future-focused

Kiah Ford

225.341.4660

“I cannot help my clients without a clear understanding of their goals, an exchange which often includes business and practical considerations, as well as those which are purely legal.  Once those goals are clear, I work carefully with my clients to formulate a plan designed to accomplish their goals.”

Overview

Paul is an energy and commercial litigator practicing in the firm’s Baton Rouge office. Paul has broad experience with energy, environmental and commercial and business disputes, as well as cases involving oilfield contamination, royalty disputes, mineral regulatory issues, and other aspects of oilfield litigation.

Paul has practiced in a variety of courts, including Louisiana state courts, Louisiana federal district courts, the Louisiana Supreme Court, and the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. He received his Juris Doctor from the Paul M. Hebert, Louisiana State University Law Center in 1984 where he was a member of the Louisiana Law Review.

Insights

Highlights

Notable Experience

  • In Woodward Harbor, LLC, et al. v. City of Mandeville, et al., Civil Action No. 23-5824 (E.D. La.), Paul (along with Clare Bienvenu) won a complete dismissal of a developer’s 144 paragraph complaint asserting equal protection, due process and federal and state takings claims against the City of Mandeville.
  • In Descendants Project, et al. v. St. John the Baptist Parish, 422 So. 3d 760, Paul (along with Clare Bienvenu) prevailed in the Louisiana Supreme Court on behalf of Greenfield Louisiana, L.L.C., restoring the 1990 industrial zoning on a $40 million tract of land after the Trial Court had determined that zoning was void.
  • In 2025, Paul and Jamie Rhymes successfully defended a major carbon capture and storage company from the claims of two landowners who claimed Liskow’s client had breached a CO2 Injection Agreement.   Although the landowners claimed in excess of $5 million in damages, a three member arbitration panel granted summary judgment in favor of Liskow’s client.
  • In the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal, Paul prevailed on the Plaintiffs’ claim and the Fifth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of Plaintiffs’ claims which sought a disgorgement of the client’s profits based upon their constructing of a pipeline on the Plaintiffs’ property but outside a designated servitude. Mary v. QEP Energy Company, 24 F.4th 411 (5th Cir. 1/18/22)
  • In McDaniel v. Comstock Oil & Gas Company, LLC, 53,667 (La. App. 2 Cir. 1/13/21) 310 So.3d 670, Paul obtained summary judgment for Comstock against the claims of an employee of a contractor who claimed serious debilitating injuries at a Comstock well site.
  • In Black River Crawfish Farms, LLC v King, 17-672 (La. App. 3 Cir. 7/18/18) 246 So.3d 1, Paul obtained summary judgment in favor of his client on the Plaintiff’s legacy claims by establishing that the mineral servitude which formed the basis of the Plaintiff’s claims had lapsed prior to Plaintiff’s acquisition of the property.
  • Black River Crawfish Farms v. King, 17-672 (La. App. 3 Cir 2/7/2018) 246 So. 3d 1.
  • Guy v. Empress, L.L.C, 50,404 (La. App. 2 Cir. 4/8/16) 193 So.3d 177
  • Duck v. Hunt Oil Co., 13-628 (La. App. 3 Cir. 3/5/14) 134 So.3d 114
  • Gatti v. State of Louisiana, Office of Conservation, 2014-0863 (La. 8/25/14), 146 So. 3d 196
  • Barham v. St. Mary Land & Exploration Co., 48,603 (La. App. 2 Cir. 11/20/13) 129 So. 3d 705
  • Questar Exploration and Production Company v. Woodard Villa, Inc., 48,401 (La. App. 2 Cir. 8/7/2013) 123 So. 3d 734
  • Ross v. Enervest Operating, L.L.C., 48,229 (La. App. 2 Cir. 6/26/13) 119 So. 3d 943
  • Walker v. J-W Operating Company, 2012-0662 ( La. App. 1 Cir 12/21/2012) 2012 WL 667791
  • Hollenshead Oil & Gas, LLC v Gemini Explorations, Inc. 45,389 (La. App. 2 Cir 8/5/10) 44 So. 3d 809
  • M.J. Farms, Ltd, v Exxon Mobil Corporation, 2009-2414 (La. 3/12/2010) 35 So. 3d 191
  • Peterson v. Gibraltar Sav. & Loan, 98-1601 (La. 5/18/99) 733 So. 2d.1198

Involvement

  • American Bar Association - Member
  • Louisiana Bar Association - Member
  • Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel - Member
  • Louisiana Oil and Gas Association - Member
  • Louisiana Institute Mineral Law-Legacy Disputes Committee - Member

Recognition

  • The Best Lawyers in America®, 2015-2025

 

Credentials

Education

  • Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center (J.D., 1984)
    • Louisiana Law Review
  • Louisiana Tech University (B.A., summa cum laude, 1976)

Bar Admissions

  • Louisiana, 1984

Court Admissions

  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District, Louisiana, 2000
  • U.S. District Court, Middle District, Louisiana, 1991
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit, 1989
  • U.S. District Court, Western District, Louisiana, 1987

Publications

After Hours

When not in the office or on the road for his clients, Paul spends his time following LSU sports - whether football, basketball, baseball, golf, gymnastics or whatever sport is currently in season, Paul is following the Tigers.

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