation: Shipping/Maritime: Litigation (outside New York). The firm also received state-level recognition in:

• Banking & Finance – Band 2, Louisiana
• Bankruptcy/Restructuring – Band 3, Louisiana
• Energy & Natural Resources: Oil & Gas – Band 1, Louisiana
• Environment – Band 1, Louisiana
• Labor & Employment – Band 3, Louisiana
• Litigation: Appellate – Band 1, Louisiana
• Litigation: General Commercial – Band 1, Louisiana
• Real Estate – Band 4, Louisiana

In addition, 32 Liskow attorneys are individually ranked in their respective practice areas.

Offshore Energy (National)

Jana Grauberger – Band 2

Oil & Gas Litigation (National)

James T. Kittrell – Band 2

Product Liability: Toxic Torts (National)

Charles B. Wilmore – Band 1

Transportation: Shipping/Maritime: Litigation (outside New York) (National)

David Reisman – Band 2

Michael Golemi – Band 3

Raymond T. Waid – Band 3

Transportation: Shipping/Maritime: Litigation (New York) (National)

Michael Fernandez – Band 3

Bankruptcy/Restructuring (Louisiana)

Joseph P. Hebert – Band 3

Philip K. “Kirk” Jones Jr – Senior Statespeople

Corporate/M&A (Louisiana)

Leon J. Reymond III – Band 3

Energy & Natural Resources: Oil & Gas (Louisiana)

Lawrence P. Simon Jr. – Senior Statespeople

April Rolen-Ogden – Band 3

Jeff Lieberman – Band 3

Kelly Becker – Band 3

Environment (Louisiana)

Greg L. Johnson – Band 1

Lou Buatt – Band 1

Clare Bienvenu – Band 3

Environment: Litigation (Louisiana)

Robert B. McNeal – Band 1

Mark L. McNamara – Band 3

Michael Mims – Up and Coming

Labor & Employment (Louisiana)

Thomas McGoey II – Band 1

Litigation : Appellate (Louisiana)

Kelly Becker – Band 1

Kathryn Gonski – Band 2

Litigation: General Commercial (Louisiana)

James Brown – Band 1

Carey L. Menasco- Band 3

Carol “LuLu” Reisman – Band 3

Shannon Skelton Holtzman – Band 3

Tyler Trew – Band 3

Litigation: Securities (Louisiana)

George Denegre, Jr. – 2

Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations (Louisiana)

Sean Toomey – Band 2

Marine Finance (Louisiana)

Leon H. Rittenberg, III – Band 2

Tax (Louisiana)

Robert S. Angelico – Band 1

Caroline Lafourcade – Band 2

We are honored by this recognition and appreciate the continued trust of our clients and peers.

Liskow is pleased to announce that Kathryn Gonski and Michael Golemi have been elected to the firm’s Board of Directors.

Kathryn is a litigator and appellate lawyer who represents both individuals and local, national, and global companies in all areas of litigation, including energy, environmental, personal injury, and commercial disputes. Her corporate clients span a wide range of industries, including energy, maritime, and retail. Beyond her legal practice, Kathryn has played a key leadership role within the firm. She chaired Liskow’s Paralegal Committee from 2019 to 2022, serves as the New Orleans Representative on the firm’s Associate Committee, and has been a dedicated member of the firm’s Recruiting Committee since 2014.

“It is an honor to join Liskow’s Board of Directors and contribute to the firm’s future development and continuation of the exceptional client service we’ve consistently provided,” said Gonski. “As a first-time Board member, I look forward to bringing a fresh perspective and working with an amazing group of leaders I deeply respect.”

Michael, who previously served on the Board, returns with more than 25 years of experience handling high stakes maritime and energy litigation. Based in Houston, Michael focuses on trial and appellate matters involving marine casualties, toxic torts, insurance coverage, and products liability. He began his career in Liskow’s New Orleans office and was instrumental in establishing the firm’s Houston presence in 2005. Michael has served as Head of the Houston Office and currently serves as Co-Practice Group Leader of the firm’s Maritime Practice Group.

His firsthand experience growing the firm’s Texas presence, combined with his past leadership within the firm, allows him to bring a unique perspective to the Board.

“I am excited to return to Liskow’s Board of Directors and collaborate with an impressive group of leaders,” said Golemi. “Bringing both the insight of past experience and a broad, multi-jurisdictional perspective, I’m committed to helping shape a firm I deeply value—always with a focus on meeting the evolving needs of our clients and the industries they are in.”