Palmetto Lawyers

With offices in Lafayette and Opelousas, I have a statewide civil litigation practice and am admitted in all state and federal courts of Louisiana. I am proud to represent my clients, from Louisiana citizens to Fortune 1000 companies.

Jeffrey Simmons Sandoz graduated cum laude from Western Michigan's Cooley Law School in 2010. He is the 5th-generation Sandoz attorney, and is currently the junior partner at Sandoz Law Offices, practicing bankruptcy and debt-collection law with his father, Sim. Jeffrey also teaches the Business Law course at South Louisiana Community College. Sandoz Law Offices has three locations in south Louisiana: Opelousas, Lafayette, and Crowley.

Recognized as one of Louisiana’s preeminent personal injury lawyers and as a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Academy of Catastrophic Injury Attorneys, Larry Curtis has successfully obtained multi-million dollar settlements and judgments for his clients.

It's not just Larry Curtis's nationally recognized accomplishments that make him a great personal injury lawyer; it's his caring attitude toward his clients as well. He always puts his clients first.

At the Claire Edwards Law Firm, we focus on family law tailored to each client's needs. Whether the client needs ex parte emergency custody or is simply finalizing a divorce after having lived separate and apart for several years, we are happy to help handle your legal matter.

We believe in legal excellence and focus on getting the best outcome for each client. We keep clients in the loop during the course of court proceedings, and whenever clients call, they are likely to have a chance to speak with an attorney promptly.

Divorce and custody is a very...

Ed Kramer graduated from both LSU and LSU Law School where he was on the Louisiana Law Review, a prestigious student organization only accepting a few students by grade. After that, Ed began to practice personal injury accident law – representing only injured parties, not insurance companies, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Ed participated in trials, was involved in million-dollar cases, and even class action cases, mostly personal injury accident cases. Ed would like to help you too.

Kyle Polozola is a partner in the Lafayette office of Kean Miller. He practices in the oil and gas, business and corporate, and real estate groups. Kyle has more than 21 years of experience handling complex oil and gas and commercial litigation disputes, environmental litigation, oil and gas transactional matters, including mineral title examination, due diligence, acquisition and sale of oil and gas properties, and energy regulatory matters. He represents lenders and business interests in commercial real estate matters, and assists clients with a variety of corporate and business transactional matters.

Following law school, Kyle clerked for the Hon. Catherine D....

Matt Smith is an associate in the Baton Rouge office of Kean Miller. He joined the firm in 2013 and practices in the commercial litigation, toxic tort defense, and environmental litigation groups. His work focuses on the representation of oil and gas exploration and production companies, mid-stream companies, and other industry companies in various litigation matters including property damage and contamination, property rights, and commercial and contractual disputes.

Matt has extensive experience guiding clients through claims related to soil contamination, groundwater contamination, air pollution, and the associated regulatory standards. His practice covers a wide range of commercial and litigation issues ranging...

John P. "Johnny" Barron is a native of the Lafayette, La. area. He graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 1995. He later went to Law School at Louisiana State University - Baton Rouge. where he received his MBA and Law Degree in 2011. Johnny is dedicated to the probate of estates throughout Louisiana and is licensed to appear in all Louisiana probate courts. He handles probate both large and small. He has dedicated himself to helping people efficiently and effectively navigate the Louisiana probate process. When you reach out to him, he provides you with...

Lauren Rucinski is an associate in the Baton Rouge office of Kean Miller. She joined the firm in 2016 and practices in the environmental law and intellectual property group.

Lauren helps clients understand which environmental regulations apply to new facilities and processes. Her practice focuses on permitting, compliance, litigation and transactional issues, as well as rulemaking efforts at both the state and federal level. She advises a wide range of clients including petrochemical facilities, oil refineries, natural gas terminals, glass manufacturers, and commodity processing plants.

Lauren helps clients protect and maximize the value of their businesses' intellectual property by advising them on...

Kenny Habetz has dedicated more than a decade of his life to helping injured people, and he’s only just getting started. Kenny graduated from Notre Dame High School in 2002 and from Louisiana State University in 2006. With a Bachelor of Science in Finance under his belt, he enrolled in the Southern University Law Center and earned numerous Excellence Awards for Highest Grade in his classes. Kenny earned his Juris Doctor in 2009 and graduated magna cum laude, having placed among the top ten students in his class. Kenny immediately started working for Louisiana accident victims and hasn’t stopped since. He has...

The Bart Bernard Personal Injury Law Firm concentrates on cases related to Car Accidents, Truck Accidents, and Motorcycle Accidents including those involving 18-wheelers and other commercial trucks. Other areas of focus include Construction Accidents, Maritime Accidents, Medical Malpractice, Wrongful Death, Slip and Fall, Workers Compensation, Nursing Home Abuse, Accident Injuries, Personal Injury, Dangerous Drugs, Defective Medical Devices.

Bart Bernard opened his own personal injury law firm in 1997, and has been serving the community of Louisiana for over 20 years. Bart has won millions in settlements on behalf of his clients and continues doing so.

Bart is recognized as “Best of...

Scott Andrews is a 2011 Baton Rouge Business Report Forty Under 40 honoree, The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers and Top 40 Under 40 member, Secretary of the Northwestern State University Foundation, an Adjunct Professor of Law teaching Insurance Law, Products Liability and Advanced Louisiana Torts at the Southern University Law Center. Scott has also been selected for inclusion in Louisiana Super Lawyers-Personal Injury Plaintiff (2012-2013), and enjoys a prestigious AV peer review rating from Martindale-Hubbell. Scott Andrews is a Member of the Louisiana Law Review and published one article prior to graduating in 1996 as a member of...

Rich is a shareholder with Wiener, Weiss & Madison. He joined the firm in 2013 and advises businesses, families and individuals in the areas of Taxation, Corporate Law, Securities Law, Mergers & Acquisitions, Real Estate Law, Estate Planning, Successions/Probate, Title Insurance and Nonprofit Law.

Chelsea Gomez Caswell is an associate in the Baton Rouge office of Kean Miller. She joined the firm in 2013 and practices in the labor and employment and litigation groups. She represents employers in a variety of labor and employment matters in state and federal courts and before the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and the Louisiana Commission on Human Rights (LCHR), including EEOC charges; discrimination, harassment, and retaliation litigation; litigation of disputes related to non-competition agreements; and wage and hour claims. Chelsea assists clients with employee handbooks, company policies, employment contracts, and in day-to-day counseling. She has...

Mack Gregorie is a partner in the Baton Rouge office of Kean Miller. He joined the firm in 1984 and has extensive experience in all types of business and corporate transactions, including complex commercial and industrial real estate matters and finance. Mack represents major international petrochemical clients, worldwide energy producers, banks and financial institutions, buyers and sellers, landlords and tenants, and lenders. A Certified Public Accountant, Mack lectures frequently on real estate topics such as sales, leases, property law, purchase and sale agreements, and recent developments in real estate law. He is also a title agent for First American Title...

Attorney Leonard Kilgore is an experienced advocate for local, national and international commercial, energy and industrial clients in litigation involving toxic tort claims, personal injury, property damage claims, and class actions.

Blake R. David was raised in Lafayette and is a founding partner of Broussard & David, LLC. Mr. David focuses on personal injury and wrongful death litigation with an emphasis on offshore/maritime, trucking accident, aviation, products liability, industrial accident, and automobile claims. Mr. David is an "AV" rated attorney by Martindale-Hubble (highest rating possible). Mr. David is board certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in Civil Trial Advocacy. Mr. David is also an Advocate in the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA).

Mr. David has been recognized by Louisiana Super Lawyers in the field of personal injury law, and...

Alan Berteau is a partner in the Baton Rouge office of Kean Miller. He joined the firm in 1995 and practices in the legacy and commercial litigation defense groups. He represents clients in complex and class action litigation matters involving damage claims relating to oil and gas exploration and production operations, commercial disputes, chemical exposure claims, and industrial accidents.

Alan has particular experience representing clients in class action and mass tort cases involving, long-term exposure and groundwater or soil contamination, air releases, and in the use of computer technology, including mapping and litigation support software, in the management and prosecution of...

Attorney Doug Bryan has been serving the local community since 1991 with individualized, experienced legal counsel. As a lifelong resident of Louisiana, he understands the needs of clients and their families. You can rely on his knowledge and compassion throughout your case, whether you were in a car accident, injured at work, want to adopt a child or were charged with a traffic offense. The Bryan Law Firm L.L.C. provides representation in a range of areas of law with a focus on personal injury and work injuries. Doug Bryan began his legal career with a personal injury law firm and...

Born in Abbeville, Louisiana. 1994 Graduate of LSU Law Center. 20 years legal experience. Licensed to practice in all State and Federal Courts in Louisiana. Focus is on civil litigation and areas of practice include Maritime, Auto Accidents, Truck Crashes and Products Liability claims.

Randy Young is a partner in the Baton Rouge office of Kean Miller. He joined the firm in 1992 and practices in the areas of energy, telecommunications, utility regulation, pilotage regulation, and also in environmental litigation. Randy has 25 years of experience in electric utility regulation and environmental law.

He has represented industrial manufacturing, refining, and related companies before the Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC) and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). He has represented independent generation companies and power marketers in matters before the LPSC and has represented a telecommunications company in multi-state regulatory complaint proceedings. Randy has also represented...

Attorney Noah Wexler is a highly experienced trial lawyer who has handled tens of thousands of cases in the past decade. Due to his commitment to his clients, keen skills in preparing for trials, attention to detail, and his ability to identify strategies that force insurers and negligent companies to pay maximum compensation, Noah has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars. While he is highly skilled in various areas of personal injury law, he focuses the majority of his work handling catastrophic truck accident cases, pharmaceutical cases, complex product liability cases, wrongful death cases, and catastrophic offshore injury cases throughout...

Eric Lockridge enjoys helping clients solve problems that arise in their businesses. His practice includes business litigation, bankruptcy and business reorganization, commercial collections, and assisting clients with business transactions. He has tried commercial and tort cases to verdict in Louisiana and Texas, and has successfully defended judgments on appeal. Eric currently focuses on lender work-out agreements, bankruptcy-related litigation, negotiation and dispute resolution, and complex commercial cases for Kean Miller’s construction, energy, and financial sector clients. Eric also works with Kean Miller’s intellectual property team to litigate patent, trademark, and copyright claims.

Eric advises corporate clients, lenders, and distressed-asset investors in asset...

Jeffrey S. Wittenbrink is a Board Certified Family Law Specialist in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He handles difficult and complex custody and community property cases associated with divorce; adoptions, paternity and grandparent custody cases. He also handles personal injury cases, wills and successions and general civil and criminal litigation. He is most recently associated with First Amendment litigation on behalf of Pastor Tony Spell, of Central, Louisiana, and has defended Firehouse BBQ in Watson, Louisiana in litigation against Governor Edwards' Covid-19 restrictions.

Jason is one of the nation's top trial lawyers for one reason: when he represents a client, he's all in. No matter how tough the fight. No matter how big the challenge. When it matters most, he's there for people who have been wronged. He takes every case personally, treating each client like family while he fights to rebuild their lives.

When people need to win, they call Jason. He's won several verdicts and settlements worth more than $100 million, dozens of results worth more than $10 million, and more than 200 results worth $1 million or more. In total,...

Jerome Moroux was born and raised in Lafayette, Louisiana and is a Partner at Broussard and David, LLC. He earned a B.A. from St. John’s College, in Santa Fe, NM, where he studied philosophy, literature, and the history of math and science.

Jerome attended law school at Louisiana State University, graduating cum laude. During law school, he was a Member of the Louisiana Law Review. After law school, Jerome clerked for the Honorable W. Eugene Davis of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Jerome handles serious personal injury and wrongful death cases arising from maritime/offshore accidents, trucking/18-wheeler accidents,...

André Bélanger, a graduate of Loyola University, is a highly-respected criminal defense attorney serving the people of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and surrounding areas of Ascension Parish and New Orleans, for one of Baton Rouge's top-25 law firms. In his 15 years of practicing law, Mr. Bélanger has handled thousands of criminal cases at both the pre-trial and trial stage, including approximately 200 trials. This trial experience includes homicide defense and prosecution, large drug conspiracies and fraud cases making Belanger one of the few attorneys capable of handling even the largest, most complex federal cases. Having spent...

Allison Benoit is special counsel in the Baton Rouge office of Kean Miller. She joined the firm in 2005 and practices in the toxic tort, occupational exposure, and commercial litigation groups. Prior to joining the firm, Allison practiced at an insurance defense firm in Alexandria, Louisiana.

Allison earned her B.A. in English, magna cum laude, from Louisiana State University in 1999. She earned her J.D. in 2003 from the LSU Law Center where she was a member of the Moot Court Board and a semi-finalist in the Robert Lee Tullis Moot Court Competition.

Bob Hawthorne is of counsel to the Baton Rouge office of Kean Miller. He is one of the founding members of the firm and practices in the estate planning and probate, business and corporate, and real estate groups. Bob represents clients in the finance, acquisition, construction, purchase, refinancing, management, leasing and sale of various types of real estate developments, both commercial and residential, including office buildings, shopping malls, manufacturing facilities, retail centers, industrial facilities, and commercial developments.

Bob advises business and corporate clients with regard to commercial lending transactions, financings, and the structure and formation of corporate entities. He has extensive...

The O'Pry Law Firm is a Martindale-Hubbel® "AV" rated law firm which has been nationally recognized in the fields of workers' compensation and personal injury litigation. The O'Pry Law Firm prides itself on providing first class representation in a cost effective manner. Founder Donnie O'Pry has been repeatedly been rated as one of the Top Lawyers in both Acadiana and Louisiana by multiple publications including the Times Picayune, American Lawyer Media, Louisiana Life Magazine, and Acadiana Profile Magazine. Donnie has achieved a perfect 10.0 rating on Avvo.com, one of the most widely used lawyer rating services in the...

Trey McCowan is a partner in the Baton Rouge office of Kean Miller. He joined the firm in 1989 and practices in the litigation group. Trey represents local, regional and multi-national energy and petrochemical clients in a wide variety of litigation matters. He has specific experience representing clients in litigation involving complex commercial agreements and legacy site litigation in the energy industry. Trey also represents clients with regard to environmental litigation and toxic tort defense. He also advises clients on electronic discovery, e-discovery compliance, electronically stored information (ESI), electronic information management, and retention and destructive policies and procedures.

Trey is listed...

When Kurt Arnold represents someone, he’s all in. He’s won billions for his clients. In fact, he has recovered more than $1 billion in a single year multiple times and shattered records with his historic verdicts and settlements. He has helped clients recover losses after major maritime disasters such as the Deepwater Horizon and the El Faro. For Kurt, no fight is too difficult or complicated. He refuses to take “no” for an answer. When something bad happens, Kurt fights for his clients, no matter what. He never backs down, no matter how big the challenge. Kurt co-founded Arnold & Itkin...