With more than 20 years of legal experience representing large transportation authorities, governmental entities, and private corporations, Louis has experience drafting complex commercial contracts, land leases for major economic development projects, facility operating agreements, complex litigation matters and managing compliancy with federal and state laws.

Louis has represented governmental clients such as the City of New Orleans, Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans, and the Orleans Parish School Board.  He has also successfully defended cases for self-insured funds including the Louisiana Restaurant Association, Louisiana Construction & Industry Self Insured Fund and the Louisiana United Businesses Association.  He works closely with employers to implement risk management procedures to lower the incidents of workplace accidents. Working within the Railroad Practice Area, Louis also handles mass tort, class action, insurance, and transportation litigation.  He has successfully defended freight rail carriers in a wide range of cases, including cases involving the Federal Employer’s Liability Act.  He has also handled cases involving first-party property damage and complex commercial contracts.

Following law school at Tulane University, Louis served as a law clerk for the Honorable Gene Thibodeaux, Chief Judge of the Louisiana Third Circuit Court of Appeal.  Upon completion of his clerkship, Louis entered private practice specializing in general casualty and commercial litigation.  He later served as the Assistant General Counsel and Director of Security for the Lake Charles Harbor and Terminal District, the 11^th largest Port in the United States and later served as Executive Counsel for the Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans/New Orleans Public Belt Railroad.  Louis also served as Chief Counsel and subsequently Chief of Staff for LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans.

Memberships

• New Orleans Bar Association
• National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel
• Texas Bar Association
• The Association of Corporate Counsel
• Bar Association of the Federal Fifth Circuit
• Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board –
  • Hearing Committee Member (2015-2020)
  • Hearing Committee Chair (2022- present)
• Louisiana State Bar Association –
  • House of Delegates (2016- 2019)

Publications

State-By-State Guide to Architect, Engineer, and Contractor Licensing, 2004 Cumulative Supplement, co-author of Louisiana Section, Aspen Publishers.

Notable Achievements

• AV Rating from Martindale Hubbell since 2011
• Recognized in Best Lawyers in America, 2013 – present
• Best Lawyers – 2021 Lawyer of the Year, Railroad Law
• Recognized in Top Lawyers in New Orleans, 2013 – 2017
• Recognized in Louisiana Super Lawyers, 2016 – present
• New Orleans City Business, Leadership in Law Honoree – 2017, 2019

Community Involvement

• H.E.L.P. (Homeless Experience Legal Protection)
• SOLACE (Support of Lawyers/Legal Personnel All Concern Encouraged)
• Touro Bouligny Neighborhood Association – President
• Touro Bouligny Security District – Board Member

Cases and Reported Decisions

• Alexander v. Norfolk Southern Corp., 82 So.3d 1234 (La. 2012)
• Canadian National Railway v. Unistar Plastics LLC, 2006 WL 2460754 (E.D.La.)
• Dean v. The City of New Orleans, 2005-1347 (La. App. 4 Cir. 7/12/06); 936 So.2d 851
• Thompson v. City of New Orleans, 05-0947 (La. App. 4 Cir. 5/24/06); 933 So.2d 207.
• Oestringer v. City of New Orleans, 2003-2213 (La. App. 4 Cir. 6/2/04); 876 So.2d 240.
• Gardache v. City of New Orleans, 2003-1286 (La. App. 4 Cir. 3/31/04); 874 So.2d 247.
• Muhammad v. New Orleans Police Department, 2002-0306 (La. App. 4 Cir. 6/26/02); 822 So.2d 183.
• Craft v. Lard Oil Company, Inc. 2008-0915 (La. App. 4 Cir. 2/11/09); 3 So.3d 92.
• Isla Corp. v. Sundown Energy, LP, 2007 WL 1240212 (E.D.La.)