Trial Lawyer Wins

Counsel for Waste Connections

• Ictech-Bendeck v. Waste Connections Bayou, Inc.
• United States District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana, Docket No. 18-07889
• Achieved denial of class certification in high-stakes landfill toxic exposure claim, in which plaintiffs sought to certify a class of over 76,000 residents from Jefferson Parish’s East and West Banks, alleging exposure to landfill emissions over a thirty-month period.

Counsel for Prominent Genetic Testing Company

• After a week-long trial, obtained defense verdict from Orleans Parish jury in favor of one of the nation’s most prominent genetic testing companies, in case where plaintiff alleged she was misled about her genetic test results, causing her to undergo 9 unnecessary surgical procedures and resulting in bodily scarring. Plaintiff asked jury for $14 million in general damages, but jury awarded no damages.

Counsel for Shell Oil Company

• Obtained a Ruling and Order dismissing all claims against Shell and its related companies pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6) for plaintiff’s unjust enrichment claims. Plaintiff asserted contract claims against Shell in excess of $800,000 for its cleanup work to an old oilfield site in Bayou Sorrel. Plaintiff alleged that even though Shell was not a party to the original cleanup contract that was the subject of the underlying claim, Shell was unjustly enriched for Plaintiff’s work at the site. Shell’s basis for dismissal was that plaintiff could not meet the five elements of an unjust enrichment claim because it was not a party to the cleanup contract, and there was a remedy available based on a separate relationship controlled by an enforceable contract. The court concluded that because there was a remedy available at law against the party that was privy to the contract, the alternative claim for unjust enrichment against Shell could not survive.

Counsel for AECOM | Hunt Broadmoor, Joint Venture

• The Lemoine Company, L.L.C., Metro Service Management Group, LLC, and the McDonnel Group LLC v. The Ernest N. Morial Exhibition Hall Authority, et al.
• Orleans Parish Civil District Court, Division M, Docket No. 2021-7651.
• Evidentiary hearing on Plaintiffs’ request for a preliminary injunction on a Construction Management at Risk bid dispute for New Orleans Convention Center renovation project; decision favorable to AECOM | Hunt Broadmoor, JV.
• After a reversal by the Louisiana Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal, The Louisiana Supreme Court reinstated the original Trial Court’s decision in favor of AECOM | Hunt Broadmoor.
• The Lemoine Company, LLC, Metro Services Management Group, LLC, and The McDonnel Group, LLC v. The Ernest J. Morial Exhibition Hall Authority, et al
• Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans, Docket No. 2021-07651
• Successfully defeated a request for a preliminary and permanent injunction to block the award for the client to serve as the construction manager at risk contractor for a $300 million plus project to upgrade the New Orleans Convention Center.
• The Louisiana Supreme Court affirmed the trial court’s decision.

Counsel for Exxon Mobil Corporation

• Billy Olivier v. Exxon Mobil Corporation
• United States District Court, Middle District of Louisiana, Docket No. 18-568.
• Jury trial in an offshore platform accident injury case with significant medicals and multi-million-dollar demand; complete defense verdict in favor of Exxon Mobil Corporation.

Counsel for Vector Media Holding Corp.

• Go-Graphics, LLC v. The Parish of Jefferson and the Jefferson Parish Council
• 24th Judicial District Court, Division N, Docket no. 827-211.
• Evidentiary hearing on petition for permanent injunction, declaratory relief and damages; decision favorable to Vector Media.

Counsel for Mitchell Landrieu, as Mayor, and the City of New Orleans

• Monumental Task Committee, Inc. et al. v. Landrieu et al.
• United States District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana, Docket No. 15-6905.
• Motion for Summary Judgment granted in favor of Landrieu and the City of New Orleans against plaintiffs’ declaratory and injunctive relief action to declare the City Ordinance deeming confederate monuments nuisances as unconstitutional and in violation of federal law, and to prevent the subsequent removal of four prominent confederate monuments. The decision was upheld by the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Counsel for City of New Orleans

• Scott Laurent v. City of New Orleans, et al.
• United States District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana, Docket No. 14-2022
• Motion for Summary Judgment granted in favor of the City of New Orleans in an asbestos survival action.

Counsel for City of New Orleans and employees

• Damian Brown v. City of New Orleans, et al.
• 24th JDC, Division P, Docket No. 742-241.
• Bench trial in motor vehicle negligence case; verdict in favor of the City of New Orleans and its employees.

Counsel for City of New Orleans and employees

• Walter Penton, et al v. City of New Orleans, et al.
• Orleans Parish Civil District Court, Division F, Docket No. 2012-3095.
• Bench trial in motor vehicle negligence case with significant medicals; verdict in favor of the City of New Orleans and its employees.

Counsel for City of New Orleans

• Delta Staff Leasing v. City of New Orleans
• Orleans Parish Civil District Court, Division M, Docket No. 11-5493.
• Bench trial on breach of contract claims; verdict in favor of the City of New Orleans.

Counsel for City of New Orleans

• Walter Powers, et al v. City of New Orleans, et al.
• United States District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana, Docket No. 13-5993.
• Bench trial in declaratory action to declare City Ordinance on Office of Police Secondary Employment unconstitutional; verdict in favor of the City of New Orleans.

Counsel for Zurich American Insurance Company

• Tim Sosebee v. Steadfast Insurance Company, et al.
• United States District Court, Eastern District of Louisiana, Docket No. 09-4138
• Motion for Summary Judgment granted in favor of Zurich American Insurance Company on the issue of insurance coverage in a maritime personal injury case.

Counsel for The Cato Corporation

• Gloria Smith Bell v. The Cato Corporation.
• United States District Court, Western District of Louisiana, Docket No. 10-0908.
• Jury trial in premises liability personal injury case with significant medicals; mixed verdict in favor of The Cato Corporation.

Presiding Judge

Upscale Fashions, Inc., et al. v. Underwriters at Lloyd’s London, et al.

• Orleans Parish Civil District Court, Division J, Docket No. 2008-8563.
• Bench trial on insurance agent negligence in failure to procure sufficient insurance; plaintiff verdict (total judgment for $59,909 – defendant 100% liable).

Coastal Cargo v. Lamco Transport, et al.

• Orleans Parish Civil District Court, Division J, Docket No. 2015-1686.
• Jury trial on complex property damage and bad-faith claims; mixed verdict in favor of plaintiff (total judgment for $538,759 – defendant found 80% liable).

Christopher Causey, et al. v. New Orleans Regional Transit Authority, et al.

• Orleans Parish Civil District Court, Division J, Docket No. 2015-0534.
• Bench trial on personal injury negligence claims; defense verdict (case valued at $30,000).

Betty Ann Breaux Difiore v. Huntington Ingalls, Inc. et al.

• Orleans Parish Civil District Court, Division J, Docket No. 2016-10800.
• Jury trial in asbestos exposure case; settled on the third day of trial (case valued between $5-7mil).

Other Experience

• Obtained defense verdict from Orleans Parish jury in favor of one of the nation’s most prominent genetic testing companies, in case where plaintiff alleged she was misled about her genetic test results, causing her to undergo 9 unnecessary surgical procedures and resulting in bodily scarring. Plaintiff asked jury for $14 million in general damages, but jury awarded no damages. 
• Resolved hundreds of cases for a major insurance client following Hurricane Katrina.
• Represented the Orleans Parish School Board in all aspects of defense litigation, as well as novel issues specific to education. She litigated hundreds of cases and was able to expand her litigation experience to include all insurance law (property and casualty, liability and coverage, and bad-faith claims), maritime law, commercial litigation, general liability, construction defects, environmental/toxic tort liability, subrogation, and workers’ compensation matters. The cases that she handled often included complex and high-exposure litigation.