Energy & Natural Resources: Louisiana

THE FIRM This firm has one of the best-regarded energy groups in the state, acting for a long list of prestigious oil and gas clients. The preeminent team has recently been busy advising on issues relating to the Haynesville Shale oil and gas field. The group is also very active in court, counseling companies on oil and gas contracts.

Sources say: "A very busy team."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Bob Duplantis is a "skilled transactional attorney." He has been involved in unitization agreements and had led teams on dozens of hearings with the Office of Conservation. Tim Eagan has extensive experience and comes "highly recommended for energy litigation." He is particularly noted for his class action defense expertise and for his skill in counseling major utilities companies. Sources say John McCollam "is an outstanding senior litigator." His practice focuses on complex commercial and energy transactions, litigation, regulatory matters, product liability, toxic tort and environmental cases. The team's younger talent includes Scott O'Connor, who has expertise in energy and complex commercial litigation, and Aimee Hebert, who is widely recognized as a "clear up-and-comer in oil and gas litigation." She often handles disputes relating to operating agreements, leases, environmental issues, regulatory authority and water rights.

THE FIRM This 37-strong group is one of the largest in the state, with a premier oil and gas practice. The team has extensive experience across the board and can draw on substantial resources, regularly advising on upstream, midstream, downstream, power generation and mining matters. Notable clients include Sundown Energy, Seismic Exchange and Anadarko.

Sources say: "This is an outstanding firm with very able attorneys."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Carl Rosenblum is hailed as a "truly fantastic attorney who is great to work with." He has a wealth of experience in a diverse range of disputes for upstream and midstream oil and gas entities. Edward Bergin is consistently described as "a fine attorney with a strong practice" by sources. He regularly represents electric and telecommunications companies in front of the Louisiana Public Service Commission. A "skilled negotiator and strategist," Michael Donald is an eminent energy practitioner based in Houston. He regularly acts for both utilities and oil and gas companies, and has recently been involved in drafting Louisiana state legislation. David Hunter is a "very smart attorney," who focuses on transactional matters, handling gas purchase, contract agreements, leasing and acquisitions. He has particular expertise in oil and gas, coal, sulfur and electrical power.

THE FIRM This full-service firm has an outstanding reputation for oil and gas work, frequently representing many high-profile companies. The team is praised for its expertise in mineral lease matters, gas plant litigation and joint operating agreements. Highlights include advising BP following the Deepwater Horizon explosion, handling federal and state penalty and release reporting issues.

Sources say: "Liskow has had an excellent name as a specialist firm in oil and gas for many years; dealings with it are consistently brilliant."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Jonathan Hunter earns accolades for his "encyclopedic knowledge of statutory and regulatory law and how that impacts the oil and gas business." He recently represented a number of large energy companies in administrative litigation. "Experienced and quality litigator" Lawrence Simon focuses on disputes between producers and contractors, oil and gas royalty and mineral lease issues, and cases involving the processing of natural gas. Richard Revels has an "excellent reputation" in representing oil and gas entities in front of the Louisiana Conservation Commission. Practice strengths include title examinations and oil and gas industry regulations on well permitting, well spacing and commingling of production.

THE FIRM This well-respected and substantial oil and gas team has recently handled a number of high-profile matters. It is especially strong in undertaking transactional and contentious issues, advising on renewable energy, clean technology and licensing and litigation matters, including contractual disputes, acquisitions, royalties and state and federal regulatory issues.

Sources say: "Top-flight attorneys that consistently produce high-quality transactional work."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Founding member Hampton Carver is universally described as a "good litigator and real Southern gentleman." He has a wealth of experience in outer continental shelf leases, gas balancing, royalty matters and gas contract litigation, and regularly advises on deepwater issues. Also a founding member, Taylor Darden is respected as an "organized and intelligent attorney who fights hard for his clients." He has handled a broad range of cases recently, but is considered a specialist for operational and technical disputes.

THE FIRM Kean Miller has one of the strongest energy groups outside of New Orleans, with 16 attorneys split between its utilities and its oil and gas practices. Environmental litigation and alternative energy are both fortes. It frequently counsels industrial companies and telecommunications, water, wastewater and transportation utilities in matters before the Louisiana Public Service Commission and FERC. In the last year the team advised on a variety of disputes that followed in the wake of recent hurricanes.

Sources say: "The group has a particularly excellent reputation for casualty and land contamination cases."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Premier practitioner Katherine King is a highly regarded electric utility regulation expert who is particularly well known for her reputation of users' groups and industrial companies before the Louisiana Public Service Commission. Randy Young represents utilities companies across the Gulf Coast region and is recognized for his high level of expertise in litigation before the commission.

THE FIRM This experienced team is a player in the region and can call on significant resources across its network. With depth in both New Orleans and Baton Rouge, it is best known for advice related to midstream oil and gas and electric utilities. In the last year it represented Cleco Power before the Louisiana Public Service Commission in proceedings regarding utility ratemaking, financing, acquisition and construction of transmission and generation facilities.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Alan Wolf is "a very fine and experienced pipeline lawyer." He regularly advises Cleco Power and divides his practice between Texas and Louisiana, focusing on gas and electric utility matters and administrative law and energy law. Baton Rouge-based John Shirley is a "terrific attorney who is a real advocate for the client." He also handled numerous matters for Cleco Power earlier this year.

THE FIRM Stone Pigman excels in handling matters for major utilities, frequently advising the Louisiana Public Service Commission, acting for the commission at FERC and representing public entities in telecom and utilities regulatory issues. Environmental and energy law are areas of strength.

Sources say: "Exceptional when it comes to public services and utilities." 

KEY INDIVIDUALS Chair of the regulatory practice group, Michael Fontham is well known for his representation of the Louisiana Public Service Commission in various capacities, especially at the federal level. Also an "exceptional utilities lawyer," Paul Zimmering represents the commission particularly as regards FERC, and regularly teaches a class at Tulane University. Dana Shelton is highly regarded for her representation of the commission at both state and federal levels. Her practice also focuses on environmental and energy law matters.

THE FIRM Baker Donelson's compact, high-quality group is recommended for its expertise in insurance matters, as well as maritime, energy and environmental law. Interviewees consistently praise its broad-based knowledge, client service and litigation skills. 

Sources say: "They do a really good job; I'm always confident I have the best team in the room when I hire them." 

KEY INDIVIDUALS Group head Kenneth Klemm is "an efficient, knowledgeable and client-driven attorney" who is well regarded for his skill at handling larger property suits, often with a class action element.

THE FIRM This firm has a solid energy practice and has recently represented a number of oil and gas industry entities in complex litigation. The group is particularly known for its representation of pipeline companies and has niche expertise in reserve evaluations, oil and gas accounting, processing plant operations and roll-up of joint ventures into publicly held companies. Highlights from the last year include acting for Kerr-McGee on a landmark offshore deepwater mineral lease matter.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Ernest Edwards is a key contact at the firm.